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Being an industry leader doesn’t stop it from being a niche product. And I don’t mean just price-wise, just because it’s expensive. I live in China where you can buy an activity tracker from Xiaomi for 99RMB ~ $15 and these are still pretty rare in the wild. And for pete’s sake, Apple Watch doesn’t even look nice, doesn’t have an always-on screen and has to be charged at least every other day. Why all this excessive praise and wishful thinking that it’s going to become “the next big thing”? To me it’s basically a glorified iPod nano and is going to stay that way for many years.
 
And yet there is still a lot of growth potential in the Apple Watch. If Apple is able to increase health sensors and truest figure out how to check blood glucose levels, sales could really take off.

I suspect glucose monitoring is coming, that probably will be one of the most major updates it sees whenever that does/if it debuts. I think features like fall detection, EKG and even the wheelchair accessibility features was thinking ‘outside the box’ for Apple for the handicap. The watch is more of a building process, each year seems to add some really pivotal features that show you how the watch is focusing on health for the better.
 
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We bought a $400 Apple Watch for my son and it was a great investment. He has autism and no sense of time. He now uses the timer to study and take breaks. He answers his phone and messages. He has a clue as to what the weather is doing and if he needs a coat. All without prompts or nagging. He is 23 and has had the watch for only 2.5 months. Amazing technology. I see it as becoming very important for aging and disabled populations - especially if they can get a better lte inside it and it doesn’t require a cell phone.
 
i think your scepticism of the data is correct. i share it.

but, that was not my point.

you see, 51% may appear to you not so good, given that they claim market share in terms of units has fallen.
but to me, no matter if the true market share is 51% or 60% or 70%, you can use the article's data to actually show that it is a "wow" moment:
apple has successfully done exactly what it did with iPhone in the period of 2010-2015, which was to sell a decreasing share of devices, and still take in way more sales dollar volume, and profitability, leaving all competitors to fight over a meager sliver of profit.

this is the point.
i see tremendous investor news value in this.

Oh I agree...it's great news...and I understood your point...I was just calling out the article not really your post but your post had basically the data point...just imagine when they bring more features & work with the health industry to say develop an OS that the providers can have in their offices that links to the health data in our apps/watches/phones.
 
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Still enjoying my first generation (‘series 0’) Apple Watch here - used since delivery on launch day.

It’s really quite slow now with the latest watchOS available for it (4.3.2) but it wasn’t so bad back with the first few versions of watchOS. However, battery life still admirably good for its age, and Apple Pay on your wrist is marvellous.

I was hoping to upgrade to a series 4, but now may have to wait until series 5.

It’s been an interesting journey seeing how Apple have readjusted their focus for the Watch, and they do seem to be on a great trajectory with health & fitness features. I hope they work on filling out other uses, too - to expand the capabilities of this little companion computer.

I still have my S0 and use it daily since Nov 2015 (first one from July died and Apple gave me a new one). Haven't really used it for anything else other than notifications, fitness tracking and now that it's available, control Spotify.

I'm always with my iPhone, so GPS and cellular don't do anything for me.

Really I do very little with it other than telling time. Sometimes it dies, I won't charge it for 2+ days and it makes no difference to me, since it will still tell the time. Maybe I'll switch to a S5 when it comes out.
 
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We bought a $400 Apple Watch for my son and it was a great investment. He has autism and no sense of time. He now uses the timer to study and take breaks. He answers his phone and messages. He has a clue as to what the weather is doing and if he needs a coat. All without prompts or nagging. He is 23 and has had the watch for only 2.5 months. Amazing technology. I see it as becoming very important for aging and disabled populations - especially if they can get a better lte inside it and it doesn’t require a cell phone.

That's a great story! Thanx for posting!
 
That's going to change with the Galaxy Watch Active which not only looks nicer (doesn't look like a geeky 1980s Timex calculator watch) but also with longer battery life at up to 7 days and half the price at $200.

SM-R500_001_Front_Silver_RGB.jpg
 
We bought a $400 Apple Watch for my son and it was a great investment. He has autism and no sense of time. He now uses the timer to study and take breaks. He answers his phone and messages. He has a clue as to what the weather is doing and if he needs a coat. All without prompts or nagging. He is 23 and has had the watch for only 2.5 months. Amazing technology. I see it as becoming very important for aging and disabled populations - especially if they can get a better lte inside it and it doesn’t require a cell phone.
Good to hear a positive story! :)
 
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Apple Watch 4 was the best product by far that Apple released in 2018. This is one area where I really don’t see anyone competing with Apple as long as they keep taking it seriously. The hardware + software optimization is key in such a small device that needs to be very fast and energy efficient at the same time.
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That's going to change with the Galaxy Watch Active which not only looks nicer (doesn't look like a geeky 1980s Timex calculator watch) but also with longer battery life at up to 7 days and half the price at $200.

SM-R500_001_Front_Silver_RGB.jpg

I’d take AW 2 over that or any other smart watch on the market. Plus, I highly doubt the battery life claims, because they always promised 3 day battery life before while most people couldn’t even get through 1.
 
That's going to change with the Galaxy Watch Active which not only looks nicer (doesn't look like a geeky 1980s Timex calculator watch) but also with longer battery life at up to 7 days and half the price at $200.

SM-R500_001_Front_Silver_RGB.jpg
The active doesn’t have an lte option. Man Samsung’s lineup for watches is a hot mess of different watch styles having different basic capabilities.
 
