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Does Anyone Else Find it Hard to Justify $150+ for a Band?

Love Apple, but almost everything they make is overpriced. But I guarantee that the next model will be backwards compatible with previous bands. It'll be easier to get people to upgrade. I can hear Tim now, "And Apple Watch 2 works with all of your bands!"

Seriously, I'd be shocked if they don't stick with the same band socket size for a few generations.
 
The bands are fancy and probably worth the price. I just feel the bands are classier than the watch itself. The SS watch is $500. Spending $450 for a band seems silly. Spending $450 on a band for a $3k watch would be appropriate.
 
Honestly, I think prices are going to drop drastically in a year or two. The Sport model would be perfect at $200-$249. And IMHO that's the best price for the general public. The average iPhone user (if you're reading this you aren't average) would be more likely to buy it at that figure.

I can't wait to get mine, but the normal people I talk to don't seem interested in the Apple Watch. 120% anecdotal -- yes -- but I've heard the same from other people online. The diehards will keep it from flopping, but Apple needs a cheaper one if they want the Average Joe/Jane to grab one.
 
Robert M. said:
Honestly, I think prices are going to drop drastically in a year or two. The Sport model would be perfect at $200-$249. And IMHO that's the best price for the general public. The average iPhone user (if you're reading this you aren't average) would be more likely to buy it at that figure.

I can't wait to get mine, but the normal people I talk to don't seem interested in the Apple Watch. 120% anecdotal -- yes -- but I've heard the same from other people online. The diehards will keep it from flopping, but Apple needs a cheaper one if they want the Average Joe/Jane to grab one.
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I think that the second they become available and people start seeing their coworkers, friends, and family members with them, they will want them. While I do think the price is a deterrent, I don't think that it's the thing keeping people from being interested in the product. I think people just assume that since it does something that another device they own already does, they don't need or want it when really they just don't understand exactly what it does.
 
Apples bands are a bargain compared to the watch bands from many traditional manufacturers. Price a Panerai leather band. Or try to buy a link band from Hublot. Tag-Heuer Link bracelets will set you back well over a grand. A Breitling 7-link bracelet is in the range of $1300 (a personal favorite)

I've been a "watch guy" forever. I own about 2 dozen different brands. I think Apple did a splendid job with their selections. The fluoropolymer rubber straps are among the best I've seen (for comparison, just check out the IWC rubber straps, or the Hubulot Big Bang at twice the cost of Apple; the Apple band is superior to both. The Milanese loop is wonderfully woven.

The classic leather is one of my 2 favorites. Just the right thickness, and the correct suppleness (not to soft; not to stiff). My one complaint is the "modern" buckles are finicky. Hard to align and snap together with one hand. I bought a replacement leather band for a Seiko Spring Drive a few years back. $400, and about equal to the Apple leather band, though the Apple classic buckle is nicer.

Finally, the link bracelets. This is bread-and-butter modern watch design. I think Apple's effort is mostly a success. The butterfly deployment looks good, and is well designed. It sits flush with the back of the links, a very nice touch you don't find on many butterfly designs. I was able to get it on and off with one hand easily. My one concern is the links themselves have pretty thin edges. They overlap, to give a continuous visual look, but those thin edges will be prone to knicks and bending. Apple's price for the link bracelet is actually pretty good; other high-end link bracelets can cost 2x to 5x more than what Apple is charging.

All that said, my wife and I ordered 2: 38mm SS w/classic leather buckle, and 42mm Space Black Link SS
 
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I find them to be pretty overpriced. These aren't hand made. They're mass produced by a machine and probably costs Apple pennies on the dollar to make. I won't buy one of these just like I won't spend $40 on a rubber iPhone case that costs Apple $0.20 to make. I own plenty of watches that the entire things cost me less than $100 that are very comfortable. I'll pay the premium for their technology but I won't pay the premium for their accessories to fill a void that other companies are capable of filling.
 
I saved a bit of $$$ by going with the space grey Sport (also the shiny SS wouldn't suit me all the time, even though it much more beautiful).

After trying it on in person, I immediately ordered a bright blue leather loop for – get this – $200 CAD. The difference between CAD and USD is crazy right now, and it's not like they're paying us more over here!

Did I justify it? Sort of. I was originally going to go with a SS watch with a sport band so ... there's that.
 
Yea...It indeed is hard to justify,,,
But
what choices do you have?...ordered milanese loop after the one week of the struggle...
Sigh...
 
Robert M. said:
Love Apple, but almost everything they make is overpriced. But I guarantee that the next model will be backwards compatible with previous bands. It'll be easier to get people to upgrade. I can hear Tim now, "And Apple Watch 2 works with all of your bands!"

Seriously, I'd be shocked if they don't stick with the same band socket size for a few generations.
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Maybe, and that's a huge maybe the second watch will be compatible with the bands of the first. But I do believe that once they redesign the watch itself at some point. That the bands will not work on the new version. Mainly cause I believe their money will be made on the bands each year.

So it would only be logical that each year they would make us buy new bands with each version of the watch. Of course it also remains to be seen how often they will refresh its' watch line.
 
