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Apple Watch Sales Estimated at 3.9 Million in Third Quarter

warrior2000 said:
The Fitbit has a crap screen.
The Fitbit does not have strong app support like the Watch.
The Fitbit does not participate in research trials.

I'm sorry but the Apple Watch blows away fitbit in the health/fitness
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http://consumerist.com/2015/09/14/p...o-collect-data-on-drug-trials-other-research/

http://www.armytimes.com/story/mili...performance-sleep-nutrition-fitness/70212286/

Fitbit is also heavily involved with insurance companies. It's also the fitness tracker of choice when companies encourage their employees to get moving (famously, Target and Barclays both gave free Fitbits to their employees).

As an overall device, the Apple Watch is definitely more advanced. If you're looking PURELY for health and fitness, and you don't need a smartwatch, it's stupid to get an Apple Watch. Buy a frigging Fitbit and save the difference.
 
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Much like the iPhone, I was waiting years before the Apple Watch came out. I didn't buy a Pebble or anything else. When it was announced, I decided to wait for the second generation. Then I realized my work has a fitness tracking incentive where I get about enough money to pay for the AW so I did that. At first I really loved it and thought it had a lot of features for a first gen product. Today I'm not as excited about it but still like it. It has just kinda melted into my routine, but I don't get pumped about it like I do other Apple products. It's nice to have and useful at times, but it's also slow and finicky.

Much like the original iPhone, it has a lot of potential going forward. But unlike the original iPhone it doesn't feel magical. Neat, but not magical. I find myself spending far too much time waiting on it to do simple things that I could get done much faster if I just pulled out my iPhone. That being said, being able to quickly glance the weather, my calendar, and my activity makes it useful enough to keep around. But I rarely ever use apps on the thing—maybe the occasional tip calc which loads quickly since it doesn't use data, and Twitter is usually decent at loading if I'm waiting in line for a few minutes at the bank or store. I wish the phone calls sounded better. Not necessarily louder (ok maybe slightly) but sound clearer. I use Siri a lot to set alarms or do conversions when my hands are dirty while cooking. I don't often send responses other than "Ok" or "No", but it is handy to glance if an incoming notification is important. I also wish the taptic engine had a setting to make it a little stronger. I could definitely live without it but it's nice to have. I'll probably keep it around for a few years unless they come out with some crazy new health sensors.
 
and finally Strava updates their app to take advantage of OS2. I'm probably in the minority, but I'm finding I wish my watch did more. i will still wear it and enjoy what it does now, but it has definite shortcomings(software is so buggy and native apps run like they aren't native). I'm glad I didn't spring for the SS version.
 
I loved it the first couple of days because of the novelty then failed to see the point later in the week. I hung on to it for another few days until the point was revealed: the Apple Watch is about the little micro interactions through the day that you glance at and lower your wrist.

It won me over with all the time saved and the pleasure of having something discreetly tap me on the wrist to let me know about something then allowing me to either act on it or forget it. The convenience of having Siri on my wrist all the time, lift my wrist, saying something and putting it away (for a reminder, to play a certain song, to ask for the weather or about my next appointment). I no longer fall into the time suck of checking my phone to read a message and then spending another 10-20 minutes browsing other things on my phone.

However, it does need to evolve and perhaps drop things that don't work. I don't think that apps are the point of the Watch. If they require more than a glance, to keep your wrist raised for more than 10 seconds, it's better done on the phone, not on your watch. To me, it should all just be about glances and complications. Put useful complications on your Watch face and your most used glances under it and let the rest be actionable notifications and Siri controlled actions. Build a Siri API so that you don't have to have a visible app on the watch for Uber but you can tell Siri: "Hey Siri, get me an Uber". When it arrives, you'll receive a notification. Done. Twitter, Instagram, games are a poor use of the strengths of a Watch and in fact encounter many of its weaknesses.

I'm sure Apple will evolve the Watch into something great that'll eventually grow to become a bigger market than the iPhone. It's not there yet but I'm happy enough that I never take mine off.
 
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warrior2000 said:
The Fitbit has a crap screen.
The Fitbit does not have strong app support like the Watch.
The Fitbit does not participate in research trials.

