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Apple Watch Pricing to Reportedly Start at $500 for Stainless Steel, $4,000 for Gold
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That's one extreme there. For the kind of people used to buying Apple products, what's $150 really? I'd pay that to get that better quality stainless and a sapphire glass.
I certainly would never drop $5K on a gold one. Apart from anything else, I find yellow gold (and rose gold) to be a little Jersey Shore for my liking.
Mine has held its value over almost 25 years. In fact I am positive I can sell it for double what I paid.
As others have noted, and I agree, the idea that an Apple watch can be a lasting thing, especially considering the price, is foolish at best. Sure, there is a market for watches where people spend $100 - $500 on something that is essentially a piece of jewelry and that they may even update on a fairly regular basis, not because the watch doesn't perform, but because they want a different look.
That's also true for people who buy any of the premium Swiss-made watches, because if you can afford a $10k+ watch, chances are you can afford more than one $10k+ watch.
The idea of a $5k Apple watch that is likely to be updated within 12 months to a better, faster, longer battery life, THINNER watch automatically makes the watch something that NEEDS to be replaced. The premium Swiss watches, or even some of the better Japanese watches, are lasting time pieces that just happen to also be jewelry.
An Apple watch in 5 or 10 years may be a novelty at best, in the same way that people keep the original iPhone (my sister-in-law still uses one), but as technology changes, it's likely that the you'll hit a point where the Apple watch stops working with your iPhone, making it worthless - or close to worthless, if they stick to making the watch require an iPhone to do more than just tell the time.
That's also true for people who buy any of the premium Swiss-made watches, because if you can afford a $10k+ watch, chances are you can afford more than one $10k+ watch.
The idea of a $5k Apple watch that is likely to be updated within 12 months to a better, faster, longer battery life, THINNER watch automatically makes the watch something that NEEDS to be replaced. The premium Swiss watches, or even some of the better Japanese watches, are lasting time pieces that just happen to also be jewelry.
An Apple watch in 5 or 10 years may be a novelty at best, in the same way that people keep the original iPhone (my sister-in-law still uses one), but as technology changes, it's likely that the you'll hit a point where the Apple watch stops working with your iPhone, making it worthless - or close to worthless, if they stick to making the watch require an iPhone to do more than just tell the time.
I respect the Breitling brand. But for me, most of them have WAY too much going on on the face. I like my watches clean and uncluttered.
Also we're talking about a $500 stainless Apple Watch. Show me a new Breitling I can buy for $500.
Keep in mind too that for $349 the entry level Apple Watch will still tell better time than any Breitling every created since 1884. On top of all the other functionality.
Around $7600 these days for a run-of-the-mill stainless Submariner... if you want a gold one it's closer to $30,000.
If Apple lists the gold "edition" version of the
Watch for $4000, it will literally be the least expensive 18k gold watch you can buy anywhere.I guess time will tell.
It's not that Rolex necessarily hold their value, it's more that Rolex relentlessly control price, and keep upping the price of their new watches.
Thing is though, you don't see too many Millennials even wearing a watch, let alone a Rolex.
I wonder as the younger generation get to an age where they can afford a Rolex (because let's face it, you have to have plenty of money before you can justify spending $10K on a watch that isn't even that accurate), will they want one?
And if Rolex can't shift the new watches, they won't be able to keep their relentless price hikes going.
It will be interesting to see what happens as the older rich folk pass on, and the younger generation start to reach their 40s and 50s. Will owning a Rolex still mean the same to Millennials as it means to Gen X and Baby Boomers? If not, what value will they have then?
I think the UK hi-fi retailer Richer Sounds also has high sales density.
The sapphire screen, health sensors and breadth of bands on the first-gen stainless steel Apple Watch are encouraging. For the second-gen, I would like the following upgrades:
1. GPS
2. IP68 dust-proofing and waterproofing (for submersion, although additionally IP65 for high-pressure water spraying would be even better)
With these two, it would reach parity with the Sony SmartWatch 3 Android Wear, then:
3. Touch ID-enabled Digital Crown or the button beneath it
4. LTE-only integrated Apple SIM with data connectivity, in order to act as a standalone Apple Pay device. If it also featured cellular connectivity then that would be even better - the SIM could handle dynamic number switching for the user's provider.
Is nobody else not seeing what I'm seeing? The sapphire bottom of the
Image
Apple must know that the renewal cycle of these watches can't be the same as an iPhone or even a Mac. If you're buying a gold watch, it's got to be good for at least 5 years or maybe much longer. If you can upgrade the fitness sensors and maybe the CPU, Apple can continue to make money annually or bi-annually from
Really hope you're right. I guess we'll see in 6 or 8 months.
So though I would never plop down that kind of cash on a gold Watch I am very much interested in the stainless version. For $500 I would get one.
I wonder if these watches will be on a 1 year upgrade cycle like most other Apple products?
Watch I am very much interested in the stainless version. For $500 I would get one. I wonder if these watches will be on a 1 year upgrade cycle like most other Apple products?
Might there be a plan to simply replace the "electronic" module, the computer/screen component of the watch and this has not been revealed?
At $4k, the electronic portion of your watch is the cheapest, when Apple Watch comes out your gold case didn't lose value the electronic part did... The solution would be an interchangeable electronic gut portion.
Any thoughts on this?
At $4k, the electronic portion of your watch is the cheapest, when Apple Watch comes out your gold case didn't lose value the electronic part did... The solution would be an interchangeable electronic gut portion.
