An In-Depth Look at Apple Watch Band Options and Potential Pricing

[Mac Fly (film)]

I hope he's wrong.

I was hoping the stainless steel apple watch would start at $500. Otherwise you're buying an iPhone accessory for almost the same price as an iPhone would cost you sim-free.

Your buying a watch. It works without the phone. It has Bluetooth and storage to wireless play music to a pair of wireless overhead earphones if you like. There will be third party apps to monitor your sleep. It'll count your steps and tell you when you stand if you're sitting too long and has many other functions. If you have an iPhone you can take advantage of every feature this phone has, and let's face it you wouldn't be on this forum if you didn't have an iPhone. If you can't afford the model you want go down to the next model in the line or don't buy one at all. Apple makes quality stuff and quality stuff costs money.

 

[TallManNY]

You people aren't reading the analysis. These are priced as fashion watches are. Disregard what tech is inside them. Millions of people spend that much every day on watches that only tell time and not even as reliably.

Millions of people do not buy high end watches every day that cost thousands.

But if you change that to millions of people PER YEAR buy expensive watches then you have a point. And your basic point is correct, there is a market for high end fashion and luxury and watches. If Apple can get into this market, then they've got something because the margins are insane.

 

[jaw04005]

From a tech point of view, the Apple Watch is going to be very much a 1.0 product. It looks bulky and we all know they're going to release a slimmer, faster and more capable version next year. I personally don't see the point in purchasing anything beyond the "Sport Edition."

However, I guess there's always the Kardashians of the world.

 

[LordQ]

Plus $600 for an iPhone 6 to make the watch fully work.

 

[bushido]

problem being that those things are still just electronics / toys that get outdated and judged by its specs at the end of the day so those price drops will be significant as soon as the next gen or two comes along. I don't see them holding much of its value unlike real watches.

just look how much detail and crafting goes into a real clockwork while the smart watch simply has a "theme" on its screen

 

[Xian Zhu Xuande]

$10,000?! That's more than a Mac! Why would you waste your money on that?

Basically, the Edition is not for you, me, or the other people shocked as to why someone would spend that much money on a watch or gadget. It will be targeted at the sort of people who already buy expensive watches and jewelry and will necessarily be expensive, in the case of the gold watch, because gold.

They'll need to introduce some kind of tradein/upgrade process along with it, though. Whether swappable innards or simply a partial refund on returning your Edition so the gold can be reclaimed and reused. An expensive Swiss watch just keeps on working, but a smartwatch will become obsolete, its battery will become less effective—all the technology hurdles we know well.

 

[lincolntran]

$10,000?! That's more than a Mac! Why would you waste your money on that?

Because the people who are willing to buy a $10k fashion product don't usually compare that product to a computer. Especially when Apple is marketing the watch as a fashion product, whether we agree with them or not.

 

[OllyW]

If you have an iPhone you can take advantage of every feature this phone has, and let's face it you wouldn't be on this forum if you didn't have an iPhone.

I think you will need an iPhone to get it working.

 

[Neepman]

The snark articles and complaints once the release and full unveiling of this product happens are going to be epic. And I still call fail.

 

[filmantopia]

The more I read rumors about the gold watch price, the more I think the solid gold rumor was false. I can't imagine Apple putting products to the market with that price. Sure, something like a special edition Mac Pro on an auction. But not a watch in the Apple catalogue.

This also reminds me of those stupid iPhone's packed with gold and diamonds. Always felt like none-Apple and a bad marriage of styles and image.

Uh, it *will* be solid 18k gold. The watch says so on the backside engraving.

 

[rohitp]

I agree with a lot of the posts here - there is a BIG difference between buying a conventional enduring designer watch and a tech-based one that will undoubtedly be obsolete in 3-4 years max. The price points suggested do not make sense. Sure, if you have $10k to burn and an ego to match then I can see a few people buying them but it does not make sense from a market standpoint. Imho, I'd be surprised if any Apple watch exceeds $1500.

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

I would still rather spend my money on a watch that is going to last forever. Not for months. Anything with three 0's behind it for an Apple Watch is crazy, but I am sure there will be people with more money than brains that will go for it.

I will always be more impressed by a Patek Phillipe or Cartier, hell even by a Rolex before some Golden Apple.

None of the watches you mentioned have smartwatch functionalily. If all you're after in a wrist investment that tells the time then I'm not sure what your issue is. Just buy one of those other watches. If on the other hand you want a smartwatch that's all a piece of jewellery; a fashion item then you know what to do.

 

[Nunyabinez]

Short version: I know nothing, so I'll just randomly guess with no real logic behind it.

Remember back when people were SWEARING up and down that the iPad would be $1200 to start? They ended up looking like total fools.

