Apple Watch Demand Slides Significantly in June as Launch Momentum Wanes

[Benjamin Frost]

Back on AppleInsider, I felt that, for the first year, fewer than 10 million sales would be a failure, 10 million to 14 million would be disappointing, 15-19 million would be good, and 20 million or more would be excellent.

The fact that Tim Cook has not once hinted at sales figures is, in itself, a bad sign. The excuse that he doesn't want to help the competition is lame; if sales were brilliant, he would have trumpeted them from the rooftops.

I predicted that the Apple Watch would flop from the start. So it is proving. It represents Tim Cook's first new product since the death of the great Steve Jobs, and is proof that Apple have lost it under him. As such, his days as CEO should be over. He should return to his position as COO and let someone with passion for Apple products lead the way. I would suggest Craig Federighi as a prime candidate.

I want to see Apple become great once again. It won't happen under Tim Cook.

 

[kis]

Even at these "slow" levels, Apple is selling more Apple Watches every week in the US than they ever sold Newtons, worldwide, during the entire history of that product.

Is that really a failure?

Yes, because the market today is scores bigger than it was when the Newton was launched.

 

[blastair]

All these doom and gloom posts make me laugh. The iPhone wasn't a runaway success at launch either, it takes time for a new product time to catch on.

I love my Apple Watch. I was looking for 1) a fitness-capable wearable to incorporate into my cycling routine, and 2) something to keep me connected, while allowing me to check my phone less. The Apple Watch nailed both of these use cases. Sure, it will improve over time, as it should.

I'm generalizing, but I'd bet that most people bemoaning the failure of the Apple Watch either haven't used one for an extended period of time, or haven't really tried to make it work with their life. If you expect all the features of an iPhone in a first-gen product with a tiny screen, you're not going to be happy.

 

[Planey28]

If you think a decline in demand from 200'000 units per day to 3000 units a day is 'normal to observe', you must be joking. And sales in other countries are way more pathetic.

Do you have evidence to support that statement, or is it your personal opinion/hopes?

 

[sniffies]

Idiots.

Had they called it iWatch, it'd be more popular.

But Apple Watch??

 

[scbn]

I won't be surprised if Apple cut the prices of the Apple Watch if they see continuous decline in sales. Apple knew the watch will not be at the same level as that of iPhone or iPad, so they put it under the 'other' category with iPods and accessories. And they will not tell you how many they have sold until they see a growth trajectory.

Keep guessing...

 

[robbyx]

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.

I don't need an article to back anything up. AW sales suck. The early adopters got theirs, feedback from customers and reviewers confirms again and again that it's a mediocre product, and consumer interest is falling off a cliff. It was a dumb product from day one. I've been buying Apple products for 30+ years and Apple has made me a pile of cash as an investor. I love the company. But the Watch is lame. Way overhyped and now that they've finally delivered, it's exactly what many of us expected, a decent wearable that isn't necessary. But don't take my word for it. This thread alone has significantly more posts from people expressing their disappointment in the product, returning it, etc. than it does people praising its brilliance. I see iPhones every day all day long. I have only seen one Apple Watch in the wild and it belongs to my uber nerdy friend and even he's rather underwhelmed. Finally, to your point about data, what data would you expect me to have? I don't work for Apple and last I checked they aren't releasing watch sales numbers (hmmmm...I wonder why). So we're left with anecdotal evidence (often backed up by real world experience and observation) to form our conclusions. Now go back to gulping your Kool Aid.

 

[Planey28]

All these doom and gloom posts make me laugh. The iPhone wasn't a runaway success at launch either, it takes time for a new product time to catch on.

I love my Apple Watch. I was looking for 1) a fitness-capable wearable to incorporate into my cycling routine, and 2) something to keep me connected, while allowing me to check my phone less. The Apple Watch nailed both of these use cases. Sure, it will improve over time, as it should.

I'm generalizing, but I'd bet that most people bemoaning the failure of the Apple Watch either haven't used one for an extended period of time, or haven't really tried to make it work with their life. If you expect all the features of an iPhone in a first-gen product with a tiny screen, you're not going to be happy.

