I still don't buy it. High end watches are not expensive because of the bands. Sure, there's some price fluctuation, but almost all of the cost is due to the craftsmanship of the timepiece itself.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Recruiting Pro Athletes to Test iWatch's Fitness Capabilities
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I still don't buy it. High end watches are not expensive because of the bands. Sure, there's some price fluctuation, but almost all of the cost is due to the craftsmanship of the timepiece itself.
Did nobody read the part that said the athletes are TESTING it in SECRET? I have yet to see any iwatch ads with their faces on it. Also, it sounds like they're testing it at Apple, not taking them home with them. They're probably not even paying them. Just a little product testing with some smart successful people who are familiar with fitness.
Rest assured, they are getting paid. No way would they devote their precious time for free. And I don't mean that just because they are super star athletes. I wouldn't devote my precious time to test some product for free either.
Yes, I've been reading all the rumors. What does that have to do with reality? They are called rumors for a reason.
Yeah, a smart watch is not going to hurt the high end analog watch market. It is going to decimate the cheap digital watches, though. They'll be the new feature flip phones.
----------
Agreed. I wear a mechanical watch, and I own several. I am unlikely to buy an iWatch, unless it's not a watch. If it's some kind of sensor suite that talks to my phone, and I can wear it on my other wrist and keep wearing regular watches, that would be something I'd be interested in.
Those top doctors will probably be very interested in HealthKit, and monitoring their high-end patients health stats tracked by the iWatch, realistically.
Burberry makes watches in the 400-1000 dollar segment (gaudy fashion watch category), not luxury category.
There's never a direct sale because of that marketing but you will watch that I watch commercial with Koby appearing for about 3 seconds longer than you will with any lesser known athlete whether you like Koby or not. That 3 seconds is all Apple needs.
All of those "designer" watches, I'm talking Burberry, Armani, etc., are all crap. People buy them because of the name, yet they don't realize they could get a much higher quality watch at the same price point without the "gaudy" name. In fact, designer brands like Burberry are companies Apple should stay FAR AWAY from if they knew what was good for them. For a lot of people, those brands elicit a sort of "snobby-ness" that is extremely unappealing.. I have no information, nor am unaware of this Burberry CEO's leadership style, but if they implement policies into Apple's retail stores that resemble in any way the "exclusive," "snobby," or "uptight" feeling I get when I walk through some of those shops now, even though I have the money to buy any of their products, it would be a terribly unwise.
In terms of this iWatch nonsense, I have already said that I do not see the appeal in a fitness/fashion device that provides no real "leap" or "wow" factor when it comes to its capabilities. To be frank, a device that reads my pulse or provides my blood glucose level does not excite me, and I think it does not excite a lot of people in the marketplace. For some, yes, it may excite them, especially if they have health problems. Most people do not have health problems, however. Most people will quickly get over reading their heart rate in their phone after buying this device, and it certainly will not make them want to buy another device down the line no matter what other "special" health monitoring sensors are included. The point is, I am not some apple fanboy that will purchase anything just because it has an Apple logo on it. If this big, special new product category that we have been promised for the past 3 years turns into a glorified and improved fit bit, I think its going to be viewed as extremely "tame" by Apple's standards and its stock price will pay the price for it.
Health monitoring devices are not mainstream. The Iphone, Ipad, and Ipod were game changers. If this device does not provide a MASSIVE step forward in terms of technological innovation it will be more like the Ipod Nano than any of the devices I listed above, and that would be a extremely disappointing.
There was a rumor back in early 2007 that Madonna had one of the very first iPhones, two months before official release
The thinking goes like this. You want people to know about your new product? The very people who are your target audience? With the top athletes wearing them, you are pretty certain the entire sport's audience will hear about it. The product will be on ESPN, it will be at the games, it will be on all the different sports outlets, it will be on all the fan pages. I mean really? What's not to understand? It's about visibility. And they sure as hell will get it.
And no it is not the traditional "watch fashionista" that will want one. They love to be "different" and have something you don't. Regardless of what it is.
It's too soon to gauge whether it will be a hit or not, but we have seen people pay an awful lot for a pair of Air Jordans. We have seen young people hurt over them. If iPhone theft has been a problem, this may be the same.