Any thoughts on this?
Haha. $500 for stainless steel, no sapphire, no GPS, no waterproofing, requires an iPhone and will be obsolete as soon as you open the box.
No thanks, I'd rather just buy a Seiko or Citizen.
Give one of these to your lady. A year later she will want the upgrade while you're still paying for last year's model.
The high priced models (Power Macs included) satisfy the tastes and pocketbooks of upper management; these models will of necessity be limited editions. Most manufacturing will be on the low end. Nicer bands (the part you can hopefully keep for the next version) will be premium upgrades.
Spending $4,000 on a throwaway device (will be obsolete in a few years) is completely stupid and I think Apple have miscalculated the market long term.
Haha. $500 for stainless steel, no sapphire, no GPS, no waterproofing, requires an iPhone and will be obsolete as soon as you open the box.
No thanks, I'd rather just buy a Seiko or Citizen.
Who said no sapphire? It's definitely sapphire. And we may be surprised by the being added for the Apple Watch S/2. It is water resistant but I agree crazy they don't make it waterproof. Yeah, the need for an iPhone, and a big one at that, is a bit disappointing.
Not for me.
I'm probably not alone here, but the Apple Watch just doesn't seem to fill any gap in my consumerism.
I don't see how it will enhance my productivity, and I'm positive that I don't *need* a version of iOS on my wrist. I understand that people will want one of these and also to people with no real want for money the gold Apple Watch will be an obvious purchase, but honestly I can mostly see limitations (battery lifetime, small screen, future updates).
Nice features like Apple Pay (not particularly relevant in the UK) or whatever else (um health monitors) are all very well, but I'm not losing any sleep here if I don't have.
It's a lot of money for a toy. I know you could say the same thing about anything (jeans, bag, shoes, watch/jewellery, car, etc) but the fact is that such an interface driven piece of technology will have a shelf life and will lose value as soon as it is superseded. A different 'luxury brand' watch might not, I could argue.
Sure, some (lots of?) people will rush out to buy their favourite colour Apple Watch, and all power to them.
It's not for me, and I won't be buying one because I don't have a need for one...but then I don't own a motorcycle, a radio controlled helicopter, or a Mac Pro. Or a watch actually.
All lovely, expensive toys that I might enjoy but without a need for these things I wouldn't be able to justify the spend.
I'm probably not alone here, but the Apple Watch just doesn't seem to fill any gap in my consumerism.
I don't see how it will enhance my productivity, and I'm positive that I don't *need* a version of iOS on my wrist. I understand that people will want one of these and also to people with no real want for money the gold Apple Watch will be an obvious purchase, but honestly I can mostly see limitations (battery lifetime, small screen, future updates).
Nice features like Apple Pay (not particularly relevant in the UK) or whatever else (um health monitors) are all very well, but I'm not losing any sleep here if I don't have.
It's a lot of money for a toy. I know you could say the same thing about anything (jeans, bag, shoes, watch/jewellery, car, etc) but the fact is that such an interface driven piece of technology will have a shelf life and will lose value as soon as it is superseded. A different 'luxury brand' watch might not, I could argue.
Sure, some (lots of?) people will rush out to buy their favourite colour Apple Watch, and all power to them.
It's not for me, and I won't be buying one because I don't have a need for one...but then I don't own a motorcycle, a radio controlled helicopter, or a Mac Pro. Or a watch actually.
All lovely, expensive toys that I might enjoy but without a need for these things I wouldn't be able to justify the spend.
You don't buy the Watch for its Teraflops. You buy it, because you have too much money and you don't want to give it to charity. If you are even vaguely interested in this product, chances are even after spending $4000 on a watch, you will still have too much money in your purse. This is where the different color watchbands come in. Buy all of them, because you are so bored right now!
Not even close to what Apple stuff used to cost. In 1983 I purchased two Apple III computers (512K memory) for my business at $8,400 each (that's over $20,000 each in today's dollars). The cost of Apple iPads, iPhones, and Watches is chump change for what you get.
You're right its the sport version that doesn't have Sapphire. But reliance on third party GPS means...it doesn't have GPS.
Soo...it does require an iPhone after all.
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All watches are jewelry at this point in time. Everything that the
The problem is that you cant do anything with the iPhone while it is in your pocket, thats the main ****ing problem. You cant see what notification you just got, if it is an mail that need an urgent response or if it is a notification that someone liked your facebook status. You cant change the song your are listening to and see what is the next one. You cant send a short voice msg to anyone to say for example "Hey, Im coming" or "Ill be late 5 min". In general, your iPhone is useless while it is in your pocket. The Apple Watch is an extensión to your iPhone and everything you do with it. It is on your wrist and feels so much more natural and personal just to tap your wrist to perform a certain simple task instead of taking your iPhone out and start typing.
Ask yourself: How many times a day you pull your iPhone just to see the hour or what notification you just got, to switch a song, to post a tweet (if any). Docens? Hundreds? The Apple watch allows you to do the above and so much more in a easy and non obstructive way.
How many calls you missed or how many msg you responded late just because your iPhone is in the other room and your didnt hear it? How many times you didnt hear the vibration when your iPhone was silenced? None of this would ever happen if you wear the watch.
The opportunity this technology is giving is enourmos and just like Tim said, I cant wait to see what the developers would come out with.
You are forgetting the most important thing about the apple watch .... does it blend.