Is it safe to presume that we'll get a free/default band with the Apple Watch for the base price of $349?
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Apple Watch Bands
- Thread starter jordanearle
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I would assume we would get a free watch band if we pre order (that would be cool!)
I'm sure Apple will require everyone to buy a watch+band combination this year. I think subsequent Apple Watches will be offered with just the watch body as an option for those who already own bands, assuming that the watch bands are compatible with future hardware.
Almost certainly the Sport will come with the fluoroelastomer (5 colors to choose from and no other option). The SS and Edition starting price will be with a black or white fluoroelastomer and you can likely upgrade bands by paying more. Also the Edition fluoroelastomer bands will have an 18K Pin.
All you have to do is go to the Apple Watch Gallery to see all the combinations.
http://www.apple.com/watch/gallery/
All you have to do is go to the Apple Watch Gallery to see all the combinations.
http://www.apple.com/watch/gallery/
And we would be totally stupid to expect anything for free (even when they say is "free") from any company.
My guess would be that they will only come with basic bands. Any of the higher end bands will be add on only. For example, I would be a bit surprised if they offered a stainless steel body with the Milanese band as an individual SKU. The bands will have different price points, meaning if you bundled them all together, that would mean a ton of different SKUs, which means a ton of different boxed bundles.
I would say the watch itself will come with a very basic band that will look decent with the watch. I think the only exception may be the Edition version. That, I would imagine, you probably will customize online or in store, similar to how you can customize some Oakley sunglasses in their store. In other words, I don't suspect the Edition will come in a prepackage cardboard box.
I would say the watch itself will come with a very basic band that will look decent with the watch. I think the only exception may be the Edition version. That, I would imagine, you probably will customize online or in store, similar to how you can customize some Oakley sunglasses in their store. In other words, I don't suspect the Edition will come in a prepackage cardboard box.
So if someone wanted the stainless steel watch with a link or milanese loop band they'd have to buy the watch with a band they may or may not want and then spend extra for the band they do want? If that's the case then why does Apple's website say there are 18 models in the Watch collection? To me that means you have 18 choices and a range of price points. And if you want more than one band you'll have the option of buying bands separately.
I'm not really interested in the Sport edition and I don't want a sport band so I'll be really bummed if I'm forced to get one and then have to pay again for the band I do want. It was Apple's choice to offer all these different options. If they can't support all those SKUs then they never should have offered them in the first place.
That's a good point. I did not realize they had listed 18 models. To me it seems like an awful lot of inventory to have to carry. Plus it seems as though they are planning on you having multiple bands. Why else would they make it so easy to switch them out? 18 models could lead to some major inventory problems, at least initially. Plus I imagine a ton of price points, since I am sure the Milanese will cost more than the same watch with leather.
I hope this is the case, i for one intend on buying a
Watch stainless steel along with the stainless steel bracelet, the Midnight Blue band and a sport band for exercising. I'm hoping Apple will let us buy the bands individually as well as with the Watch. These bands can have different purposes for example the sports band would be best used for the gym or exercising in general, i'm sure Apple would be aware of this.There are 34 different combinations in the Gallery. My guess is that it will be a two-part order. You pick the watch (Sport, Regular, Edition) in your size and color, and then it presents you with the available band choices. Either that, or it shows you all 34 different combinations. Presumably they will also sell replacement bands separately.
On Apple's website they show every watch combination for each collection. Of course Apple has done some curation (like only fluoroelastomer bands in the Sport collection). My hope is those curated combinations are available for sale and then if you want a different combination you can buy bands separately. It will be a big bummer if only the fluoroelastomer band comes standard with stainless steel and edition collections.
How do you handle prepackaged sales? Or would you say it's all "custom". For example, if you go to an Oakley Store, you can choose frames, then lens color, and sometimes logo color, and they assemble it right there. That would interesting.
Given that Apple has apparently spent so long re-inventing the wheel so anyone can slip in a new strap in seconds, it would make sense to just make it a 2 part order.
Pick the body you want, pick the strap you want and place your order.
You get them in 2 box's and takes seconds to fit them together.
Otherwise you are from day one going to have the strap you don't want.
makes things easier for everyone.
No need to pre assemble specific combinations.
Just sell them separate from day 1.
