Apple Sold 70% Fewer Apple Watches This Summer Compared to Last

[iTom17]

A.k.a unusable short battery life.

Wake my up when it work independent of an iPhone and last atleast a week on a charge.......

An iPhone doesn't last a whole week, so why should a smartwatch then?

I mean, don't get me wrong: I'd love me some greater battery life. But I think the most important thing is that it lastst through a full day without having to worry a second about it. If Apple Watch is ever gonna last a week, that'd be great. But as long as I can wear it all-day long I'm happy.

As for your first point: I'm carrying my iPhone with me all day long as well. So I don't need my Apple Watch to be iPhone independent.

 

[keysofanxiety]

You can't buy something that isn't a circle?

It's a common problem. Makes buying TVs pretty difficult.

 

[jimbobb24]

Series 2 has made it crystal clear that Apple is not focusing this as a fashion device going forward.

I think the whole focus on fashion was simply to get the "trend setters" wearing one for the knock-on effects of doing so, and was a short term marketing decision.

(To me anyway) This is clearly a computing device going forward.

I think the whole focus on fashion was a failed gambit. They messed up. But that is ok. They learned and adjusted the abilities of the watch accordingly to reflect what the majority of people want from it - fitness features. I got my watch from work as a discreet pager, and never cared one bit for it until I started to use it for fitness (and learned from someone else at Macrumors that it could store music and stream to headphones without a phone) it was amazing. And so I am upgrading to the new version. As a watch and notification device it was mostly useless to me. Now with the fitness I am wearing a watch again for first time in 20 years.

 

[nawk]

I don't know what Apple would have to do to get me excited about the Apple Watch, but they haven't done it yet.

This is what I was saying ever since the watch came out. I was so disappointed at launch - not what I was expecting at all.

All this changed about 3 weeks ago, when, on a whim I decided to buy one. I got a Series 1 - because the Series 2 were impossible to find. It has instantly become one of my favourite pieces of technology. I know the Series 1 / Watch OS 3 solve a lot of the older problems, so it is fortunate that I waited.

Nearly everything about the watch is great. I almost never pull my phone of out of my pocket while out during the day. I have a tap on my wrist, a quick glance at my wrist - message received. So awesome! Even longer messages are right there. Siri works very well. I also have Hue lights - so when I walk the door I just raise my wrist and say "Hey Siri, Turn on the lights". Wow - it really works. Battery life is NOT an issue. I finish all days with battery to spare and it sits on its little nightstand when I go to bed, charged and ready for the morning.

It really is a great product - I wish they could market it better.

There are two things that are out-of-wack. Pricing across the board for different models. Spending an extra $1,000 on a nicer watch that will be out of date in two years does not make send to the majority of consumers. Also some of the bands are criminally high priced - fortunately you can order reasonably priced bands on Amazon.

The second thing is the digital crown. When I found out I could NOT change the direction of the scroll I nearly lost my mind. The watch scrolls in the OPPOSITE direction that is natural to me. You would think they would have a setting. Nope! That is a pain.

 

[magnificentRuins]

I live in a big European capital city and haven't seen a single person with one.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

Except that car after it's sold will be operational for many years and it's a bit apples to oranges comparison anyway.

Are you saying the watch is useless after several years? That better not be the case - I just bought a Series 2 for my wife. I'll be pissed if it's not still functional in several years. I understand that better watches will be released, but I expect that this one should at least be supported until WatchOS 5 or 6, and continue to work for a few years after that.

 

[chrono1081]

Honestly I think the second gen is what got people excited, especially the waterproofing and built in GPS. I had no desire for one until the second gen announcement and I know many people who feel the same.

Heck at my local Apple Store the watch display stood visitor-less on the first release and now you can't even get near the table there's so many people.

That being said Apple really hasn't done a good job pushing the watch to developers. It's like a giant mystery how to develop for the thing.

 

[NY Guitarist]

I guess I'm just not the target market for a smart watch.

 

[laz232]

Pfft, when the phone can replace the computer, they will sell well. Until then, it's not even a hobby.

When a tablet can replace a phone, they will sell well. Until then, it's not even a hobby.

I fear time (heh heh) will prove you wrong.

False equivalency.

Consider the five product lines
watch, phone, tablet, laptop, desktop

Each has a niche, but some are more uses than others. Given limited resources people look at how much value they can derive from a purchase. This value can also be in terms of "I enjoy having this", rather than purely funcitonal terms.

For me the laptop and the phone (android/iphone) are the sweetspot. I have no need for a watch or tablet, because I always have either the laptop or a phone with me.

I don't consider the watch to be a compelling device. I have a basic HRM watch (with belt) and a pedometer app on my phone, I don't tweet, or care to read other's vacuous 140characters.

Im not surprised that the watch is loosing sales, because I don't think that most people find that it brings much value to the lives, considering the cost.

 

[69Mustang]

No one ever questions these numbers (good or bad); they just accept them as if they were official figures given by Tim Cook on an earnings call.

Funny you mention the earnings call. People probably don't question the numbers from IDC and Gartner because Tim Cook has quoted their research numbers in the past... on those earnings calls. As to the veracity of those numbers... who knows.

 

[Bug-Creator]

An iPhone doesn't last a whole week, so why should a smartwatch then?

My iPhone5 still last 2-4 days for me, a number still unacceptable for a watch.

As for your first point: I'm carrying my iPhone with me all day long as well. So I don't need my Apple Watch to be iPhone independent.

Not having to have my iPhone on my 24/7 (simply not pratical for me) is sofar the only reason that might make me want a "smartwatch".

 

[Winni]

Short battery life? Do you have an Apple Watch yourself then? I'm getting through a full day easily, with at least 30% left. Sometimes even 50%..

