No surprise here. A number of rabid fanboys jumped all over me, accusing me of being an Apple hater (despite buying Apple products for over 30 years and never owning a PC...yeah, Apple hater for sure!) for saying that I thought initial sales would be strong before they fell off a cliff. And guess what? The watch is flop. As many of us predicted. This really should come as no surprise. Only the most diehard Kool Aid drinker believed it would be a hit. Battery life and design issues aside, the real problem is that it doesn't really solve a problem. It's a decent iPhone add-on, but it doesn't really enhance the iPhone experience. Fitness tracking is weak compared to other products. There's tangible love for the iPhone all around, on the web, in blogs, on the news, when you meet people and they talk about how much they love the iPhone, how it has changed their lives...but I have yet to encounter anything beyond an "it's ok" sentiment from watch owners. Now I just hope Tim and Jony can go back to focusing on products people actually want to buy and stop trying to prove to all of us that they can invent the "next big thing" without Steve.
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Apple Watch Demand Slides Significantly in June as Launch Momentum Wanes
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I do tend to agree with this sentiment regarding focus, however, in regards to brilliance in new products. As you said, time will tell eventually, but I fail to see where things can go from here. I'm not an engineer or scientist by any stretch of the imagination but I believe we may have reached a technology peak. Samsung is suffering the same thing, the lower S6 sales being blamed on lack of innovative new ideas, products, and designs.
You didn't hurt my feelings at all. Heck, I don't even own an Apple Watch. I just don't see the need to look down on people because they bought something you don't like.
Thank you Apple for botching your launch day. I woke up at 3am to order but you failed me. And thus I cancelled my order. Haven't looked back since.
In the future when launching a new, questionable product, make enough for launch, put it in stores and do not botch the order process.
In the future when launching a new, questionable product, make enough for launch, put it in stores and do not botch the order process.
It might not be that accurate and surely has a margin of error like a normal poll would have, however it does show a large drop off in June for whatever reason. Maybe it really is dropping off or a whole bunch of people found out what Slice Analytics is and opted out of it in June. I'm not sure about this data, but I just don't see this product as being the "golden egg" for Apple and it will in time slowly turn into a minor product accessory for them.
Face the fact young people just don't wear watches anymore. It will likely be successful when compared to other smartwatches because a lot of people own an iPhone or will buy because of the Apple brand, but it isn't going to be a major revenue stream for Apple in the future. Apple is trying hard to diversify itself away from relying on the iPhone for 70% of it's profits because putting all your eggs in one basket can be dangerous if something major shifts in the future, but maybe the money would be better spent on better Mac marketing and trying to grow their share of the PC business. This is all my opinion, but I just don't see this product creating any sort of major revenue like the iPhone does.
Apple sold 125,000 first gen iPods in a 6-7 week span when it came out. It took 14 months to sell 600,000 (including those sold to Windows users). This means that 21% of iPods were sold in the first 11% of that 14 months (meaning large drop off in sales). Data here is broken down by quarter: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ipod_sales_per_quarter.svg. This shows a dropoff of 55% in iPod sales from release quarter to 2nd quarter post-release. The second year had higher sales but also a 65% drop off in sales from 1st to 2nd quarters (but a big uptick the next quarter).
My point is that there will always be a drop off in sales post-release. While numbers from this Slice group might be in the ballpark, we won't know actual numbers until later. Further, a drop-off does not mean much, although investors will overreact concerning AAPL stock, which they almost always do. Selling millions of Apple Watches is a huge launch, even if there is drop off in sales.
My point is that there will always be a drop off in sales post-release. While numbers from this Slice group might be in the ballpark, we won't know actual numbers until later. Further, a drop-off does not mean much, although investors will overreact concerning AAPL stock, which they almost always do. Selling millions of Apple Watches is a huge launch, even if there is drop off in sales.
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Likely something to do with people realizing how much of a gimmick the watch is.
As if our phones couldnt do everything and anything the watch could.... and then some?
As if our phones couldnt do everything and anything the watch could.... and then some?
It is what it is, it's a not world beating product, it does some of it's features poorly. It was exciting at first, it's no longer exciting.
If someone tried to sell me one right now I would not buy it, even for 1/2 the cost.
If someone tried to sell me one right now I would not buy it, even for 1/2 the cost.
What a stupid article (by Marketwatch).
First of all, who is "Slice Intelligence" and why didn't MarketWatch reference them or give them any citations or links in their article? How does Slice Intelligence do its research? How are they determining these numbers? It's poor writing at best and most likely purposely deceptive/of questionable research.
EDIT: "Slice Intelligence data comes from several sources, including the receipts in the e-mail inboxes of consumers who use the popular Slice online shopping service..." So these online shopping receipts from those who use their online shopping service provide their "treasure trove of data"? Hahaha. Ok then.
Second, is this sensationalist headline seriously that a brand new product's demand is DOWN 90% from the FIRST WEEK THEY WENT ON SALE?!? ZORMAGOSH!!! It's so freakin' unbelievable that a product's demand would wain AFTER LAUNCH WEEK.
*YAWN*
First of all, who is "Slice Intelligence" and why didn't MarketWatch reference them or give them any citations or links in their article? How does Slice Intelligence do its research? How are they determining these numbers? It's poor writing at best and most likely purposely deceptive/of questionable research.
EDIT: "Slice Intelligence data comes from several sources, including the receipts in the e-mail inboxes of consumers who use the popular Slice online shopping service..." So these online shopping receipts from those who use their online shopping service provide their "treasure trove of data"? Hahaha. Ok then.