I'm guessing a great deal of them are mad because mommy/daddy refused to buy them one

 

[greytmom]

I love mine.

I would take this Slice info with a grain of salt.

Decline after initial launch excitement certainly is nothing new or unexpected.

 

[afd]

I don't think we can work out from this report whether the watch is a failure or not, or whether Apple is doomed because it hasn't been as successful as the iPad, Phone or Pod. I bought the watch at launch despite having doubts about the watch in particular and smart watches in general. I haven't met anyone else daft/brave/enlightened enough to buy one yet but can remember what it was like at this stage with original iPhone, everyone (now mostly iPhone owners) was quick to see it as a waste of money and their Nokia, SE or whatever was better. Maybe the watch is a flop but I don't regret getting one.

Here's a picture of my last watch (that I really liked) that stopped a couple of days after I got my apple watch and has sat on my desk ever since.

 

[HitchHykr]

Exactly...
I really question whether this will go the way of the Apple TV where it sits along the wall at the Apple Store and every once in a while someone goes over and buys one.

It is not a revolutionary product. It's an expansion device to the iPhone, much like a BT earpiece.

Mark my words, the Apple Watch will evolve into some other type of wearable, like a touch sensitive projector on the back of your hand or forearm, like this:

That works perfectly...if you have perfect, white skin with no hair....

 

[Thunderhawks]

I just sold mine, I'm afraid.

Don't be afraid!

It's just a watch.

 

[mjcxp]

I am a bit disappointed too. I mainly use it for fitness tracking. The apps are super slow to load and it is quicker to just my iPhone. Once they load the information they provide is extremely limited it makes them quite pointless.

 

[Digital Skunk]

I think this information should go without saying. The novelty has worn off, and the thing has become available everywhere. That initial thrust of customers have all gotten their shipments and they are either enjoying them or selling them off.

Ver 2 is going to be better and fix some of the problems and hopefully add more usefulness.

I seem to recall a lot of people including myself saying the same thing about the Ver 1 iPad and then the second version came and changed our impressions. The same thing happened with each iteration: problems got solved and functionality was added or enhanced.

p.s. I still think the idea of a watch is moot as a whole, but meh . . . . I'm always open to different perspectives.

 

[darcyf]

Let's check those numbers again when Christmas rolls around.

 

[SHNXX]

not super surprising but it would be nice to see comparison to other new product launches

 

[greytmom]

This thread along has significantly more posts from people expressing their disappointment in the product, returning it, etc. than it does people praising its brilliance.

I would NOT base anything on what I see here in MacRumors. If I did, I would assume that all humans were whiny little bastids.

 

[nikhsub1]

Hmm, I'm going to bet you predicted it wouldn't sell any more than any other smartwatch.

I thought it would outsell every other smartwatch but not sell well in a relative way to other Apple products (iphone, ipad specifically). I dunno, maybe the sales figures are considered a success for a half baked product. Maybe sales will steadily climb over time as it matures. If the watch can be platform independent then I think that will help sales a lot.

 

[gijoeinla]

Me personally am in the Los Angeles market. I have a Apple Watch. I love it actually. I'm a early adopter and I can say with a certainty that it functions as advertised. For my excerise routines and heart monitoring it's been incredibly accurate. The only reason I take it off of late is that I cherish it and don't find it practical wearing my SS model while I'm chopping wood or remodeling work at home -- duh. Bottom line the device is practical for me not taking out my phone outta my pocket to see notifications, texts, etc. maybe I'm in the minority in that I don't want or expect it to do "everything".

Still, still people notice it immediately in varied settings.

One theme I keep hearing is the PERCEPTION that it's impossible to find. Another is price in that people want one when they can afford it. This is a device that will sell huge volumes during the holidays and around special occasions.

STUPIDLY comparing this item to a SUBSIDIZED device to iPhone sales lacks rationale. and as for receipts it should be noted that like at the boutique store in LA - Maxfield - during the entire time they sold watches they NEVER issued a email receipt. Obviously that store didn't sell millions of units but like the Apple stores - email receipts are optional. What this study does show is I believe a drop off in ONLINE ordering. Duh. I never ever liked the fact of picking out my watch online.

