Apple Watch Had Record Year With Estimated 18M Shipments in 2017, Topped Entire Swiss Watch Industry Last Quarter

[chucker23n1]

If Apple allowed Android watches full access, I think a ton of iPhone users would move over to round versions with thousands of available watchfaces, the ability to keep face visible, etc.

Given the minuscule market share of Android Wear even among Android phone owners, this seems a dubious statement.

 

[newellj]

Given the minuscule market share of Android Wear even among Android phone owners, this seems a dubious statement.

From my perspective - (1) the Android wearables just don't have the same functionality and level of integration; (2) while I don't trust any tech company much with my personal data, I trust Apple a great deal more than Google or the other Android players; and (3) I really don't think the AW sales are the result of people drinking Koolaid, I think they're the result of Apple really envisioning, engineering and delivering a product that has reached a very real level of usefulness across a very broad range of users.

TL,DR: I agree with you.

 

[raghu8912]

Please add Sleep tracking like FitBit, i will be buy one.

 

[Karma*Police]

Life of Apple watch: 3 years, warranty 2, unsopported in 5, obsolete in 7.
Life of a Rolex: 100 years, warranty - infinite, supported forever, always good looking.

You forgot one important point: a Rolex is pretty useless. You’re comparing jewelry to useful tech... Apples and oranges.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Still a happy owner of S0 watch. My Omega and a couple of other less luxurious watches are collecting dust in a drawer. AW was a big convenience and a very light watch from the beginning. My only objection was the rectangle form, but I am used to it now. I know s3 is so much better, but I will hodl (sic) for an actual change in shape/form as well.

I went from the Apple watch series 0 to series 3 at Christmas. The series 3 watch was noticeably faster, with an improved experience in every respect. But the biggest difference I've noticed is in the battery life. If I went for a run for an hour or so in the morning my series 0 watch would struggle to make it to 10pm during the last 6 months that I had it. My series 3 still has more than 70% battery life left. It's fantastic.

 

[imola.zhp]

My Series 3 should be here Friday, not sure yet if I am keeping my Series 0, I may want to wear it at night.

 

[newellj]

Please add Sleep tracking like FitBit, i will be buy one.

There are several good apps that read the Watch data during sleep. I use AutoSleep, but there are a few other good ones as well. We had a Beddit for a while and I really don't think the AW with one of these apps is noticeably less accurate than the Beddit.
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You forgot one important point: a Rolex is pretty useless. You’re comparing jewelry to useful tech... Apples and oranges.

Except that it will reliably give you the time (and maybe the date) without charging a battery, and will last more than a couple of iOS/wOS update cycles.

 

[NT1440]

Except that it will reliably give you the time (and maybe the date) without charging a battery, and will last more than a couple of iOS/wOS update cycles.

And only watch people care even remotely about that. I never wore a watch at all until I bought the Apple Watch. Definitely wouldn't buy a regular watch as I find them to be pointless (I don't like jewelry). I'm definitely not an outlier amongst millenials.

 

[newellj]

And only watch people care even remotely about that. I never wore a watch at all until I bought the Apple Watch. Definitely wouldn't buy a regular watch as I find them to be pointless (I don't like jewelry). I'm definitely not an outlier amongst millenials.

No, I don't think you're an outlier at all. My kids, 29 and 27, for years never wore a watch. They would check the time by pull out a phone. It's just a different era. I've owned cellphones since the mid-80s and for most of that time you could barely get a phone into your pocket, and it wouldn't tell you the time. A lot has changed in the last 50 years - I think we (all of us) sometimes forget how much/how fast.

 

[NT1440]

No, I don't think you're an outlier at all. My kids, 29 and 27, for years never wore a watch. They would check the time by pull out a phone. It's just a different era. I've owned cellphones since the mid-80s and for most of that time you could barely get a phone into your pocket, and it wouldn't tell you the time. A lot has changed in the last 50 years - I think we (all of us) sometimes forget how much/how fast.

It’s crazy isn’t it? We’re in a world completely shaped by smartphones yet they’ve only really existed about a decade now.

 

[newellj]

It’s crazy isn’t it? We’re in a world completely shaped by smartphones yet they’ve only really existed about a decade now.

X years, to be exact. Oh, wait.... And yes, it is. I'm 60 and sometimes I think I barely remember the last century. When my kids were young, they refused to believe that there had been a world before VHS. Now, we've more or less gone from tape through optical to streaming. Who wants to own physical media today?

And to keep this sort of on topic, I don't think it's crazy to envision going from "hand-ables" to wearables to implantables, likely in your lifetime and probably in mine.

 

[DNichter]

Sure, that's why Android users all choose Apple Watches.

Oh wait. Same problem. Not full support.

If Apple allowed Android watches full access, I think a ton of iPhone users would move over to round versions with thousands of available watchfaces, the ability to keep face visible, etc.

No they wouldn’t. Apple Watch users like the experience as it is.

 

[macduke]

It's Possible that your Apple Watch is starting to see the end of the battery life depending on when you purchased it.