Pick the body you want, pick the strap you want and place your order.
You get them in 2 box's and takes seconds to fit them together.
Otherwise you are from day one going to have the strap you don't want.
makes things easier for everyone.
No need to pre assemble specific combinations.
Just sell them separate from day 1.
Apple Watch Pricing:
Watch Sport. 299
Watch 399
Watch Edition.899
fluoroelastomer. 50 (so 299+50=349)
Leather 70
Metal. 130
Gold Pin add 50
This preserves the band-as-upgrade in watch & edition. It's fun to try to think thru their marketing strategy. I'm sure we'll be wrong.
Watch Sport. 299
Watch 399
Watch Edition.899
fluoroelastomer. 50 (so 299+50=349)
Leather 70
Metal. 130
Gold Pin add 50
This preserves the band-as-upgrade in watch & edition. It's fun to try to think thru their marketing strategy. I'm sure we'll be wrong.
Why would Apple show specific combinations on their website if the purchases were supposed to be separate? And since packaging and unboxing is a big deal for Apple I can't see the band coming in a separate box. Seems to me that would ruin the unboxing experience.
I think people will be able to buy additional bands if they want but I think the initial purchase will be choose a collection and then a list of bands for that collection will come up and you pick the one you want. It's one purchase and one box.
Yeah, because the band will be the expensive part! Makes no sense whatsoever ever to write what you did.
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More likely for sure!
Oh yes.
What I said is what I think SHOULD happen
I totally expect Apple will not do that, and force you to buy the strap you don't want, and then make you pay extra for the strap you DO want.
Then if you damage your watch, but still have the luxury strap you bought, then you will have to buy another watch and strap you don't want again.
On the other hand, the cheapest band could be "throw away."
Like, the iPhone comes with power adapter, earbuds, and lightning cable. none of which I ever use, because I already have power adapters and cables from previous iPhones, and I use better third party earphones instead of the ones Apple includes.
I don't think of this as I'm being forced to buy extra accessories I don't need with each new iPhone. They are just extras that are "throw away."
I will ask again, why would Apple show 9(18) models in the Watch collection if there were only 2(4) standard (black and white sport bands) and you had to upgrade to get something else? Of course everyone expects the watch with link or milanese loop band to be more expensive than the watch with sport band. But the way Apple's website presents the collection I would expect you select the size you want and then one of the bands available for that collection. So stainless steel with sport band would be the cheapest in that collection and the stainless steel with link band might be the most expensive.
Also, since Apple presents the sport collection only with the fluoroelastomer bands (and none of the other bands would match very well with the aluminum watch) I'm not sure that we could call the fluoroelastomer bands "throw away". I don't think we can compare Watch bands to the headphones included when you buy an iPhone or iPod.
Also, since Apple presents the sport collection only with the fluoroelastomer bands (and none of the other bands would match very well with the aluminum watch) I'm not sure that we could call the fluoroelastomer bands "throw away". I don't think we can compare Watch bands to the headphones included when you buy an iPhone or iPod.
Word on the street is Apple Watch is a beautiful device.
I've read it's complete with a choice of bands when pre-ordered.
The only initial option is if you want a crystal included, covering the dial.
Price aside, it's the first watch that has the elite distinction of not coming with a crystal as a standard part of the watch. It's a cool idea.
j/k
I've read it's complete with a choice of bands when pre-ordered.
The only initial option is if you want a crystal included, covering the dial.
Price aside, it's the first watch that has the elite distinction of not coming with a crystal as a standard part of the watch. It's a cool idea.
j/k
You make a good point. I suppose the thought process is that adding 18 SKUs (36? if they price 38mm and 42mm differently) is not Apple. In fact, it is one of the things Jobs famously fixed during his comeback. Product lines that were out of control. I don't believe Apple introducing a product line with 18 (36?) different SKUs is a good thing. I think it unnecessarily complicates things, and leads to lost sales.
18 includes both sizes. If you look at iPhones and iPads with different colors and storage options that's a lot of SKUs as well. What Jobs fixed was really confusing. You had all these different models of Macs and it was hard to know what the difference was between model numbers. I don't see what's confusing about Watch. You pick a color, size and band. Done. There's no possible way that Apple could create the watch that would appeal to everyone's style and taste.