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Buying watch without a strap

HiVolt

HiVolt

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Sep 29, 2008
1,890
6,557
Toronto, Canada
I thought about getting a S7 watch, to upgrade from my S5. I started going thru the configurator, and I realized, why am I forced to buy a strap? I already have several from previous watches, some 3rd party some Apple.

They have been packaging the straps separately from the watch package for a few years now.

I think it would be nice if you could buy a watch without a strap, saving a few bucks.

What do you folks think?
 
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That would be great and I have been wishing that for years. But I suspect Apple makes a tidy profit by forcing a strap with each purchase, like new car dealers make money on the accessories. It can’t cost Apple much to make a nylon sport loop but they can value it at $49 so they force us to buy it 🙄
 
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I wish they would listen to you. Apple wants to be 100% carbon-neutral - selling the watch by itself would do wonders for the earth. Why won't they?
 
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SusieS said:
That would be great and I have been wishing that for years. But I suspect Apple makes a tidy profit by forcing a strap with each purchase, like new car dealers make money on the accessories. It can’t cost Apple much to make a nylon sport loop but they can value it at $49 so they force us to buy it 🙄
Click to expand...

Well, if that's the reason, then they're sure not consistent. For example, why not force iPhone buyers to choose a case?
 
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I doubt Apple will ever sell the watch without a strap. I don't know of any watchmaker that does that. Even if it seems like it would make sense.
 
usagora said:
Well, if that's the reason, then they're sure not consistent. For example, why not force iPhone buyers to choose a case?
Click to expand...
well, you cannot use a watch without a band, but you can use an iPhone without a case ... Apple does not want you to send in your band for a trade-in, and, if you get a replacement, you do get the bare case, no band.

But, I'm in the same boat, I would love it if I could just buy the case by itself, I have plenty bands and actually do not use any band that came with either of the 3 watches I've owned ...
 
jz0309 said:
well, you cannot use a watch without a band, but you can use an iPhone without a case ...
Click to expand...

I know, but they could still do it. Or instead force people to buy a MagSafe charger (gotta have a charger, right?).

jz0309 said:
Apple does not want you to send in your band for a trade-in, and, if you get a replacement, you do get the bare case, no band.
Click to expand...

Yep - I had to get my AW4 replaced last year.
 
Yeah, been waiting on that For years now. I don’t need another band nor do I need another charger. If Apple was serious about reducing waste/improving carbon foot print they would offer such an option. Plus it would added benefit of improving and simplifying availability.
 
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I agree, I think it would be nice as it also could simplify packaging and the shopping process. Pick a case, and optionally pick a strap.

Of course, I always find it a nice way to get a new strap, and I imagine there's some nice margins built in by essentially selling a strap with each purchase too that they won't want to let go.
 
I love this idea and have thought about it way too much. I have a few bands that I love to use and swap. I don't really need a new one. I would love to just buy the case and save $50. I don't even need the charger anymore. I know they stopped including the charging bricks, but to be honest, I don't need anymore cords either. If they truly cared about the environment, they would provide just the phone or case for the watch to be sold alone.
 
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gomichaelgo said:
I love this idea and have thought about it way too much. I have a few bands that I love to use and swap. I don't really need a new one. I would love to just buy the case and save $50. I don't even need the charger anymore. I know they stopped including the charging bricks, but to be honest, I don't need anymore cords either. If they truly cared about the environment, they would provide just the phone or case for the watch to be sold alone.
Click to expand...

I think you nailed the problem. The strap may have a price of $70, and so you might expect a &70-$50 discount, but the cost is likely to be less than $3, so effectively it becomes a huge margin drain.
 
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redman042 said:
I doubt Apple will ever sell the watch without a strap. I don't know of any watchmaker that does that. Even if it seems like it would make sense.
Click to expand...
It could be an optional selection at time of order. By default comes with a strap, but if you don't need it, you could de-select it and save money.
 
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I can see it now.... "I bought my first Apple Watch without a band because I have bands from all my old, mechanical watches. Bad Apple for making non-standard watch bands!!!"
 
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If Apple does this, the watch will cost the same and it will be the end of getting a “free” band. Remember when iPhones came with a charger, cable, and EarPods?

Apple would use the same excuse. They’d stop including the wrist band to offset increased cost.

Fortunately, I don’t think this will happen.
 
HiVolt said:
I thought about getting a S7 watch, to upgrade from my S5. I started going thru the configurator, and I realized, why am I forced to buy a strap? I already have several from previous watches, some 3rd party some Apple.

They have been packaging the straps separately from the watch package for a few years now.

I think it would be nice if you could buy a watch without a strap, saving a few bucks.

What do you folks think?
Click to expand...
That would take…courage
 
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KPOM said:
They have successfully sold iPhones without chargers for a few years now, ostensibly for environmental reasons.
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Not everywhere. They have been sued for not providing a charger in some places. Too many people in the U.S. (and elsewhere) are sue happy and would waste no time in suing Apple for no band, even if Apple stated no band 100 times before checkout.
 
Apple_Robert said:
Not everywhere. They have been sued for not providing a charger in some places. Too many people in the U.S. (and elsewhere) are sue happy and would waste no time in suing Apple for no band, even if Apple stated no band 100 times before checkout.
Click to expand...
Which is why I suggested that the default configuration *would* include a strap, but there would be an option to de-select it. But it likely will never happen. Apple does not want to give us ways to save money.
 
HiVolt said:
Which is why I suggested that the default configuration *would* include a strap, but there would be an option to de-select it. But it likely will never happen. Apple does not want to give us ways to save money.
Click to expand...
No band means more watches per pallet and more savings for Apple, the consumer, and the environment. I would be fine with no band. Maybe Apple will come up with some legalese that they think will protect them from the sue-happy.
 
I am not opposed to this idea.

The amount of (wasteful) packaging that comes with each Apple Watch is shocking. One very long box and tons of tons of paperwork and pamphlets. Not to mention the packaging for each separate Apple Watch strap. I know Apple is all about packaging and that experience, but if there was a way I could just collect the strap directly from the apple store in a plastic ziplock bag, I would.

Conversely, my replacement Apple Watch came in a fairly small, square box that looks something like a jewellery box, and I think this is so much more compact and environmentally conscious.

Definitely a lot of room for improvement in this area.
 
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