Phones have had clocks on them since long before the iPhone. Why do people blame the decline in mechanical watch sales on the rise of the smartphone?
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Apple Offering $50 Off Apple Watch With Any iPhone Purchase in Select Apple Stores
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Phones have had clocks on them since long before the iPhone. Why do people blame the decline in mechanical watch sales on the rise of the smartphone?
I have to go with real world observations. I was recently in a very busy San Francisco Apple store and there was not one single shopper at the watch table. The display table was positioned front and center too. That said I believe it's too early to call the device a hit or a miss. Historically other Apple products took time to catch on.
Who buys these things? A watch that you have to charge daily when you can just use your phone lol.
That doesn't mean there weren't any watch purchases, though. You can walk up to anyone and ask for an Apple Watch, or order them online. I can't remember the last time I saw anyone buying a Mac at an Apple store (and I'm at them fairly regularly), and yet they sold a record number last quarter.
There is no desperation Tim would just cancel his next round of orders. Tim is a smart guy that is why he did not have enough launch products he hedged his bet it would flop. The notion that it is just that hard to make is total BS. The man just did not order enough to stock pile in fear it would go boom in his face. The product sold way more than he thought he ramped it up and is just now going into december able to expand to more countries and fill his secondary sales channels. I suspect this was a meeting that said holy crap we are selling iPhones left and right and people are walking away with out dropping money in our coffers. I know it is financed so apple gets paid. There was a voice that said well hey lets pair this up and sell them as a unit. They were like idk if apple people will go for it so ok lets try it. I am surprised apple is getting involved and not just using target as a test ballon and we can all go hey well target is doing a loss leader when in fact it is apple behind the scene giving them a wicked discount on those purchases. This comes down to head of retail she is willing to risk this in as you saw not very high profile store set in a limited region. i think this was her call. The normal discount model is done through secondary sales channels like best buy and target. I mean have you never wondered why iPads go on random sale at best buy. If you think best buy is just sucking up those cost esp when it is like mid product cycle you would be fooling your self. This is how apple quietly unloads a few extra units with out ever having a sale. This was a simple brilliant play by Tim cook. They get to move units and best buy gets some floor traffic. The sale windows are always really small and never a huge discount as to keep the price point inflated.
I was at the Apple store today because I am looking for a gift. Guess which tables had no one at them....... Those tables were like a ghost town! I was only there for 20 minutes but no one stopped once!
The other tables were crazy busy.. Just saying
Oh I agree that watch purchases were likely going on in other parts of the store (and online), but I was still somewhat surprised that no one was browsing the merchandise.
It's not for everyone, but I have found the watch far more useful than the notifications and health and fitness you mentioned. Not that I don't appreciate using the watch for workouts, as I've found it a great tool during workouts. I was happy to see I get a better cardio workout shooting hoops than using the treadmill. Needless to say, I pass by the treadmill on my way to the courts at the gym.
Even when I have the phone nearby, the watch is just more convenient to use for a number of things. Especially useful when I'm working outside, and the phone is nearby, but not "on me". Or when my hands are muddy/dirty, and I want to respond to a call, or other event. Ignoring the dirty hands issue, it's actually easier to pick up a call (or initiate one) from the watch. And using the watch to open the front gate when it triggers a text message to let someone in, is quicker and easier than it is from the phone.
Something I found particularly useful, which I've never heard others comment on is the turn by turn directions. Relied on it extensively when walking unfamiliar areas in Europe where pick pocketing is a big problem - wallets & phone stashed away, while getting the silent tapping cues from the watch.
Could I live without it, .. sure. But, all the little conveniences add up, and make it worth it for me - The one benefit that's not immediately apparent until you have the watch, is the signicance that it's always there and easy to get to. Not always the case for the phone.
Again, not for everyone, but it's capabilities are underestimated - mostly by people who don't own one.
I picked up an Apple Watch Sport used for about half price about a month ago. I actually really like the device.
