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

[Chupa Chupa]

IPads doesn't cost thousands....

Btw, even for the base model, a watch isn't something people are accustomed to change every other year.

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I'm not a detractors by any mean, but it's called watch and is priced similarly (supposedly), how can it avoid the competition ?

Apple Watches don't necessarily cost thousands either. They start at $350. For a .5%er who makes several hundred thousand per year $4K is like $350. They switch luxury cars like kids eating candy bars. To them, more than any other demo, having the latest and greatest is most important. If you don't understand that take a stroll into Bergdorfs or Neimans where you can buy a dozen $300 power ties you'll wear once.

What real competition does the Apple Watch have? For $350 there is no other true smart watch. People are not buying the Apple Watch because it tells time.

This is the funny thing:

Every time someone argues that the Apple watch is NOT A ROLEX! they are also suggesting that it's arguable. Apple wins each time.

$349 used to seem like such a ridiculously high amount... now it's a bargain since you get the same thing some sucker paid 10 or 20K for, just for a different color. 1K for stainless steal almost starts to seem reasonable.

$350 is what any decent sport watch costs. I've never seen the Apple Watch Sport as being priced out of range. And whoever buys the Apple Edition version isn't just buying a "different color," they are buying an 18K gold model. Check the price of gold. It's quite a bit more than black aluminum.

 

[Max(IT)]

Yes, and you can't get a good car for under $100,000 or a good TV for under $5000 or a good pair of shoes for under $500 or someone who doesn't push his definition of "good" on others by calling differing opinions "blasphemy" for under $500 billion.

Wrong. You can get a lot of good cars for less than $100.000, and a lot of good TVs for much less than $5000, and quite a lot of good shoes for half the price you wrote..... But clearly you don't know what a good watch is.

 

[Mikkis]

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.

Yes they do but those traditional watches don't become obsolete in a year. I have a 500$ watch which I have used over 6 years now and I still like it and use it. Try using a first gen iPhone and analyze your feelings after that.

 

[OllyW]

You can't find any good watch for 200$.

Define a "good watch"?

You can get a lot of decent watches that will look good, keep accurate time and last for many years and still cost less than $200. They may not be horological masterpieces but to the vast majority of people, they are "good watches".

 

[AppleScruff1]

Seriously, why?

People sleep on mall floors overnight with infants to buy a phone. And you ask why?

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Apple hasn't a tradition about modularity.
I don't believe it.

That's what I think too. They go out of their way to make sure you can't upgrade their other products.

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Yes, and you can't get a good car for under $100,000 or a good TV for under $5000 or a good pair of shoes for under $500 or someone who doesn't push his definition of "good" on others by calling differing opinions "blasphemy" for under $500 billion.

There are plenty of great cars for under $100K.

 

[Max(IT)]

Define a "good watch"?

You can get a lot of decent watches that will look good, keep accurate time and last for many years and still cost less than $200. They may not be horological masterpieces but to the vast majority of people, they are "good watches".

Then we have a very different opinion about good watches.
You can keep accurate time with a $50 watch, for many years.
It still doesn't qualify as a good watch.
That doesn't mean you need a $5000 Rolex, but hardly something below $500.

 

[OllyW]

Then we have a very different opinion about good watches.
You can keep accurate time with a $50 watch, for many years.
It still doesn't qualify as a good watch.
That doesn't mean you need a $5000 Rolex, but hardly something below $500.

You still haven't defined what a "good watch" is.

 

[TommyA6]

Two things I know from reading Apple's website. Apple Watch (basic model) will start at 349 price point. It is stated here:

https://www.apple.com/pr/library/20...e-Watch-Apples-Most-Personal-Device-Ever.html

As well, the apple watch is always listed first and then the sport and then the edition. The sport version is 30% lighter and more sturdy (ion-x glass) than the Apple watch. I hope everyone is right that the sport is cheaper but it won't be the case

The bands will be interchangeable according to the pictures. We see both the apple watch and edition versions with the sport bands. I personally want a black and an white band but I don't see them limiting bands in the mid tier watch. Here is a link of the watches with each working with the sports bands:

http://www.apple.com/watch/overview/

This is just my instincts about what will happen. I will be VERY happy if the sport edition is cheaper but with my luck it won't.

Sapphire is more expensive and harder than "ion-x glass" lol. I can't believe some people are still even thinking about it.
If the ion-x glass were more expensive and sturdier, the Apple watch edition would also have it (not sapphire).

 

[AppleScruff1]

So you think all these bands they created will be obsolete in two years?

