Doubt it. Let me know when the "iWatch' has enough battery power to last for several days and can be considered useful as survival gear as well. You know - where or when there's no power source for several days to recharge?
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Jony Ive On iWatch: Switzerland is in Trouble
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Doubt it. Let me know when the "iWatch' has enough battery power to last for several days and can be considered useful as survival gear as well. You know - where or when there's no power source for several days to recharge?
Apple is a pro at media hype using controlled leaks. Given that Johnny says it's da bomb, I think it's an attempt to do a damage control since iwatch is not ready to be announced
Quartz watches came out several decades ago. Compared to traditional Swiss mechanical watches (Rolex, Patek, your various ETA incarnations, etc), they are substantially cheaper, generally more reliable, and more accurate. If people bought watches only for function, Rolex would have gone bankrupt long ago. However, the Swiss watch makers are doing just fine. People buy Rolexes and Pateks because they are status symbols and also because people appreciate the craftsmanship and centuries of horological advances that make those kinds of watches possible.
The iWatch will be bought primarily by people who don't already regularly wear a watch or who might only currently have a $20 Casio. People are not going to buy an iWatch in lieu of a Rolex or Patek.
The iWatch will be bought primarily by people who don't already regularly wear a watch or who might only currently have a $20 Casio. People are not going to buy an iWatch in lieu of a Rolex or Patek.
Pffft
For those trying to make connections to other pieces of technology (home phones, cameras) that have been made obsolete or redundant by newer technology, there's one major flaw to your arguments. Swiss watch companies have long re-branded as a status symbol or timepiece that lasts multiple generations. They have shed the title of "technology". An iWatch that needs to be replaced every few years will not replace timepieces that are sold on the premise of being passed down generations.
The only brands I can see affected by this potentially are Citizen, lower end Seiko (sub $1000), Victorinox, Tissot (potentially), boutique diver brands that sell in the range of $300-$1000 like Helson, MKII, Christopher Ward, etc but even the boutique brands might not be affected as they're so cult-based I think they'll be okay.
Oh I think designer brands like Fossil, Michael Kors, Guess, Kenneth Cole, Diesel, G-Shock, etc are screwed if the iWatch is designed and looks good enough.
For those trying to make connections to other pieces of technology (home phones, cameras) that have been made obsolete or redundant by newer technology, there's one major flaw to your arguments. Swiss watch companies have long re-branded as a status symbol or timepiece that lasts multiple generations. They have shed the title of "technology". An iWatch that needs to be replaced every few years will not replace timepieces that are sold on the premise of being passed down generations.
The only brands I can see affected by this potentially are Citizen, lower end Seiko (sub $1000), Victorinox, Tissot (potentially), boutique diver brands that sell in the range of $300-$1000 like Helson, MKII, Christopher Ward, etc but even the boutique brands might not be affected as they're so cult-based I think they'll be okay.
Oh I think designer brands like Fossil, Michael Kors, Guess, Kenneth Cole, Diesel, G-Shock, etc are screwed if the iWatch is designed and looks good enough.
Its Urban survival gear .as long as there are charging stations in route like the current iPhone or a tesla
This rumor is utter BS. Jony Ives is a watch collector. He is a connoisseur of mechanical engineering. The dude knows his cars, cameras, and has utmost respect for Swiss mechanical engineering. He's partnered with Swiss firms and he wears a few 10K plus watches. I highly doubt the scenario as depicted. Too much heresay.
The source quotes Ive as saying this.
I don't see it as criticism of Swiss watchmaking so much as smart watches entering into a design-first phase. This will not deter watch buyers eager to spend $10,000 on a bragging right or a collectible or whatever the hell people buy watches for. But if I could put a beautiful (and more importantly, functional) iWatch on my wrist for less than $500, I would have my own bragging rights. I don't know a single person with an expensive watch and I am 41 years old. But I do know if I'm wearing an iWatch and everyone else in the room is wearing some crappy Android wear or Samsung nonsense, I will be the standout.
I would not want back a smartwatch carried by my father that way, however. Even an Apple.
Tell those that lived through hurricane Sandy in NYC how useful their iWatch would have been when their power was out for a week.
True. Wall Street clowns are short sighted but they are also far-sighted. I mean to say that the sell off today was probably unrelated to the iCloud security issues just like the buyback tomorrow will be unrelated to the news tomorrow. But I do know that the price targets have been raised to around $120. It's all nonsense but that's far-sighted for you.