Sodner said:
NOTHING Apple sales is cheap. Remember when folks thought the plastic 5c was gonna be inexpensive? It wasn't.
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That's weird because the only reason my age 60+ parents agreed to get smartphones was that they each got their iPhone 5c for free.
 
The leather ones are made in, or at least from Italy, I think... :confused:

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danielceleste said:
I saved a bit of $$$ by going with the space grey Sport (also the shiny SS wouldn't suit me all the time, even though it much more beautiful).

After trying it on in person, I immediately ordered a bright blue leather loop for – get this – $200 CAD. The difference between CAD and USD is crazy right now, and it's not like they're paying us more over here!

Did I justify it? Sort of. I was originally going to go with a SS watch with a sport band so ... there's that.
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Same here, SS and no bands, or SG with extra bands :D
 
SixtyK said:
That's weird because the only reason my age 60+ parents agreed to get smartphones was that they each got their iPhone 5c for free.
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Free with a 2 year contract. by the end of the 2 year contract they would have paid $2500 to the carrier for services.
 
A hundred times yes. Not only is it disproportionately expensive considering the price of the watch, but on its own I simply can't (currently) get anywhere near to justifying £130 for a leather watch strap. I get good quality stitched leather straps for my current Tissot watch for around £40 - Apple are really taking the piss - no matter who believes the PR I simply don't believe that Apple's manufacturing process genuinely makes this strap worth that much - it is just Apple tax taken to a whole new level. Add to that that the leather loop is getting mixed reviews of its quality and feel, and has a very machined look giving it a bit of a mass-produced appearance, as much as I'd like to have it, I can't justify it.

Hopefully there will be some good quality 3rd party straps on the way.
 
chillg8r said:
IMO, a cheap version of that band would cost $50-$75 but this band is top of the line quality. Akin to what you would find on a top of the line watch. If you bought a $500+ watch with a band like this and needed to replace it it would cost as much or more than what Apple is charging.

Premium watches are expensive and this watch is made as well as $500-$1,000 swiss watches.

This is a different industry than what we are used to from Apple and we have to **** our perspective a bit. It doesn't mean that you "should" do or buy anything, I just mean that the playing field for watches is different than the playing field for phones or even computers. Apple is not trying to compete with Pebble, they are trying to compete with expensive watches. JMO.
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For the price range you mentioned, the Apple leather bands are over priced compared to Swiss watches. if you bought a $500 watch, a replacement band does not cost you more than apple is charging. I can get a replacement leather band for a $10k panerai for less than Apple is charging.

Apple made a smartwatch to compete with android , pebble etc, and it's priced as per other apple items.

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Robert M. said:
Love Apple, but almost everything they make is overpriced. But I guarantee that the next model will be backwards compatible with previous bands. It'll be easier to get people to upgrade. I can hear Tim now, "And Apple Watch 2 works with all of your bands!"

Seriously, I'd be shocked if they don't stick with the same band socket size for a few generations.
Click to expand...

Apple makes good money from accessories. Yeah the bands are expansive, thoguh they will sell.

I hope they stick with the same system, thoguh knowing apple , they will change it to keep the sales ticking over.

The aftermarket options will be much better thoguh, you will get leather straps that are actually hand made and look fantastic, and those will be cheaper than Apple. I would not worry , apple will only be one choice.

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SixtyK said:
That's weird because the only reason my age 60+ parents agreed to get smartphones was that they each got their iPhone 5c for free.
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Did you buy them outright for them ? Cause when you signup to a 12\24 month phone contract, that is not free......
 
The issue is when will third party manufactures allowed to sell to the public? Everything I see from legit ppl says patent approval ending. Even kickstarters like click say patent pending approval from Apple. So unless Apple allows these ppl to start pretty soon. Apple and their expensive options maybe all we have in the meantime.
 
kwjohns said:
I find them to be pretty overpriced. These aren't hand made. They're mass produced by a machine and probably costs Apple pennies on the dollar to make. I won't buy one of these just like I won't spend $40 on a rubber iPhone case that costs Apple $0.20 to make. I own plenty of watches that the entire things cost me less than $100 that are very comfortable. I'll pay the premium for their technology but I won't pay the premium for their accessories to fill a void that other companies are capable of filling.
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This!

I was desperate to get a case straight away on my new 6+ and ended up getting apple's leather case. I completely regret it as it is way more expensive than it should be and there were way more cheaper and better options from third parties available almost instantly. I won't be making the same mistake this time and will stick with my sports band until a cheaper third part leather band comes out that is just as good for a third of the price.
 
frumpy16 said:
Yes all of the band prices are ludicrous. $50 for a rubber band is borderline insulting and it only gets worse from there. But I'm a proud Click backer ;)
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To be fair even the "Rubber Bands" are made to the best quality. I was very surprised at how comfortable they are to wear! But I also see what you are saying with the Click device.
 
the 'cost per wear' philosophy does go some way to justify it - if you wear it on your wrist every day for a year or more, then the cost could be justified.

Of course, once a spend becomes under a certain fraction of someone's disposable income, then 'want' is justification enough. It seems there are some very wealthy people on this forum!
 
Why would anyone find it hard? Have you seen how much bands cost for brands such as omega and Rolex? This is nothing, this is like buying a pint in comparison.
 
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