Apple Watch Demand Slides Significantly in June as Launch Momentum Wanes

[ladycsr]

Based on what?

It will probably be their highest returned product to date.
When you beat comcast in "returning" something you know you are in trouble.

Granted that this is just a google search cache but it is an indication that the apple watch is not a home run.

 

[Rogifan]

2.5 million users (primarily U.S.) have opted to allow Slice to monitor their email accounts. Slice gets these numbers by analyzing the receipts that are emailed to them.

How come we never heard about Slice Analytics prior to Apple Watch? I don't remember hearing about Slice data on any other Apple product or Samsung or whoever.

 

[robeddie]

Not what I meant. How have you judged the overall favor of this site? Obviously not through any objective measurement. I'm guessing you are just going by your feelings based on the posts that you choose to read. That's selection bias on your part.

For example, I remember the forums reaction to the iPod and iPad as far more negative than the Apple Watch. But that doesn't mean that it's true.

Yea, but look what's happening to iPad sales now. It took a while, but consumers I guess are kind of growing weary of the 'candy coated prison' of IOS when it's packaged in a larger 'computer like' size.
My guess (and admittedly it's a lousy unscientific one) is that the 'honeymoon' period people have with the A-watch will be much shorter.

Again, we're all still just reading tea-leaves here, and of course our reading of things is going to be based on our bias. The great thing is, one way or another, time will tell who's right.

 

[BaldiMac]

It's my opinion. Like pretty much everything on here. My opinion comes from personal observation, critical thinking, and existing sales data within the category.

So it wasn't a fact. That was my point.

Nothing has convinced me yet that the broad public is remotely interested in the category. And nothing I've seen, read, or observed regarding the Apple Watch has convinced me that Apple moved the needle at all in the wearables category with its release.

But what would convince you? Again, we are talking about one of the top 2 or 3 tech product launches of all time on track for $10+ billion in first year sales. What more evidence do you need?

 

[Rogifan]

It will probably be their highest returned product to date.

Hmm... I don't see that when I do a Google search.

 

[ladycsr]

Hmm... I don't see that when I do a Google search.

Eih.. well. I don't know why. How about without "I am" just search "returning".

 

[FatMax]

I don't - it doesn't do everything a phone does, and with that screen size it won't for a long long time (until interaction changes so much that the screen doesn't matter). Given which, the tie to the phone simply isn't a drawback - I have my phone anyway, so there' no lost viability for a device depending upon me having it.

IT'S NOT A PHONE!!!! It's a watch.

People need to realise what this really is.

 

[marty11]

Hmm... I don't see that when I do a Google search.

"I am returning my apple watch" is forth on my search. LOL.

 

[Unami]

It still hasn't enough unique functions to appeal to the masses
more sensors, less fashion, less notifications & games, better battery.

and of course thinner...

it's not as big as you think

regarding notifications - you can customize that very granularly - from zero notifications to just a few to even more than you get on your iphone.

battery life is fine - about two days - fashion is great unless you want a smartwatch that looks even more like an ugly nerd-badge (think: pebble) - and games? really? sure there are some, but your arm really gets tired after a short time - it's not a device for games.

i agree with the need of more sensors though. temperature (skin and infrared), uv sensor, gas-chromatograph, spectrometer, geiger counter, lidar - there's a lot of room for improvement for a wearable extension of your senses.

 

[Rogifan]

But..but... the marketing geniuses here a MR told us definitely that Apple, by intentionally short supplying the AW, would actually increase sale!

Seriously, how could this not be the case? And have done zero research but seems it mirrors the original iPhone. Huge sales on the top then as early adopters bought in sales slumped until the price was lowered. The iPhone craze really only took hold with the 2nd gen 3G model.

Unforced errors on Apple's part:

1) Overselling it's health aspect
2) Overselling it as fine jewelry and also overpricing it
3) Overmarketing it at the most high end stores on the planet
4) Linking too much of it to the iPhone
4) All of that when the hardware and software just wasn't ready for prime time. It's slow and clunky and devs are still poking in the dark trying to find the sweetspot of what an AW app should do

It's still a good concept but Apple really needs to right the ship with better hardware, faster OS before it gets permanently tagged as a niche geek device. I enjoy mine. Don't care for the interface but love notifications. Ive really needs to simplify it even more though. It's still too complex for a watch.

Ha this is comical. The watch has been on sale for less than three months. It's a first gen product. People today would laugh at the specs and capabilities of the first gen iPhone and iPad. How did Apple oversell anything with Watch. I can't remember the last time I saw an Watch ad anywhere.

 

[marty11]

IT'S NOT A PHONE!!!! It's a watch.

People need to realise what this really is.

That the problem. It does less than a phone for about the same price.

 

[robeddie]

But what would convince you? Again, we are talking about one of the top 2 or 3 tech product launches of all time on track for $10+ billion in first year sales. What more evidence do you need?

Because these days, Apple has a certain 'cache' and as the biggest, and one of the most popular companies in the world, when they release ANYTHING, people will buy it at first. That wasn't true 10 years ago. So, even if Apple released a piece of aluminum in the shape of a turd that had zero functionality and priced it at $100, it would probably get a ton more sales than most other companies who released a better blender, or tennis shoe.
It's the glow that Apple has around it right now that's (IMO) skewing the sales. I imagine one day, maybe a decade from now, we'll look back curiously at this excessive fascination people have with Apple during this particular era.

 

[BaldiMac]

How come we never heard about Slice Analytics prior to Apple Watch? I don't remember hearing about Slice data on any other Apple product or Samsung or whoever.