I bet a typical processor inside a computer today is much more complex to engineer than a watch.
(Even a smart watch.
A CPU processor is mostly designed by robotics, computer assist. That type of engineering is totally different than watch; mechanical engineering that requires high level of precision tolerance with hundreds of moving parts that is built to last decades, centuries of use. A 60 year old watch with 600 parts can be accurate to 0.5 seconds a day after 6 decades of day to day use. Something that beats 18-36,000 bphs,rotate 60 full seconds; 8,6400 seconds a day.
Imagine a sports car running 7,000 rpms non-stop; never taking a break or rest-stop; driving on roads for 24x7x365 days a year for 60 years. Imagine the mileage and wear and tear on that car. Will it be running in optimal state? I don't think it would be as mechanically crafted as a watch.
Then imagine making 800,000 of those a year to that type of spec.
That is a marvel in engineering. The Swiss are not sitting idly. Swatch just released the SISTEM51 watch movement in a $150 watch. It has 51 parts vs 400/600 on 5 plates held by one screw. It has a 90 hour power reserve vs 40. It can go un-service for 30 years versus 3 years. This on a $150 SWATCH. That require a level of re-thinking. It is utterly simplistic in design and you have to simply marvel of that kind of engineering to get to that point.
I ain't giving up my Omegas for something my phone already does. I'd add a Fuelband or Fitband bracelet, but I'll never dual wrist watches
You still don't: this is unverified rumor about a private conversation that may have happened.
Everyone's treating the "story" like it matters
It's a rumor site. If we ignored this story we would have to ignore every other story too. Besides, it's not like we're all shareholders.
"Ive said what?" BUY!
"Ive said what now?!" SELL! SELL!!!
But isn't that why Apple's been hiring top notch talent from the fashion industry?
The price of luxury goods have outpaced the rate of inflation for many years now without adding additional value. That's usually a strong indicator that the market is ripe for disruption. And Apple, as the only true tech lifestyle brand is poised to disrupt that market.
Apple doesn't have to necessarily disrupt the upper echelon, but if they grab 50% of worldwide watch profits, then Jonny's remark about Switzerland would be dead on.
Of course its in response to the inflamatory way this has been presented/written (who knows if and what was said), but it is interesting watching people flat out reject the notion. I am sure many in the cell phone industry in 2005 or 2006 might have also thought people dont buy cell phones for their music player, internet accessing, app running or gaming abilities. But Apple did come into the mark, and the market changed. Now thats why many people buy phones. Not al people though. Many people still want just something to make and receive calls.
Its not a perfect analogy, but i guess of course the market for fine watches will never go away, they are jewllery, they are status symbols for people who place importance on those things. But if apple do do a watch, and it is good, it will almost certainly steal a fair chunk of sales of traditional watch manufacturers (in the same way that having a clock on your phone has arguably stolen some of those sales too - less people wear watches).
Not so quick
Thought this way previously, but not so certain now. If executives who make up a majority of buyers for the luxury watch market (lange, patek, rolex, panerai, etc.) gain additional productivity from the iWatch to offset the 'intangible benefits' (i.e. status), a large number of these individuals could potential forgo their traditional watches for this one.
Its easy to see that watches within the price range of the iWatch (I'm giving a large estimated range between $250 and $500) may, with relative certainty, suffer drastically. Although the luxury watch market ($10,000) may not be affected as dearly in relative terms, I surmise they may face an absolute fall in demand that will shake up the watch industry and potentially cause further consolidation within the market.
Thought this way previously, but not so certain now. If executives who make up a majority of buyers for the luxury watch market (lange, patek, rolex, panerai, etc.) gain additional productivity from the iWatch to offset the 'intangible benefits' (i.e. status), a large number of these individuals could potential forgo their traditional watches for this one.
Its easy to see that watches within the price range of the iWatch (I'm giving a large estimated range between $250 and $500) may, with relative certainty, suffer drastically. Although the luxury watch market ($10,000) may not be affected as dearly in relative terms, I surmise they may face an absolute fall in demand that will shake up the watch industry and potentially cause further consolidation within the market.
Uh huh. This product that you know nothing about, or even if if exists...but yeah, Swiss watch makers have nothing to worry about. 'Kay.
There's plenty of room for all manufacturers in the marketplace. As with everything - different strokes for different folks.