If everybody had to shell out $1000 for an iPhone you'd hear more BITCHING about price than ever before.

 

[JustThinkin']

Apple can not sell fashion without (enhanced) functionality. Thus the higher priced watches don't sell well.

They sell functionality that's fashionable.

 

[KdParker]

I just sold mine, I'm afraid. I received it on launch and just didn't find myself using it often. I'd wear it daily but rarely even used it. Unfortunately it didn't change my daily life like the iPhone or iPad did and it's just an extra accessory. I'm really hoping the 2nd generation one makes the leap the 2nd gen iPhones and iPads did.

When Apple watch or any wearables start to be able to replace our phones, then the market will take off.

In Apple Watches case, the price is just to high to 'see if you will use it'.

 

[jasonklee]

By this point I go through heavier withdrawals when without the watch than the iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Spending $999 for an Apple Watch seems asinine but I've found way more practical utility and genuine fun in this supposed trinket/flop/toy than any of the mechanical watches I've collected over the years—or any tech product for that matter. As for my girlfriend, she's lost 105 pounds in the last 12 months but the last 20–30 pounds have proven to be a far tougher challenge than the initial 100. But in the last three weeks since having her Apple Watch she's found the motivation to start chipping away at the last few pounds—though it has more to do with her extreme dislike of having incomplete Activity rings.

Despite all the naysaying I'm a strong believer in this category of device and I'm more excited to see future iterations of the watch than any of Apple's other devices. I think choosing to evolve the utility of wrist-worn technology is a worthy endeavor and I'm quite happy that Apple has become a player.

 

[Thunderhawks]

I don't think we can work out from this report whether the watch is a failure or not, or whether Apple is doomed because it hasn't been as successful as the iPad, Phone or Pod. I bought the watch at launch despite having doubts about the watch in particular and smart watches in general. I haven't met anyone else daft/brave/enlightened enough to buy one yet but can remember what it was like at this stage with original iPhone, everyone (now mostly iPhone owners) was quick to see it as a waste of money and their Nokia, SE or whatever was better. Maybe the watch is a flop but I don't regret getting one.

Here's a picture of my last watch (that I really liked) that stopped a couple of days after I got my apple watch and has sat on my desk ever since.

Still shows the correct time twice a day!

 

[teslo]

If you think a decline in demand from 200'000 units per day to 3000 units a day is 'normal to observe', you must be joking. And sales in other countries are way more pathetic.

$2.8M total sales by mid June.

from the article:
*estimates are based on e-receipt data from online shoppers in the United States that opted-in to have their inboxes tracked for email receipts.

this isn't even all sales.

watching a 1st gen product's sales decline - that only appeals to the types who are early adopters and with enough patience to get an essentially 'gimped' phone-reliant product just because they want to and can - is normal.

it's normal because we're in unprecedented territory here. smart devices were mass produced starting in 2007 and we're only in the wearables phase of 2015. what other examples do you have indicating this is somehow detrimental? any? does the pebble sit in the same category as the AW? do samsung's offerings have sales records to compare with apple watch's release? call me curious.

 

[TechRemarker]

Why am I not surprised that people do not want a device that needs a phone to work and connects via bluetooth?

Sounds like you don't own one yourself. As an Apple Watch owner, having it tied to my phone isn't a problem at all. All of us always have our phones on us and most likely always will. This isn't mean to be a replacement for an iPhone and has never been marketing as such. It's mention to be an addition to your iPhone.

There are "a lot" of issues with the Apple Watch, lots of room for an improvement, however being tied to a phone as an actual apple watch user isn't one of those concerns. Surely, ideally it would be nice if any device could live on its on, but that would require the watch to be much larger to support a much bigger battery and processor and storage and cellular connection all for just those very few times you forget to bring your phone.

And to note, you can use the watch without an iPhone just with limited abilities. When I'm at the gym however, I have my phone in the car attached to the wifi of the gym and I have my watch attached to the wifi of the gym so even though the phone and watch are very far apart, I can use all the functions of my apple watch.