Apple Watch Received Estimated 1 Million Pre-Orders in U.S. on April 10

[darkslide29]

I want that black leather magnetic band... but I'll be damned if I'm dropping $150 on it!

These watch strap prices are obscene. The Watch itself is a tiny bit over priced based on what it is and the market but holy hell, what are they thinking with the straps?

Same here.. If I could get a brown leather magnetic band, and a milanese loop, both for around $100 (150 max) total, I would be ordering both right now to add to my sports band. But as it stands, I am having a very difficult time justifying buying even just one at $150. I hate to say that I am likely going to wait to see third party options in the coming months.

Then again, I saw the Apple video for the $500 stainless steel link bracelet. It said that it takes a machine 9 hours to make it, and then the darn thing is hand polished! So I guess I could see why it would cost $500, but I still wouldn't want to drop more than $200 on it.

I am probably just cheap and not used to buying jewelry.

 

[CB1234]

You are making way to much sense for this forum. I will never understand why I should care about beating Android or why somebody elses choice is inferior.
In the end we all buy what works best for us.

Unfortunately the anonymity of a username and keyboard can bring the worst out in people.
You should see the stuff people post on sports forums. From racists to just downright low life behavior everything is represented.

Humans are just not a nice species as we see every day when they destroy nature and their own kind

You are soooo right, but your sensible post will be drowned out amongst constant insults thrown around here.

The sad part is that if these same people bumped into each other in real life, they would probably be very civil to each other, but being anonymous is like a 'Carte Blanche' to trade in insults....

 

[AppleCommander]

For the first time I didn't get something new from Apple.

Same here. I just don't see much use for the Apple Watch when I always have my iPhone with me.

 

[darkslide29]

Has anyone seen any photos or renderings of the apple watch sport space gray with a milanese loop?

I'm debating between getting that combination (as I like the contrasts / looks different) and is reasonably cheaper (also getting two bands).


On the contrary, the duller look of the aluminum casing against a milanese loop may look odd. Ideally I would want the space gray stainless steel variety, but not looking foward to dropping $1,000 on something so experimental.

On a different thread, someone was able to get Apple employees to try that combo: https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/20987623/

If only Apple allowed the space grey (space black I think they call it) stainless steel with a black sport band, as a nice entry level SS watch.

 

[samcraig]

I'll just say that sales are important. And I know this will be seen as "negative" and probably rightfully so - but until they are in customers hands and THAT word of mouth spreads positively or negatively, the #s to me are interesting at best.

 

[ThisIsNotMe]

I want that black leather magnetic band... but I'll be damned if I'm dropping $150 on it!

These watch strap prices are obscene. The Watch itself is a tiny bit over priced based on what it is and the market but holy hell, what are they thinking with the straps?

Obscene? I got a SS link bracelet for a Panerai and it was $2,500.

$150 is certainly in line with the watch market.

 

[darkslide29]

Obscene? I got a SS link bracelet for a Panerai and it was $2,500.

$150 is certainly in line with the watch market.

I saw the Apple video for the $500 stainless steel link bracelet. It said that it takes a machine 9 hours to make it, and then the darn thing is hand polished! So I guess I could see why it would cost $500, but I still wouldn't want to drop more than $200 on it.

I am probably just cheap and not used to buying jewelry.

Dang, $2500? Confirmed - I am just a cheap #$%@ that doesn't know what jewelry costs.

 

[ThisIsNotMe]

So, the band is really worth $2,250 of the WATCH you paid $17,000.
OK, so most likely the band won't fit on the WATCH 3rd Gen; therefore, you can only sell it to a gold dealer for 1/2 price ($1,125).
The WATCH 1st gen in 3 years, itself, $170 (who would pay more for an obsolete thing??).
You take a $15,700 haircut in 3 years + $1,360 in original sales tax, and THERE IT IS: a $17,060 LOSS.

Therefore, $170 is the salvage cost in 3 years.
Dude, you ain't got no $18,360 Rolex.
In 2018, all you got is a 3 year-old, 1st Gen Apple WATCH, one of 4 million, (with q battery going lame and a screen full of scratches).

If you can afford and buy a $17,000 AppleWatch or a $20,000 Rolex, then you are not stupid enough to look at the purchase as an investment and you are of the wealth status where one really doesn't care about technology depreciating.

 

[prowlmedia]

I am probably just cheap and not used to buying jewelry.

this ... but to be fair men tend to be pretty cheap about such things.

My wife bought a £2k handbag and $£K Earrings. Is that insane? I prefer to spend my money on travelling and holidays and I am lucky enough to do so.

Some people will buy a £350K house and £150K car as that's where their priorities lay. Personally I think thats out of whack but some people love cars. I just see them as A-B.

I do think that the prices are 25% too high across the board and they are missing straps in the 50-150 range.

 

[lazard]

If you can afford and buy a $17,000 AppleWatch or a $20,000 Rolex, then you are not stupid enough to look at the purchase as an investment and you are of the wealth status where one really doesn't care about technology depreciating.

I own a $7,000 Rolex and a $50,000 Ulysse Nardin watch and I care about depreciating technology.