No idea. Might be new (founded 2011). Might just be jumping on the "let's publish negative Apple stats to get our name out there" bandwagon.

Yea, but look what's happening to iPad sales now. It took a while, but consumers I guess are kind of growing weary of the 'candy coated prison' of IOS when it's packaged in a larger 'computer like' size.
My guess (and admittedly it's a lousy unscientific one) is that the 'honeymoon' period people have with the A-watch will be much shorter.

Again, we're all still just reading tea-leaves here, and of course our reading of things is going to be based on our bias. The great thing is, one way or another, time will tell who's right.

Sometimes I don't think people are aware of any sales numbers other that Apple's. No context whatsoever for the magnitude of what Apple is doing.

 

[BaldiMac]

Because these days, Apple has a certain 'cache' and as the biggest, and one of the most popular companies in the world, when they release ANYTHING, people will buy it at first. That wasn't true 10 years ago. So, even if Apple released a piece of aluminum in the shape of a turd that had zero functionality and priced it at $100, it would probably get a ton more sales than most other companies who released a better blender, or tennis shoe.
It's the glow that Apple has around it right now that's (IMO) skewing the sales. I imagine one day, maybe a decade from now, we'll look back curiously at this excessive fascination people have with Apple during this particular era.

And yet the same argument was made 10 years ago. "Apple products only sell well because of fanboys."

Maybe a bit more critical analysis might involve the conclusion that Apple products sell well exactly for the fact the they won't release a piece of aluminum in the aluminum in the shape of a turd that had zero functionality.


But you avoided the question in the post you quoted. What would convince you?

 

[StyxMaker]

Well, I'm loving mine!
It's beautiful, it's responsive and it's not bulky at all.
And it gives me a nice, subtle way of seeing my notifications.
I'm so glad I don't have to pull out my phone out of my pocket all the time anymore.

Agreeing with everything you've said and adding, watch battery still over 20% at the end of a normal day, I have no problem using it outdoors in bright sun, and it's extended my iPhones battery life to the point it's usually still 80% or better at the end of the day.

 

[dec.]

"I am returning my apple watch" is forth on my search. LOL.

It's even more obvious here in Canada, where "I am returning my" is enough to reveal two of the other huge Apple flops as search suggestions - the iPhone 5 and the iPad mini. It's not "I am returning my Lunia 247" or "I am returning my ASUS terminator macro tablet", it's Apple devices that clearly nobody wants to keep!!

 

[robbyx]

But what would convince you? Again, we are talking about one of the top 2 or 3 tech product launches of all time on track for $10+ billion in first year sales. What more evidence do you need?

1. Some indication that the release of the watch grew the overall wearables market and made it more viable as a product category. At the moment all I see is a few million sold to the faithful with sales declining.

2. Given the hype, more enthusiasm for the product out in the wild, in the press, etc.

3. A significant increase in gen 2 sales over gen 1.

Apple has a big enough fanboy market to launch an expensive new product and rake in a few billion dollars. Furthermore, there's a small group of people who really LOVE wearables and are convinced they're the next big thing. Surely many of them are iPhone owners. So there's natural crossover.

But now that these people have been satisfied, are sales going up or down? Is the public growing more interested in wearables? Or are they largely remaining indifferent? Will the next Apple Watch sell even more units than the first? Will the buyers be new buyers or mostly first generation fanboy upgrades?

All remains to be seen. My opinion, from what I've observed to date, is that we shouldn't expect Apple watch to be anything more than a niche accessory for the foreseeable future. And that's ok. Unless it becomes a drain. A lot of brainpower is focused on the watch. A lot of engineering muscle. Apple now has ANOTHER OS to maintain and develop. All for an iPhone accessory?

 

[robeddie]

Sometimes I don't think people are aware of any sales numbers other that Apple's. No context whatsoever for the magnitude of what Apple is doing.

We'll see. And that's all I'm saying. We're all reading the tea leaves based on our bias, and time will tell which one of us guessed correctly.. You don't think the dramatic drop in A-watch sales reported by one firm means much, and I don't think huge sales right out of the gate by Apple in this current environment means much either (see the argument right above).

Let's agree to re-visit this in a couple years. By then it'll be clearer who was right

 

[robbyx]

Hmm... I don't see that when I do a Google search.

It's number 3 for me.

 

[radus]

until the so called []watch has full watch and smart-phone functionality my family and friends will not buy it - point
maybe others like how it is - we do not.

 

[ladycsr]

It's even more obvious here in Canada, where "I am returning my" is enough to reveal two of the other huge Apple flops as search suggestions - the iPhone 5 and the iPad mini.

Iphone 5? maybe because of when the iphone 6 came out.. everyone that bought it right before the 6 launch wanted to retun it? I know i did.

That said, it is very interesting how google decides what to show.
Mine was apple watch then comcast. Being grouped with comcast gave me the negative impression.

 

[Rogifan]

"I am returning my apple watch" is forth on my search. LOL.

Huh. I guess I'm not seeing it because I've never searched for Apple Watch returns.

 

[mackinmike]

the initial units sold were to the devotees of apple. after that's gone, it goes straight down.

 

[ladycsr]

Huh. I guess I'm not seeing it because I've never searched for Apple Watch returns.

Since I don't own it... I never have either.
I just tried it on my safari which i never use and it is there.

I think it is very reasonable to asume that the apple watch will be on the top of their list of the most retuned apple product.

 

[FatMax]

That the problem. It does less than a phone for about the same price.

No, the problem is that you want it to be a phone!