Always nice to see reality enter the MacRumours forums - total success from Apple in this product line and it’s a shame all the competition is still so awful (and awful sales)

I would not call the competition awful! A lot of people don’t need all the Apple Watch features so they buy Garmin or FitBit for example, I see loads and loads of FitBits in fact. It entirely depends on what you want and need.
However, if you are talking exclusively about Smart Watches, then Apple has by far the best device. By far.

Hmm I really want that series 4, I feel Black Friday deal hunting may be in order this year..
 
I’d take AW 2 over that or any other smart watch on the market.

Few, mainly brand loyalists, like the retro calculator Apple Watch look while most prefer a more modern elegant look like the Galaxy Watch Active. The fact that this paid research report to influence buyers was timely released means Apple knows the Apple Watch is in trouble.

Apple Watch
a709935eb98880c4efa35b4a4c76c28d.jpg
 
Few, mainly brand loyalists, like the retro calculator Apple Watch look while most prefer a more modern elegant look like the Galaxy Watch Active. The fact that this paid research report to influence buyers was timely released means Apple knows the Apple Watch is in trouble.

Apple Watch
a709935eb98880c4efa35b4a4c76c28d.jpg
In 1995 I had a microsoft watch that downloaded contacts and calendar from your computer by holding it up to a crt while it flashed barcodes to the watch.
 
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I Actually know of people that the Apple Watch saved their life, and you’re telling others in this thread that health features are a ‘Gimmick’? [There are documented stories on the health features the Apple Watch has saved lives.] It’s hard to take your post any thing as credible.

I wouldn't bother with trolls if I was you.
 
The watch certainly helped us last week when my wife found that she suddenly had a 182 resting heart rate. She was even able to borrow my Watch 4 to find that her ECGs were all over the place until she settled out, and started some treatment.
 
People seem to be confused by what market share actually is.

Market share is simply a report card at the end of the quarter. Someone adds up all the shipments of smartwatches and then figures out how many came from each manufacturer in that quarter.

Case in point:

Q4 2017 Apple shipped 7.8 million units while the entire market was 11.6 million units. That gave Apple 67% of the market in that quarter.

A year later in Q4 2018... Apple shipped 9.2 million units... but the entire market grew to 18.2 million units. Thus Apple had 51% of the market in that quarter.

So... Apple actually sold more units YoY... but the market itself had grown... thus making Apple's percentage lower in that quarter.

People freak out saying "ZOMG Apple is losing market share" and that's true if you just look at the percentage. But like I said... market share is based on the size of the market at a given time. It's fluid. And it includes all companies.

If you want to look at the performance of a particular company... look at how many units they ship.

Apple shipped more units last quarter than the next three companies combined. I think they're doing OK. :p
 
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Too bad they treat us Europeans as second-rate buyers. No ECG, no LTE. But we do get to pay the same prices.
 
You have to give them credit for entering the wearables market, which was largely viewed as a niche back in 2015 and making is so much more mainstream. Yeah, Fitbit existed back then, but their stuff was destined for the junk drawer anywhere from 2 weeks to a month after purchased.

The Series 4 Watch is far and away the best wearable on the market today. Even the Series 3 is a fantastic option too for someone that may be hesitant to go all in on the price of a Series 4. It’s very snappy, and you can easily find them on sale for great prices.
 
Good job Apple! The Apple Watch is well done and should be a model to others.

So munch negative comments for Tim (well deserved as he is a fool) but will give him credit where credit is due.

Only problem is that most of the world doesn’t use iOS or iMessages. Just in Asian, no one uses it. Line, wechat dominate, so utility of the Apple Watch is reduced (Walkie talkie) as most of the world has andriod (Apple fan boys please look up world stats before denying it)

Line, wechat dominate:
Line, wechat can make apps for Apple Watch, I am sure both of these apps are available on iPhone.
 
That's going to change with the Galaxy Watch Active which not only looks nicer (doesn't look like a geeky 1980s Timex calculator watch) but also with longer battery life at up to 7 days and half the price at $200.

SM-R500_001_Front_Silver_RGB.jpg

How so? I don’t see many iPhone users switching from an Apple Watch (which offers better integration) to a galaxy smartwatch. Plus, Apple has aggregated the best customers, meaning there likely won’t be that many buyers on the android fence clamouring to buy one either.

What sort of competition is it supposed to represent again?
 
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I love my Apple Watch, I've loved every version. Its amazing how much I miss it when I am without it.
 
I love mine too much, I upgraded from S3 ( did’nt need to) but doubt very much i’d be jumping on the S5 wagon...who knows :D
 
Few, mainly brand loyalists, like the retro calculator Apple Watch look while most prefer a more modern elegant look like the Galaxy Watch Active. The fact that this paid research report to influence buyers was timely released means Apple knows the Apple Watch is in trouble.

Apple Watch
a709935eb98880c4efa35b4a4c76c28d.jpg

So, is the ‘few’ and ‘most’ just your opinion? Or do you have facts to prove it? Sorry but your really wrong with this one. As the Apple Watch sales show.

If anything the nearest competitor on peoples wrists are Garmin and FitBit bands.
 
That's going to change with the Galaxy Watch Active which not only looks nicer (doesn't look like a geeky 1980s Timex calculator watch) but also with longer battery life at up to 7 days and half the price at $200.

How about being specific. What, exactly are you claiming? That in the quarter after the Galaxy Watch Active, it will exceed the sales of the Apple Watch? That Samsung will exceed the sales of Apple Watches? Something else?

I would like a quantifiable metric, so we can see if you are actually correct in a way that is simple to judge.
 
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