Here's what I suggest:

1.) To determine the overall battery health of the Apple Watch, Apple can conduct a free battery test of the Apple Watch over the phone or in store. 80% is there grade line.

2.) As for your concerns with your battery having drain issues, try the following:

- conduct a hard reset by holding down the digital crown and power button for approximately 10 seconds until you see the Apple logo.

-Once the Watch reaches the home screen, Then fully drain the battery to zero and then recharge it back to 100% percent.

Also, keep in mind if you're running a beta, that could be part of the problem. And third-party applications are a massive culprit that affect the performance of the battery with the first generation Apple Watch at times.

Thanks. I didn’t figure a hard reset would matter because it was powering off anyway. I know it has been slowing losing battery and is probably at most 80%. I preordered it before launch in March or April 2015 but didn’t get it until early June. For whatever reason I had a great day with it yesterday so maybe it has sorted itself out after a few historically bad days. It’s just annoying and to have to upgrade a watch this often. I like the more expensive stainless steel model and was hoping to wear them for 3-4 years but maybe I should just get a cheaper sport every 1-2 years. Or maybe the newer models with longer battery life will be serviceable longer.

 

[FrozenInferno]

No, I don't think you're an outlier at all. My kids, 29 and 27, for years never wore a watch. They would check the time by pull out a phone. It's just a different era. I've owned cellphones since the mid-80s and for most of that time you could barely get a phone into your pocket, and it wouldn't tell you the time. A lot has changed in the last 50 years - I think we (all of us) sometimes forget how much/how fast.

Funny, I'm about to turn 32 and I can't stand NOT having a watch on me. I've always worn one since I was very young, much longer than I've had smartphones. The instinct to lift my wrist and check my watch still overpowers my instinct to check the time on my phone.

 

[Huffboys1]

No, I don't think you're an outlier at all. My kids, 29 and 27, for years never wore a watch. They would check the time by pull out a phone. It's just a different era. I've owned cellphones since the mid-80s and for most of that time you could barely get a phone into your pocket, and it wouldn't tell you the time. A lot has changed in the last 50 years - I think we (all of us) sometimes forget how much/how fast.

I have been a watch guy for a while...I enjoy each of mine for what it is. I have mechanicals, quartz, hand wind, and of course an AW.

 

[TiggrToo]

Life of Apple watch: 3 years, warranty 2, unsopported in 5, obsolete in 7.
Life of a Rolex: 100 years, warranty - infinite, supported forever, always good looking.

Cheapest new Rolex - ~$5,000 (with a FIVE YEAR warranty [not infinite as you guessed])

Cheapest new S3 - $329 with a 1 Year Warranty - or $378 with a 2 year warranty.

The Rolex is over 15 times the price!

Next you'll be chastising Toyota Camry owners for purchasing a new sedan when they could have purchased a Mercedes S Class S63 AMG for only $220,000...

 

[Lloydbm41]

As impressive as this sounds, I hardly think swiss watch companies and Apple are competing for the same customers. Sure, some Rolex owners may buy an additional Apple watch, but the people buying Apple as their only option likely wouldnt even consider a swiss alternative.

Exactly. Those that buy high end watches from companies like Patek Philippe aren’t the same customers that buy Apple Watches.
Additionally, far fewer high end watches need to be sold to give those companies high profit margins. There simply is no comparison for a watch designed to last hundreds of years compared to one meant to last just a couple.

 

[DeepIn2U]

Makes sense. I’ve seen a lot of Apple Watches in the wild over the last year or so. It’s particularly popular with nurses, wait staff, and others who can’t look at their phones during the day.

In contrast, I see few Android watches.

Once again, most people underestimated Apple. The first gen watch certainly had some shortcomings, but what people forget is Apple goes all-in on their products and they keep improving until they get it right.

Ahem,

G4 Cube
Mac Mini

Just two products Apple did NOT stand behind nor improve. yet generally you’re correct.

 

[TiggrToo]

Ahem,

G4 Cube
Mac Mini

Just two products Apple did NOT stand behind nor improve. yet generally you’re correct.

Or the precursor to Homepod that was a total failure, discontinued quickly yet still works perfectly for us all these years later (so I still don't regret being one of the 17 folk who purchased one new ).

 

[jlc1978]

Apple Watch has gone from a half-baked product at launch to a mature and smooth-running device that is more and more useful. Series 3 finally convinced me to buy.

One thing though: I don't think it's fair to compare sales of Apple Watch and Swiss watches. Sure, they both tell time. Otherwise, they are different product categories. Apple Watches can do hundreds of things and there are AW models available that are pretty affordable ($179 sale price for Series 1). Swiss watches do 1 or 2 things, are handmade by artisans, and are more a piece of fine jewelry. I think both products are terrific, for different needs.

Depends on the Swiss watch. While there certainly are high end manufacturers with in house movements, there are plenty more casing Ronda or ETA or other Swiss mass market movements and in the AW price point or below. I do agree tehy are to separate market segments.