 

[yansun]

I own a $7,000 Rolex and a $50,000 Ulysse Nardin watch and I care about depreciating technology.

I also don't get these kind of argument. Why I should not care about the longevity of something just because I have the money to buy a new version of it every year?

 

[MrXiro]

Obscene? I got a SS link bracelet for a Panerai and it was $2,500.

$150 is certainly in line with the watch market.

I don't know about the standard watch market but considering the magnetic watch band is pretty much the material equivalent to to an $80 leather iPad smart cover with far less materials; it's obscene.

If people in this day and age pay that much for the strap of a watch that is just madness to me. Standard leather watch strap at the local watch store is $30-$60 tops... so the Apple one has some magnets in it... last I heard magnets are not a rare mystical material that is hard to find.

I want that leather strap but there is nothing short of somehow inheriting a few million dollars that would get me to splurge on that... especially since every watch band I've ever owned ends up smelling like sour socks within a few weeks. My current Fitbit included.

 

[chitoac]

Pretty solid? Are you serious?
They sold 240m iphones last year. 1m out of 240m is 0.4%.
You think 0.4% is great? It's terrible. Plus the majority of those who preordered didn't had the chance to try the watch and will return it. By the end of the year they'll probably sell 3-5 million.
Anything under 10m/year is not solid.

And no, i'm not a hater, i actually like the watch and preordered it.

classic HATER. you should compare numbers with the same catergory.
like 720000 android smartwatches sold in 2014 compare with 1 million in 1 day . thats not great!???? lol open your eyes.

i dont believe you order the watch

 

[BuddyTronic]

I don't know
1oz gold coin sells for $1200. Does the $17,000 gold WATCH have 14oz of gold?

Will Apple let you use the same gold bands on WATCH Gen2, 3, 4, etc?

Look what happened to all the 30-pin cables and peripherals.

And, be prepared to say good-bye to your new Lightning collection when iPhone 6S comes out.

MacVista - I was saying that the gold scrap value of the Apple Watch would certainly most likely be worth more than $170.00. You said you could not see it being worth more than $170.00

I'm not getting into this with you, it's not worth my time. I just wanted to point out that what you said wasn't taking into account the value of the Gold in the Watch!

 

[MrXiro]

Same here.. If I could get a brown leather magnetic band, and a milanese loop, both for around $100 (150 max) total, I would be ordering both right now to add to my sports band. But as it stands, I am having a very difficult time justifying buying even just one at $150. I hate to say that I am likely going to wait to see third party options in the coming months.

Then again, I saw the Apple video for the $500 stainless steel link bracelet. It said that it takes a machine 9 hours to make it, and then the darn thing is hand polished! So I guess I could see why it would cost $500, but I still wouldn't want to drop more than $200 on it.

I am probably just cheap and not used to buying jewelry.

Maybe I'm just cheap too. I certainly don't buy jewelry. That market feels like one giant scam.

 

[unplugme71]

I think Watch (2nd gen) might have 3-5 million pre-orders. Most people are hesitant to buy a first release product without physically seeing it and hearing consumer reviews, not just editorial ones.

A lot of people that I know that want one, can't, because a lot of us had other priorities or owed taxes to uncle sam.

 

[mightyjabba]

It doesn't work the way you explain. Once you make a luxury product, you make it for people who are okay with paying huge profits to the makers of those products. Buyers don't pay for the raw material, they pay for the exclusivity. They can't show off with an aluminum watch that sells over a million in a day.

What part doesn't work the way I explain? I'm merely pointing out that there is a huge profit margin on the Edition watches. That's not a criticism. If anything it's a very smart move by Apple, even if I am personally a little uncomfortable with the idea of Apple moving in to the luxury market.

 

[Ramchi]

It doesn't work the way you explain. Once you make a luxury product, you make it for people who are okay with paying huge profits to the makers of those products. Buyers don't pay for the raw material, they pay for the exclusivity. They can't show off with an aluminum watch that sells over a million in a day.

Also, think about Apple. Why would they ever make a gold watch if they earned the same amount per watch as they make from a steel watch? You invest for a different manufacturing process and marketing, you remodel your stores, put safes, train people to sell the gold watch, and at the end, you sell 1/100 of the regular models and make 1/100 of what you earn from those regular models. Apple knows that there is a market for a luxury Apple Watch and they go for it. Otherwise they wouldn't even bother.

Isn't it worse for an expensive watch functioning exactly same like a cheap version....I thought for expensive and exclusive watch lovers must see something it does beyond the cheaper versions? Just making it exorbitant in price and make it unaffordable is the only function it brings?

 

[thekeyring]

Aww muffin. This bull is too much for you, huh? Then start living in the real world. Maybe I shouldn't have used the keynote audience as an example. As we all know, they're content to lose their **** over a feature that every other competing product has had for years already (and side note so we don't go down this track, yeah, Apple usually does it better - we all appreciate that).

People have dreamed of holographic interfaces like the ones we see in Minority Report too, but we all know how that plays out for real - gorilla arms. It's awful.