I'm sorry but the Apple Watch blows away fitbit in the health/fitness
Click to expand...

Just to add to my previous post.

It depends what you mean by fitness. My g/f's real world example was that the Apple Watch HR tracking and pace was woefully behind to the point of being useless. During her Fartlek training sessions (out on open road) the AW watch took up to 90 seconds to adjust to something approaching accurate. This is not useable. During her gym/HIT sessions the AW did a poor job of measuring HR and calories burned. The Fitbit Surge that replaced it has a much faster response to changes in HR/Pace and also appears to calculate calories burned in gym/HIT sessions much more accurately.

This isn't a AW moan, as I said earlier I inherited the AW (a device I thought was pointless) but it has quickly become indispensable to me - my fitness is more based on long walks/hiking and the AW is excellent at tracking HR etc in these situations. I write for many hours a day and being able to check messages etc with a quick twist of the wrist is brilliant. I also use the watch to track fluid intakes etc. Worth noting I never use Siri on the phone but use it all the time on the watch too.

In summary, and in my opinion, the AW does not blow the Fitbit Surge away for fitness but it is light years ahead in other ways.

PS - the fitbit can receive texts and control music etc and has built in GPS (g/f hated having to run with phone all the time).
 
MacRumors said:



The latest data from market research firm IDC estimates Apple Watch sales totaled 3.9 million worldwide in the third quarter of 2015, making it the second most popular wearable device behind Fitbit fitness trackers during the three-month period ending September 30.

Fitbit-Apple-Watch.jpg
Fitbit shipped an estimated 4.7 million fitness trackers for 22.2% market share in the third quarter, compared to Apple's estimated 18.6% market share. Apple Watch shipments grew over IDC's second quarter estimate of 3.6 million, but both Apple and Fitbit ceded some market share to Xiaomi and other vendors.

Chinese rival Xiaomi remained in third place with an estimated 3.7 million wearables shipped in the quarter, representing 17.4% market share. Garmin and BBK rounded off the top five with 900,000 (4.1%) and 700,000 (3.1%) wearables shipped respectively, while all other vendors accounted for a combined 7.3 million shipments and 34.6% market share.

IDC-Q3-2015-Wearables.jpg

IDC estimates that wearable shipments totaled 21 million worldwide in the second quarter, growth of 197.6% compared to the 7.1 million units shipped in the year-ago quarter. IDC said the average smartwatch price was around $400, while basic bands and trackers averaged $94. China continues to be the fastest-growing wearables market, especially for lower-priced fitness trackers.

Apple has not disclosed Apple Watch sales numbers since the device launched in April, instead grouping the wrist-worn accessory with iPod, Apple TV and Beats Electronics accessories under an "Other Products" category in quarterly earnings reports. But when asked, Apple CEO Tim Cook and other executives consistently remain upbeat about current sales.

Article Link: Apple Watch Sales Estimated at 3.9 Million in Third Quarter
Click to expand...

HA! TOTAL FAIL APPLE! IT COMES IN AT A MEASLY #2! (after <1 year of being in the business).

Hoping they'll lower the price a bit so I can buy in :)
 
Save these blog comments for conspicuous claim chowder in a couple of years.

The Apple Watch is the fastest selling product ever in Apple's history and it's going to be a huge, huge revenue stream for Apple by gen 3.

But its success will be regarded by that time as "inevitable" by those same suckers, that will be busy bashing, say, the new Apple Car.

Rinse and repeat.
 
Too much money for me. I have trouble letting go of $650 for a new iPhone every year.

If Apple made a cheap version of this with a pedometer, message readout, siri and music controls then I'd be much more receptive to it.

But $350 for a V1? Meh. Maybe V2 or V3 or V4 things will change.

STill I don't really want to babysit another gadget. I was never a watch wearer either. Matter of fact carrying a cellphone was heaven because it meant you didn't need to wear a watch.
 
trip1ex said:
Too much money for me. I have trouble letting go of $650 for a new iPhone every year.

If Apple made a cheap version of this with a pedometer, message readout, siri and music controls then I'd be much more receptive to it.