Perhaps not if they keep that part of the case the same width. But then again they have no problem changing an iPad so that you have to buy a new case from the prior model. The iPhone changes every two years and you need a new case too. Maybe Apple will surprise us, but their past history gives me no reason to think so.

 

[iaymnu]

I agree! Can't compare the two watches. Mechanical watch vs a digital fad watch. Any WIS knows..

This is the funny thing:

Every time someone argues that the Apple watch is NOT A ROLEX! they are also suggesting that it's arguable. Apple wins each time.

$349 used to seem like such a ridiculously high amount... now it's a bargain since you get the same thing some sucker paid 10 or 20K for, just for a different color. 1K for stainless steal almost starts to seem reasonable.

 

[Max(IT)]

People sleep on mall floors overnight with infants to buy a phone. And you ask why?

a phone, yes, but a watch ?
Traditionally people had upgraded phones every 2-3 years, but what about watches? I don't see people changing watches every two years.
Will Apple be able to change this behavior?

 

[AppleScruff1]

Define a "good watch"?

You can get a lot of decent watches that will look good, keep accurate time and last for many years and still cost less than $200. They may not be horological masterpieces but to the vast majority of people, they are "good watches".

I've used G-Shock watches for casual wear for many years and I think they are great watches. They are not jewelry and they are not fashion statments, but they keep accurate time and you can beat them to death and they keep working just fine. I have no delusions that it's equal to a Rolex, etc.

 

[iaymnu]

A watch is a tool. Any watch that works is a good watch.
A quality watch is one that doesn't give up on you when you are using it. Doesn't matter if its $50-$5k.

Then we have a very different opinion about good watches.
You can keep accurate time with a $50 watch, for many years.
It still doesn't qualify as a good watch.
That doesn't mean you need a $5000 Rolex, but hardly something below $500.

 

[Rogifan]

Perhaps not if they keep that part of the case the same width. But then again they have no problem changing an iPad so that you have to buy a new case from the prior model. The iPhone changes every two years and you need a new case too. Maybe Apple will surprise us, but their past history gives me no reason to think so.

iPhone and iPad cases aren't hundreds of dollars.

 

[AppleScruff1]

iPhone and iPad cases aren't hundreds of dollars.

And neither are the basic watch bands.

 

[doelcm82]

My two-year-old is the proud "owner" of a first-generation iPad. By the time he's seven, he'll likely be wearing an first-year Apple Watch. Maybe with a new battery.

 

[joshdammit]

But if it's a fashion accessory, how can you spend $10k on one knowing that in 12 months it will be half as thick? $10k for this is absurd.

How do you know that? And yes, I'm aware the iPhone does that, and the iPad has also done that. You're also forgetting another popular Apple product: The Mac. Updates on those are smaller and less frequent (normally,) and people spend thousands on those and don't trade them in for years.

Exactly - the value of these things will go to zero (besides possible scrap price for gold, etc.) in 12-24 months, guaranteed.

How can you guarantee that when Apple has never released a watch before?

This is a disposable product - if it weren't, Apple wouldn't be in this market.

So does that mean Apple isn't going to make iPads anymore since people are still attached to their iPad 2/3?

You've used Apple products before, right? So you know that the profit Apple gets out of the product isn't the sole revenue it generates, right? There are app sales, accessory sales (hello watch bands) and the whole "Ecosystem" thing. With the Apple Watch coming out, it's very possible that heads are going to turn. Depending on how well it does as a product, I imagine there will be a market of disenfranchised Android owners who are impressed by the Apple Watch and decide that's the time to make their jump to Apple.

Granted, I'm speculating, but so are you.

Remember, Jobs said TV sets were a horrible business to be in because the turnaround is so infrequent.

You do know the Apple Watch isn't a television set, right? I mean, sure it has a display on it like a television, but Apple's also trying to get into the fashion market with this expensive watch. For the record, I doubt it will be $10,000 but I could also be wrong about that. Just like you.

And if TV sets are such a horrible business, how are companies managing to sell them still? And before you say "They make other electronics, too" remember I can say back "So does Apple."

Steve Jobs has said many things which, in that period of time when he was CEO of Apple, may have been true. But we don't have to worry about that right now because he's too busy spinning in his grave over the number of other abominations Apple has allegedly put out lately. (Sarcasm.)

So this product has to be disposable, and a smart watch is almost by nature,

Why does it have to be disposable? Again, I point you to the Mac and the iPad. Remember: Apple isn't just the iPhone company, no matter how popular the product made them.

And before you point me to the current smart watch market, save yourself the embarrassment and recall the pre-iPhone smartphone market as well as the pre-iPad netbook market.