What you said actually proves that the Watch has a very short battery life. This thing is a watch, so it needs to be measured against other watches -- and we all know that every other watch lasts longer than a day on battery.

But the more crucial argument still is that the Apple Watch cannot replace a smartphone - and without that capability, it is just another gimmick.

 

[iapplelove]

I still don't need one in my life. I'm actually tending towards the opposite, trying to rely less on my devices.

 

[Hanzu Lao]

Are you saying the watch is useless after several years? That better not be the case - I just bought a Series 2 for my wife. I'll be pissed if it's not still functional in several years. I understand that better watches will be released, but I expect that this one should at least be supported until WatchOS 5 or 6, and continue to work for a few years after that.

It's not going to be useless of course, but at the pace technology is changing you will want to buy one yourself after 2 years. Where as Tesla will take you from A to B just fine 2 years and 10 years later since it's primary function is mechanical.

 

[spazzcat]

And now they can't keep stock of series 1 or 2.

 

[BryanSanDiego]

The lack of a refresh is what made me not plunge for a second watch. If the watch progressed in design or showed the slightest innovation in design I would have purchased. Apple is all about shareholders and BOD now. I miss the days when Steve did not give two rats a*$ about not recovering the cost of design and just pushed the envelope on design. In today's day and age, it is all about ROI.

 

[NT1440]

I think the whole focus on fashion was a failed gambit. They messed up. But that is ok. They learned and adjusted the abilities of the watch accordingly to reflect what the majority of people want from it - fitness features. I got my watch from work as a discreet pager, and never cared one bit for it until I started to use it for fitness (and learned from someone else at Macrumors that it could store music and stream to headphones without a phone) it was amazing. And so I am upgrading to the new version. As a watch and notification device it was mostly useless to me. Now with the fitness I am wearing a watch again for first time in 20 years.

See I agree, with the distinction that I believe the fashion introduction was meant to be short term to begin with. Apple knows that mindshare is crucial when launching into a new product category and the PR push in the fashion industry was mainly to capture the "trend setters" and basically get the product into the public mind.

Now, everyone knows that theres a thing called an Apple Watch, and it's marching towards the personal computing device that it will be in 5 years.

They played the long game, and IMO they played it very well.

 

[robjulo]

I think Apple fully expected the watch to be the next revolutionary product, especially as the tablet and phone markets have matured and leveled off, if not declined. The watch has failed miserably at that.

 

[spazzcat]

Goodness me, 70% fewer.

Seems to me that Apple should put the Apple Watch out of its misery, and end its short life. Fitbit, which is conveniently left off this table, has won this market. The Apple Watch does too much and is too expensive for the use case that most people have for a wearable: a fitness device.

If Apple are not careful, their obsession with fashion will turn it into the next Blackberry.

You realize this was before the new ones came out? Everyone knew new ones were coming out. Now they can't keep them in stock.

 

[recoil80]

I expect them daily.
In all seriousness, they can't treat a fashion piece as an iPad or an iPhone. It kills the life of the product.

I don't consider Watch as a fashion piece but more of a fitness device, but I can see your point.
Frequent releases wouldn't help selling more Watches. They can sell more bands, or more version based on the same hardware (new edition models in different colors/materials), but they can't update internal specs too often.

 

[spazzcat]

That is obviously part of it. But the other element: Look at the number of reports from people stating that they have stopped using their Apple watch most of the time (or even completely) over the last 12 months and compare that to the same number for iPhones during the first twelve months of their existence. Simply too many people thought that (a) smartwatches would be the next big thing and (b) that Apple's entry might just be the first really useful one. It's like a very popular band releasing a new album after many years and a lot of people buying it before realising that it isn't actually that great.

The momentum of the Apple brand gave a huge boost to the smartwatch category. But the Apple Watch was not attractive enough to sustain that momentum and the whole category has shrunk down it size to a more sustainable level where sales interest is driven by actual product utility and not be an expectation of utility.

I'm sure there is a few people that have stopped using it, but I haven't seen any reports? By the way I have used just about every wearable out there, the AW is the best by far and the only one I will not give up. Is it perfect, not even close, but getting better all the time.

 

[NT1440]

I think Apple fully expected the watch to be the next revolutionary product, especially as the tablet and phone markets have matured and leveled off, if not declined. The watch has failed miserably at that.

It's sold faster than the original iPhone, and iPod.....what's the problem here exactly?

OH! you're someone that thinks new product categories become ubiquitous in the span of a two year span, that's funny.

 

[2457282]

Although the watch itself is selling less, what I really want to know is how are bands selling. Because if you look closely, Apple has fooled us all. They sell the watch knowing that people will buy many times over on the band. And that is where they are making a killing.

/s

 

[Howyalikdemapls]

Maybe not, but -70% is terrible.

They should be comparing the first few months after the 1st gen release with the first few months after Series 2 release. Almost no one buys a year old product right before they're going to release a new one. A friend of mine bought a first generation Apple Watch less than a week before the announcement and I thought she was retarded for doing it. She now wishes she waited so she could have got the new one.

The Series 2 appears to be selling extremely well. I don't have numbers but I know it's ridiculously hard to find one in stock anywhere right now. I ordered the Nike Watch and have just been waiting for it to be released.

This is a ridiculously useless comparison. This article should be removed from MR.

 

[rowspaxe]

Pfft, when the phone can replace the computer, they will sell well. Until then, it's not even a hobby.

When a tablet can replace a phone, they will sell well. Until then, it's not even a hobby.

I fear time (heh heh) will prove you wrong.

The problem is that people LOVE smartphones. They enjoy passing time taking them out and mindlessly reading texts, tweets, playing games, whatever. Its compulsive. People are not looking to replace this with a tamped down wrist meta-equivalant that could never be as good. There is small audience for smartwatches, but most people are not interested because they love phone experience