Second, is this sensationalist headline seriously that a brand new product's demand is DOWN 90% from the FIRST WEEK THEY WENT ON SALE?!? ZORMAGOSH!!! It's so freakin' unbelievable that a product's demand would wain AFTER LAUNCH WEEK.
*YAWN*
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Well, he was right. Including his signature.
I seriously questioned the success of version 1 and was essentially laughed at. This is exactly what I thought would happen. Sales would slow dramatically and the SS version would be dwarfed by the Sport model.
IMO SS is ugly and Sport model is too expensive at retail.
I believe in the future of the AW. I believe however that Apple will be very disappointed with version 1's sales.
IMO SS is ugly and Sport model is too expensive at retail.
I believe in the future of the AW. I believe however that Apple will be very disappointed with version 1's sales.
It is: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203037
So what you really mean to say is that there is a way to backup health data, but you don't want to use that way of backing up health data.
Personally, I think if you're not normally a watch person then the Apple Watch isn't for you. That's a generalization, obviously, but I've been a watch person for much of my life. Since 1998 i've worn a watch, usually the same watch, every single day (with the occasional exception obviously). Before then I wore it through much of my years in school off and on.
I'm not a watch connoisseur, I don't spend thousands of dollars on them. I have had a couple good solid watches over the years. Anyway, I could justify the Apple Watch very easily, not because I'm an Apple guy (which I am) but because I'm a watch guy. I got it primarily to be a watch. As an added bonus I can see notifications (iMessages, rain notifications from DarkSky, etc), but I don't really interface with it except to say "ok" or something small when replying. I keep my iPhone in my pocket all of the time so if a call comes through it's easy for me to hit cancel or know if I should pull it out.
That's what these devices come down to - being a watch that tells time - with added conveniences. But the truth is the Apple Watch is a two handed device. Why do something excessive that you would normally do on the iPhone? I just think the watch market is so small these days that this isn't going to be only geared towards a certain market - people who wear watches.
I'm not a watch connoisseur, I don't spend thousands of dollars on them. I have had a couple good solid watches over the years. Anyway, I could justify the Apple Watch very easily, not because I'm an Apple guy (which I am) but because I'm a watch guy. I got it primarily to be a watch. As an added bonus I can see notifications (iMessages, rain notifications from DarkSky, etc), but I don't really interface with it except to say "ok" or something small when replying. I keep my iPhone in my pocket all of the time so if a call comes through it's easy for me to hit cancel or know if I should pull it out.
That's what these devices come down to - being a watch that tells time - with added conveniences. But the truth is the Apple Watch is a two handed device. Why do something excessive that you would normally do on the iPhone? I just think the watch market is so small these days that this isn't going to be only geared towards a certain market - people who wear watches.
As I said in a previous post, why insult someone just because they own a product you don't like? That's ridiculous.
And okay, here's a pat on the back for him being right about Apple Watch sales...
I already had a nice watch, but I wanted the Health and Notifications stuff, so I just got a Garmin Vivosmart which does all of those things. Plus, it tracks sleep, has basic music controls, is waterproof (for swimming) has a battery that lasts up to 7 days and looks like something straight out of Bladerunner. It's brilliant! Oh and the cost... £80. What were Apple thinking...?
Two things I learned from my month with Apple Watch
1) I never wanted an Apple Watch
I bet many people fall into this category where we didn't actually want the watch. Apple simply hasnt had a compelling product in so long that we fell for the hype. (And now that the hype has shifted to music then the watch gets less attention)
2) My iPhone is awesome.
All this talk of how the watch makes life easier never fit for me. LTE makes things easier. A bigger 6+ screen makes things easier. An all day battery makes things easier. More storage makes things easier. But a 2nd screen with extremely limited functionality and slow operation? That was a novelty device that never filled a need for me.
I'm not damming the future of wearables. I still want one. I'm just saying that I understand why so many people have no interest in this product. Just like Apple Musoc, it's a niche product that Apple wants us to believe is mainstream.
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You seem to talk out of your ass.. vague generalisations to strengthen your conclusions - with zero data to back it up.
I bet you've been waiting for just 1 article to back up your thoughts, now it's here, so you disregard the uncertainty of the data from which this is taken and just hop on the train of hating, bleh.
It's not got the life-changing, can't live-without-it feeling iPhone and iPad immediately had for me. I'm still intrigued to see that arrive with a certain app or technology, and being in with the first gen I'll get to experience that first hand, but I certainly wouldn't tell other people that they need to get one (like I would have with an iPhone or iPad).
I don't see the deal with battery life though - one day is basically as good as two, or three - you still need to have a charger handy and be in the habit of charging it regularly. When you can use one a week without charging, then I'd see a real, user experience difference (same with phones).
I also don't see the deal with needing your phone nearby - it doesn't replace your phone, so even if it could be used without one you'd still carry your phone with you (unless you got a 6+ and it doesn't fit in your pocket).
I don't see the deal with battery life though - one day is basically as good as two, or three - you still need to have a charger handy and be in the habit of charging it regularly. When you can use one a week without charging, then I'd see a real, user experience difference (same with phones).
I also don't see the deal with needing your phone nearby - it doesn't replace your phone, so even if it could be used without one you'd still carry your phone with you (unless you got a 6+ and it doesn't fit in your pocket).
You wear a watch when you sleep? So you one of those guys!
To be honest i have used many Garmin Devices and they are basic and trash.