Also, since you seem to continue comparing the Watch to Apple's other products, the iPhone isn't exactly disposable either. It just seems that way because Apple continues to release new models (to compete with the rapidly growing smartphone market) seeing as how carriers dangle an upgrade in our faces every two years.

There are still plenty of people out there rocking a 4, 4s and 5. Oh and iPods! There are still people using classic iPods, even older generation iPod Touches. Because not everybody needs to be on the bleeding edge of technology. So seriously, stop with this "disposable" nonsense you keep pretending is holy law.

so getting people to shell out retarded amounts of money for something that WON'T stand the test of time when they can buy a Breitling etc. that WILL stand the test of time is going to be pretty difficult.

Seeing as how you still haven't given any indication that you know any new facts about the Watch, you still don't know that this won't stand the test of time. Apple has supposedly created these watch cases to be harder and stronger than the traditional metals they're made of. And we also don't know what internal components can be repaired if something breaks. Yeah, the battery probably won't last as long as a traditional wrist watch battery due to it powering a miniature computer but maybe those can be replaced as well.

What people are missing here is that

You don't know what you're talking about?

people who spend a lot of money on watches usually tend to buy/collect them knowing they will have them for life, that they will never really depreciate much or go out of style. A good swiss watch is timeless, and buyers such as myself know this.

So because you collect watches, that means everybody who buys expensive watches does it to collect them? Or maybe some people buy these watches to use as fashion accessories, sort of like what Apple is trying to market this as.

All buyers such as yourself know is what you personally will buy.

Not to mention, the Apple watch is just plain ugly, so it's not much of a fashion accessory IMO like a nice classic watch.

Well at least you finally added an IMO in there, even though you still are using your opinion as a point to your argument. Then again, you've been using opinions for this entire message.

There are too many facts about this watch that all of us don't know, yet.

 

[imwoblin]

Wow, 660 posts and still going strong!
Prior posters have mentioned that Apple may have a "recycle" service built into the $10k watches to keep them current. Can you imagine making an appointment at the genius bar for "recycling" service on you're $10k fine watch piece / smart watch! Boggles the mind...

 

[doelcm82]

iPhone and iPad cases aren't hundreds of dollars.

And neither are the basic watch bands.

They better not be. The Milanese Loop looks as though it will cost more than I'm willing to pay for a watch band. I'm waiting to see. I still hope the basic band comes with the watch.

 

[joshdammit]

My two-year-old is the proud "owner" of a first-generation iPad. By the time he's seven, he'll likely be wearing an first-year Apple Watch. Maybe with a new battery.

What this guy said.

Several people hand their Apple products down to other family members (or just resell them.) I don't see how any of this is "disposable."

 

[AppleScruff1]

a phone, yes, but a watch ?
Traditionally people had upgraded phones every 2-3 years, but what about watches? I don't see people changing watches every two years.
Will Apple be able to change this behavior?

Why not? The watch is an Apple product. People only behave like this for Apple products. At least I think this is what will happen initially. Maybe the watch will go the way of the 5C after a time, who knows for sure. They did miss the mark with the 5C, so who knows?

 

[doelcm82]

Wow, 660 posts and still going strong!
Prior posters have mentioned that Apple may have a "recycle" service built into the $10k watches to keep them current. Can you imagine making an appointment at the genius bar for "recycling" service on you're $10k fine watch piece / smart watch! Boggles the mind...

I can imagine it, and so can you (since you're the one who put it into words). I wonder if Apple will have a "concierge service" for people who can afford the watch and can't imagine mingling with the riffraff at the genius bar.

 

[AppleScruff1]

They better not be. The Milanese Loop looks as though it will cost more than I'm willing to pay for a watch band. I'm waiting to see. I still hope the basic band comes with the watch.

I think you will get a basic band with the entry level watches. Of course the more desirable bands will be extra and/or optional. Remember, Apple is big on upselling you, hence the small standard storage on iPhone's and iPad's.

 

[Max(IT)]

A watch is a tool. Any watch that works is a good watch.
A quality watch is one that doesn't give up on you when you are using it. Doesn't matter if its $50-$5k.

A cheap watch could easily be seen as a tool.
But when you speak about better watches, they are more similar to jewels than tools.

 

[splogue]

For those buying, be careful in showing it. Criminals, without knowing how valuable the watch is by sight (or glimpses), may target you just for the possibility that it's a more expensive version. Hell, even if it's the least expensive, they may target you.

I agree, but I believe there are safety precautions against theft. Like having to enter a code to unlock the watch if it is removed from a wrist (taken off).

Regardless, this is still good advice. I've been known to stash my watch elsewhere when riding a subway, for example. There will be high demand and interest in the watch at first, which will mean thefts, regardless of the precautions.

Sean