But $350 for a V1? Meh. Maybe V2 or V3 or V4 things will change.

STill I don't really want to babysit another gadget. I was never a watch wearer either. Matter of fact carrying a cellphone was heaven because it meant you didn't need to wear a watch.
Click to expand...

Your comment was a very YOU specific comment.
You must buy a new phone every year? And you throw the old one in the drawer?
V4, you are making purchasing plans 3 years in the future?
If you don't like watches this isn't your category
 
maxsix said:
It's unfortunate that Apple Watch is a dud in the marketplace, but the good news is Apple can prop it up artificially with their own money to make it appear like its popular.
Click to expand...

There are opinions based upon common sense, intelligence, and rationality and verifiable facts, and then there is this.
 
warrior2000 said:
With 4 million units a quarter that is a run rate of 16 million units a year.
Adjust for holiday season and its 18-20 million units a year.

Watch2 will probably see 40-60% increase in unit sales. That easily gets you to 30-35 million units a year.

That gets you to $15 billion in sales in year 2.
By year 5 Watch sales can easily be $40 billion.
That would make Watch bigger than iPad and Mac.

But go ahead and poo poo the product now in its infant stages. Those who lack vision
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Not going to happen. That scenario is nuts.
 
Sigh, still no one has made a 'smart band' for those of us who wear nice watches already. Maybe I'll plumb for a Fitbit next year, but I am hopeful Google will actually launch a smart band, I can't see Apple making one unfortunately. Microsoft Band 2 looks as cumbersome as the Band 1? The HTC Grip looks interesting.
 
Kevin2055 said:
Look at this, 2/3 of apple watch owner and half of sport watch owner just put them away.

http://www.cnet.com/news/why-some-apple-watch-owners-dont-like-the-device/
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You forgot to add from the article: "The research firm Wristly wanted to know why, so it polled 330 Apple Watch owners who had expressed dissatisfaction with Apple's first wearable."

See the bold parts? 2/3 of 330 people who has expressed dissatisfaction. And those who had expressed dissatisfaction might just be less than 5% of total Apple watch owner.
 
I still think a bundle makes sense with the purchase of a new iPhone for those interested they could offer some amount of discount.
 
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SlipperySlop said:
There are opinions based upon common sense, intelligence, and rationality and verifiable facts, and then there is this.
Click to expand...
Kudos

We may disagree, but the silly little boys that throw tantrums, spew sour words and act so immature... Should thank you for your mature counter-attack.

Respectfully... You can't stop time.

In time the facts I've provided will surface as thruths. AW will be accepted as the mediocre gadget it is. And to save face, Apple will keep it on life support.

True that.
 
warrior2000 said:
With 4 million units a quarter that is a run rate of 16 million units a year.
Adjust for holiday season and its 18-20 million units a year.

Watch2 will probably see 40-60% increase in unit sales. That easily gets you to 30-35 million units a year.

That gets you to $15 billion in sales in year 2.
By year 5 Watch sales can easily be $40 billion.
That would make Watch bigger than iPad and Mac.

But go ahead and poo poo the product now in its infant stages. Those who lack vision
Click to expand...


At least they didn't fool you.
 
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inkswamp said:
Can we get the inevitable "Steve wouldn't have done this" comment out of the way early on? :D

If this is accurate, it's pretty impressive. I have to admit that I had serious doubts about a product like this gaining any kind of traction. Just seems an unnecessary luxury item but clearly I'm not the target market for this.
Click to expand...

The highlight of what you said is... "If this is accurate." They try to get these numbers based on what is being "shipped" which is something they really don't know either. When apple has bragging rights, they put the numbers out there.
Shipped is also not the same as sales.
Some genius could be account for watchband shipments in these numbers.... and then... the numbers could also be even higher than the estimate. They use shipments to 3rd parties, do voodoo, and estimate. No one knows what actual shipments to apple stores are. I'm voting lower.... but it could be higher.
 
IDC places those cheap crap Fibits into the same category as Apple Watch. That's why their data sucks. AW ain't no fitness tracker alone, but got a ton more functions. It has its own app store.
 
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