IMHO - it's an opinion just like an "analyst", is that the Edtion will be nowhere near that price. The guesses are out of control. Hope we get confirmation from Apple soon to stop this madness. Correct when you know I'm wrong! Not on the back of some analyst - who has been hit and miss in the past.

Judging from your status you have been posting here for a while. Do you not know who John Gruber is? To put him in the class of "just another analyst" or "I just randomly guess" is ridiculous.

I have yet to see something that he claimed be wrong. He is as close to being an Apple mouth piece as you'll get. Having said that, obviously Apple is being tight lipped, even with John. But you can't ignore him like he's some digi times author.

 

[Wuiffi]

Paying ~700€ (or even up to 3000€) for a special, hand made watch? Sure, I'd to that.
Thing is: it has to work after 10 years like it did on day 1. With modern electronics this is not going to happen.

Factor 2 off? I'd say now it's factor 10 overpriced. Those prices could if you could exchange your watch for the newest version every 2 years for 10 years or something like that

 

[NewtypeCJ]

Your buying a watch. It works without the phone. It has Bluetooth and storage to wireless play music to a pair of wireless overhead earphones if you like. There will be third party apps to monitor your sleep. It'll count your steps and tell you when you stand if you're sitting too long and has many other functions.

From Apple's own site: Requires iPhone 5 or later.

You can't set up or install apps on it without the phone.

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

Short version: I know nothing, so I'll just randomly guess with no real logic behind it.

Remember back when people were SWEARING up and down that the iPad would be $1200 to start? They ended up looking like total fools.

The solid gold iPad?

 

[TallManNY]

I would still rather spend my money on a watch that is going to last forever. Not for months. Anything with three 0's behind it for an Apple Watch is crazy, but I am sure there will be people with more money than brains that will go for it.

I will always be more impressed by a Patek Phillipe or Cartier, hell even by a Rolex before some Golden Apple.

Actually some of those folks have a ton of brains, which has resulted in a ton of money.

Buying a $5,000 smartwatch doesn't make sense to me. But I have a bunch of friends with watches that cost $10,000 or more. Of course they expect to use them for a decade or more and then have resale value.

 

[Rogifan]

What are your guesses?

Not being sarcastic - but you raise a good point. You've been tracking the stories quite a bit - what do you think the tiers or range will be

I think making guesses are silly. The only thing I will say is I think Gruber is wrong about the bands. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if bands is where Apple hopes to make a lot of money. No way do I think Apple will restrict people from buying bands separate from the watch. I doubt you'll be able to buy a watch without a band but I'm certwin Apple will let you buy as many bands as you want.

 

[filmantopia]

As a former Apple Store employee I can tell you all that Apple has no shortage of Black Card carrying customers.

 

[JPLC]

Uh, it *will* be solid 18k gold. The watch says so on the backside engraving.

You're right. Sorry about that. Still, I can't imagine it will be priced over 10K.

 

[gcooldude86]

Like I said in another post, $10K on a device with a 3-4 year lifecycle is ridiculous. I can see why you would drop that kind of money on a luxury watch because those last and in most cases passed on to generations. Few years from now the Edition at that price would be worthless as the tech would be obsolete. I also think Apple didn't go the route of a gold link bracelett as the price would be tremendous. Having bands will little gold keeps the price down. I don't think he's right and nobody will know for sure till Apple reveals these details.

 

[rndmprsn]

No ***** way

For anything even close to $7,000.... I'd buy a Rolex. There is no way I'd ever pay thousands of dollars for a smart watch.

 

[bobob]

As unhinged as they've been in some of these Apple Watch threads so far, the naysayers are going to go absolutely bananas when the actual pricing is announced.

 

[JFazYankees]

Judging from your status you have been posting here for a while. Do you not know who John Gruber is? To put him in the class of "just another analyst" or "I just randomly guess" is ridiculous.

I have yet to see something that he claimed be wrong. He is as close to being an Apple mouth piece as you'll get. Having said that, obviously Apple is being tight lipped, even with John. But you can't ignore him like he's some digi times author.

I'm fairly certain he was one of the analysts swearing that the iPad would launch for over $1000. That wasn't accurate, and I don't see how most of the predictions here can be accurate.

 

[jrswizzle]

The problem with pricing the gold watches that high is that this is still a gadget. Next year the $350 watch will have better specs and in my eyes be "better". They will need to
Have a trade-in program or upgrade program of some kind for this to fly.

You're still thinking about the Apple Watch in iPhone/smartphone terms.

That's everyone's mistake here - we have no idea what Apple has in store for the device. What if it's not a device you replace every year or two - what if it's upgradeable by itself somehow? What if they come up with a way to incorporate years of updates in the original price?

I think we need to stop trying to fit the Apple Watch into current mobile device upgrade/pricing models and wait until the thing is released.