People dreamed of watches they could talk to other people on but we never really thought about portable phones. But we have those now, and holding one to your face and speaking to someone else happens to make a lot of sense. So now we have the technology to lend that capability from the phone you must have, to a watch on your wrist for what? Convenience? Is it really that convenient? Is taking the one device I can't live without (and need for this watch) out of my pocket in order to speak with someone that bad? Did the watch really just solve some massive problem we all have? No.

I'm not even bitching about the fact that it needs your phone (although if you think about it, that is kind of pathetic). I'm saying the features the watch comes loaded with aren't amazing. All of these things I can do with my phone, and easier on my phone.

I know you'll tell me this isn't your job and you don't need to, but if you really believe the watch is that amazing, then I'd really appreciate if you could describe a few use cases for me where the phone falls short and watch swoops in and saves the day and makes my life so much easier. The kinds of use cases where I'll honestly read what you have to say and go "Wow, he's right - that is amazing." Because if you're able to do that, I'll say I didn't consider everything and that you might be right.

But you aren't going to do that. You're going to dismiss me as a troll and say you aren't going to waste your time, that I'd never change my mind anyway or whatever. I'll swear on anything you like - convince me right now why this thing is amazing and why I'm being narrow minded when it comes to it's usefulness - and I'll be dead honest in my reaction. No bias, no nothing. I'm open to being educated.

Don't worry, I'll wait.

It can continually measure your heat rate during a workout. Even adding a heart rate sensor to the back of a phone wouldn't mean this was possible.

You can remotely tap someone on the wrist to get their attention. Standing at a gig, at a party etc this is more useful than pulling out a phone to text someone when they might not hear their phone or feel it buzz.

I'm not an entertainer or salesman so I can't convince you it's amazing, but those are two features which are pretty cool and unique to the watch.

Also, there's no need to treat me like such a ****.

 

[Mattsasa]

there were 300,000 iPads sold on the original iPad launch day.

then the iPad became incredible successful.

 

[yummyhawtsauce]

I think the initial demand will be high, but as Users begin to actually use the apple watch, the demand will be quite low.

Most people are buying it based on initial hype. I went into the apple stores and man, I tell you, there were not that many people. I was even surprised.

I feel like Apple Watch 2nd gen will be more successful once they figure out all the kinks.

Just my 2 cents, just have to wait and see!

 

[mightyjabba]

Obscene? I got a SS link bracelet for a Panerai and it was $2,500.

$150 is certainly in line with the watch market.

It's clear that there's some culture shock involved here, since the average person doesn't buy high-end watches, and probably isn't even aware of them beyond a nebulous idea that Rolexes are expensive. I know I've learned more about watches since the Apple Watch was announced than in my entire life beforehand. I still feel that most of the band prices are a little too high, but I'll think about getting a nicer band if I really like the watch.

----------

Isn't it worse for an expensive watch functioning exactly same like a cheap version....I thought for expensive and exclusive watch lovers must see something it does beyond the cheaper versions? Just making it exorbitant in price and make it unaffordable is the only function it brings?

I'm actually very glad that's the case. I'm not entirely comfortable with Apple releasing products that are so clearly out of reach for a huge portion of the population, but it would be much worse if those super high-end products had functionality that the others didn't, IMHO.

 

[Keirasplace]

I think the initial demand will be high, but as Users begin to actually use the apple watch, the demand will be quite low.

Most people are buying it based on initial hype. I went into the apple stores and man, I tell you, there were not that many people. I was even surprised.

I feel like Apple Watch 2nd gen will be more successful once they figure out all the kinks.

Just my 2 cents, just have to wait and see!

Demand may be lower during the summer (but not low), but you really think demand will be low in the holiday quarter when everyone with a 5 and 5s is upgrading their phone? If even 1/10 of these also buy a watch, Apple would sell 7M in that quarter alone.

 

[mojolicious]

I think the initial demand will be high, but as Users begin to actually use the apple watch, the demand will be quite low.

Yeah, it'll be like a film release. The opening weekend figures may be good, but it's word of mouth that will determine whether it'll be a blockbuster or not.

 

[darkslide29]

I think the initial demand will be high, but as Users begin to actually use the apple watch, the demand will be quite low.

Most people are buying it based on initial hype. I went into the apple stores and man, I tell you, there were not that many people. I was even surprised.

I feel like Apple Watch 2nd gen will be more successful once they figure out all the kinks.

Just my 2 cents, just have to wait and see!

Not directed only to you - I do not understand why people expect the line to be out the door or the store full of people. I went to the Apple Store on Friday, and it was as busy as usual, with a larger concentration of people around the Watch table, so it was as I expected.

But let's not forget that this is not a product launch - you cannot go in to the store and buy a Watch. You cannot even reserve a watch in store. Even if you made an online reservation to try the watch on, they will tell you to order it online on your own device. My Apple Store would not let people try on the watch without a reservation.

At this point we don't even know if they will have watches in stock that can be bought on launch day or reserved for an in store pickup sooner than online. This is a very unique approach they're taking, and shouldn't really be compared to past product launches. There's really no reason to expect so much hype at the store. They seem to be trying to control it, as a past article with quotes from Angela Ahrendts.