However, there is nothing about this device I can't do without. It's nice because I can filter through notifications more quickly and less obtrusively than on my phone and I can use Apple Pay with my 5s. However, the fact remains... at its cheapest it's a $350 accessory for your iPhone.
The price has got to come down even more. I'm not sure that improving the functionality, unless it is dramatically, that enough people can or will justify the price.
However, there is nothing about this device I can't do without. It's nice because I can filter through notifications more quickly and less obtrusively than on my phone and I can use Apple Pay with my 5s. However, the fact remains... at its cheapest it's a $350 accessory for your iPhone.
The price has got to come down even more. I'm not sure that improving the functionality, unless it is dramatically, that enough people can or will justify the price.
I wouldn't read much at all into this. It's just a promotion combining two fairly expensive things that go well together and it's limited to certain markets.
If the Apple Watch sales were poor, the very last thing Apple would do is signpost it. Sure, you can read that into it but my own view is it's just a sweetener to incentivize an upsale.
If the Apple Watch sales were poor, the very last thing Apple would do is signpost it. Sure, you can read that into it but my own view is it's just a sweetener to incentivize an upsale.
I hope they expand these price reductions and make them permanent. That way V2 might start off at a lower price point.
A lot of armchair experts filling up the thread tonight.
How are any of you qualified to label the watch a flop with zero information on sales or expectations?
I'm surprised you guys don't charge for all this wonderful analysis and advice. /s
How are any of you qualified to label the watch a flop with zero information on sales or expectations?
I'm surprised you guys don't charge for all this wonderful analysis and advice. /s
but they dont just "go well together" the watch actually needs an iphone to function properly while watch at best marginally improves the phone experience.
what would you call apples decision to drop the price and 4 gig iphone in 2007? not "signpost it"? obviously this is not a permanent price reduction but still a fairly uncommon thing for apple to do.
send apple an email and ask them to release some numbers then.
but just like the google glasses and the iphone you know when you see one in the wild and can estimate the popularity based on that as well what you hear around you.
btw google glasses dosent seem to be doing that well while iphone is extremely popular
No, because I don't care. I'm not the one sitting on my sofa and eating Cheetos watching The View while proclaiming the watch is a flop with my Cheeto finger keyboard warrior hands without any factual basis.
It replaces a regular watch and adds some functionality. People spend hundreds of dollars on watches that just tell time. So the Apple Watch does go well together with the iPhone.
I'm interested in Apple Watch but not at that cost; no more than $200. Otherwise I will stick with limited function Android Wear watches. Really don't need all that stuff when I carry a phone with me at all times.
Just "watch"; those Android wear watches will be a dime a dozen near Black Friday. If you're lucky you can get the 1st gen Moto watch for $75 from staples now. Just have to pair it to a Android phone (got plenty) for the update.
Apple over estimated the market big time. The gold watch is basically dead.
Just "watch"; those Android wear watches will be a dime a dozen near Black Friday. If you're lucky you can get the 1st gen Moto watch for $75 from staples now. Just have to pair it to a Android phone (got plenty) for the update.
Apple over estimated the market big time. The gold watch is basically dead.
So you keep saying...you don't like it we get it....
stop repeating yourself
It does everything a lot of people want it for. It isn't for everybody that's clear
Well, the watch needing the iPhone to function is most probably why they are being promoted as a combination
It's simply a way to get a few customers who are buying a phone anyway to spend more.
Ok, as simple as this... you have already an iPhone or smart phone. People have been asking for bigger screens actually, no smaller. People are just fine with bigger screens and they want to do a load of things at same time.
An Apple Watch is a tiny screen where you can not even do one entire thing that is worth it and you need the iPhoen any way.
So do the comparison between price and functionality. Why if I have a BMW I would want to get an scooter for almost the same price? Because celebrities had one? (for free by the way because it was part of the marketing).
An Apple Watch is a tiny screen where you can not even do one entire thing that is worth it and you need the iPhoen any way.
So do the comparison between price and functionality. Why if I have a BMW I would want to get an scooter for almost the same price? Because celebrities had one? (for free by the way because it was part of the marketing).