And no it is not the traditional "watch fashionista" that will want one. They love to be "different" and have something you don't. Regardless of what it is.
It's too soon to gauge whether it will be a hit or not, but we have seen people pay an awful lot for a pair of Air Jordans. We have seen young people hurt over them. If iPhone theft has been a problem, this may be the same.
Last edited:
I doubt it, a smart watch is never going to replace a high end watch.
The aim of smart watches is that they will be mainstream, one of the key reasons why people by high end watches is so it isn't mainstream, though I wouldn't exactly call Swatch high end.
No matter what Apple comes out with for the iWatch I myself will always prefer to have a Rolex over it.
Apple gave away iPods to loads of celebrities. Apple gives iPhones and iPads to Hollywood so they appear in TV shows, held by celebrities. This is nothing new.
You might be right about the fact that health device doesn't have broad appeal the way iPhone did.
But with aging and obese first world population, it may be okay to be one of the market leaders in this segment.
Perhaps it won't lead to as much sales as iPhone but it may be seen as innovative enough to justify the current valuation of AAPL (only 16x PE I believe).
Maybe we can simplify this thread (and all iwatch threads) with the following handy multiple choice list:
- I've paid (tens of) thousands of dollars for a status symbol that tells time, and I scoff at any watch affordable by the masses, even if it has 100x more functionality than my "handcrafted swiss timepiece."
- I've never worn a watch and won't wear this one because I have a cell phone to tell time, and clearly, since this is called a watch, it won't be able to do anything else useful.
- Fitness wearables are amazing, have changed my life, and will change yours too, if you'll only let them. Why oh why won't you let them?
- I know nothing about what this device will actually look like, do, or cost, but I will act as if I do because I choose to believe one of many contradictory rumors above the others.
- I will buy this no matter what it looks like, does, or costs because it will have a shiny
on the back. (aka "shut up and take my money")
- I hate Kobe Bryant.
- Thank god I got my iwatch article fix. That was a really scary hour since the last one.
I think we can close the thread, now.
----------
How well were personal computers selling before Apple brought out the Macintosh?
How well were digital music players selling before Apple brought out the iPod?
How well were smart phones selling before Apple brought out the iPhone?
How well were tablets selling before Apple brought out the iPad?
How well are smart watches selling? Who cares! Apple hasn't released theirs yet.
I think Apple is undervalued by Wall Street who for some odd reason hold them to a "higher" standard even though they consistently out-perform the market. I think you would agree, however, that if Apple releases a product that only initially appeals to the elderly, who are not technologically advanced, and the obese, who probably will not buy a fitness-centric product anyways, it will be extremely disappointing especially considering all that we have been hearing from Tim Cook is to wait until 2014. I might eat my words on this one, but when it comes to something that EVERYONE in society SEES, like something on your wrist, peoples choices will be somewhat tapered and not be as heavily influenced just because it is a new Apple device. As Tim Cook already mentioned, you need to GET people to buy and wear such a product. I think I would be seeing a lot more people walking around with some sort of fitness device already if it was something that could really take off.
I don't see that, especially among young adults. Maybe they wear one when they are working out, even though I am young, and work out, and don't feel the need to have a device tell me how many calories I am burning or what my heart rate is. To be frank, unless there is something they are not telling us, which there obviously is because I do not think Apple is stupid enough to miss GIANT red flags that forum posters clearly see, this will not catch on mainstream unless there is some SUBSTANTIAL step in technology that none of us see coming.
Isn't there any other athletes that Apple could hit up besides (alleged) rapists? Maybe they'll ask, or have already asked, OJ?
-Iamthinking
You sir have common sense. Too bad most of the bad mouthing posters here here don't. I expect this thread to be locked just like the beats acquisition thread. Its a shame that many people here feel every time apple does a deal with an african american the company loses value.
Or maybe its jealousy?
----------
Its funny even after the accuser admitted that her ex boyfriend put her up to it to try and get a payday. The man was exonerated of any and all charges for a reason. I like how people ignore facts. They need to do something useful like trash the fact that our lawmakers are bought and paid for by large corporations.