Gurman: 'Apple Watch Pro' Extreme Sports Model Could Cost Nearly $1,000

[ascender]

Focus on the mass market, not the minority space. Oh, what's that? Not enough profit?

Presumably they're now focusing on areas of the market they weren't able-to previously due to the limitations of the early generations of the Apple Watch.

I think its a good move depending on the feature set and crucially, the battery life of this new Watch. If they can get a very long battery life, whilst offering everything they do today and the move advanced fitness features of the premium Garmin & Suunto devices, then there's definitely a market there. The Apple Watch as it stands, has come on leaps and bounds in terms of battery life when on GPS, so I've no doubt they are going to have people moving to them from some of the lower end Garmins.

I'm pretty sure the most expensive Garmin watches are up there at the $999 end of things and whilst they're brilliant for the fitness stuff, the rest of the smartwatch things aren't as good as Apple from what I've seen. But there's also a lot of brand loyalty and a real focus on the feature-set with people who buy that sort of watch. So it would be interesting to see what Apple could do to tempt them away. I guess for starters there would need to be a much more advanced set of workout and recovery stats available.

 

[ct2k7]

The watch is great but for far from a "Smart" watch, it is a iphone ultralight edition with some basic hearth monitoring features that are not officially recognised as a medical ECG but is a helpful tool nonetheless in this regard.

I would believe it if it changed your life to have a early diagnostic of some hearthritme issues found through the AW, but otherwise then that, if your life is changed because you can pay with your AW that you also can do with your iphone is a bit of stretch but then again, i dont know how much you live your life.

It is in some practices - though they will always want to do their own to CYA.

 

[dannys1]

Good, they need to start selling high end premium things again.

 

[Mike WA4D]

Apple is going insane. I can see the downfall coming.

Apple’s prices are probably too. Low . The suggested $1000 price point for the Apple Watch “Pro” is reasonable. There are many Apple product users who should move to low end electronics alternatives.

 

[ct2k7]

Presumably they're now focusing on areas of the market they weren't able-to previously due to the limitations of the early generations of the Apple Watch.

I think its a good move depending on the feature set and crucially, the battery life of this new Watch. If they can get a very long battery life, whilst offering everything they do today and the move advanced fitness features of the premium Garmin & Suunto devices, then there's definitely a market there. The Apple Watch as it stands, has come on leaps and bounds in terms of battery life when on GPS, so I've no doubt they are going to have people moving to them from some of the lower end Garmins.

I'm pretty sure the most expensive Garmin watches are up there at the $999 end of things and whilst they're brilliant for the fitness stuff, the rest of the smartwatch things aren't as good as Apple from what I've seen. But there's also a lot of brand loyalty and a real focus on the feature-set with people who buy that sort of watch. So it would be interesting to see what Apple could do to tempt them away. I guess for starters there would need to be a much more advanced set of workout and recovery stats available.

This watch has to be at least having 21 days battery life - which is what the more expensive gamins offer.

 

[dannys1]

if true, it will not help increasing market share ...

And you care about that, why exactly?

 

[Mike WA4D]

Good, they need to start selling high end premium things again.

Your comment is jarring. Many here are resentful of “premium” new devices.

 

[ct2k7]

Your comment is jarring. Many here are resentful of “premium” new devices.

There's also many of us here with these "premium" new devices.

 

[wonderings]

Apple knows how slapping the "pro" tag on something increases sales and their profits. Why would anyone settle for anything less than pro???

I get pro on the computers, though that is still gimmicky as "pro" really is just something you use to make money with. So a MacBook Air could be a "pro" computer just the same as a MacBook Pro. Distinction is more about specs with the computers, you get better specs obviously. Apple loses me with "pro" phones and the idea of a "pro" watch. Pure marketing BS that brings in billions for them.

 

[ProfessionalFan]

Apple is going insane. I can see the downfall coming.

The company looks pretty darn healthy to me financially.

 

[Mike WA4D]

Focus on the mass market, not the minority space. Oh, what's that? Not enough profit?

Apple did not become the most valuable company in the world (or close) by developing for the Mass Market. The Apple “Pro”level devices are for the affluent, professionals and creators. Those who can’t afford these devices have many cheaper alternatives outside of the Apple ecosystem.

 

[sokzzuka]

I been an owner of the iphone since the original 2g version and to this date I have never own nor wanted an apple watch. Never understood the whole idea of it. I much prefer a simple Swiss watch than something I need to worry about charging.

It’s an ok fitness watch.

 

[Mike WA4D]

The company looks pretty darn healthy to me financially.

Many Apple consumers who have a phone or a low end Mac device feel they are entitled to the high end Apple devices with low price points. Thankfully, Life is unfair. There are many non-Apple alternatives in the market place. And there are many part time second jobs out there for the ambitious.

 

[ascender]

This watch has to be at least having 21 days battery life - which is what the more expensive gamins offer.

Presumably that's 21 days between charges and subject to what length of activity you track during that time and under what sort of conditions you're using the GPS?

I've got a Suunto Baro 9 watch I use for hill running and ultra distance events. It will last weeks on a single charge if I don't do much - i.e. just some short runs. But I'm not using it for anything else - limited notifications; no music, podcasts; no Apple Pay etc. The screen is nowhere near as bright or clear as an Apple Watch. It gives me more info about my workouts and recovery time though and I can tailor loads of settings.

But on a long race, I can use its GPS for 24 hours. And if the battery gets low, it will suggest settings to change to extend that - i.e. dim the screen, stop anything else, increase the interval time between GPS points, anything to eke out the batter. You can't do that on an Apple Watch.

I'm sure Apple could release a watch which would last 21 days between charges, but its not going to look or behave like your Apple Watch. So maybe that's what this watch is - but its going to depend on what market they're specifically after. If its just to make a rugged Apple Watch that's a bit more fitness focused, then that's easy. If its one which is truly going to rival the upper end specialist ones, that's going to be a bigger change and I just don't see it at this stage.

So who knows.

 

[blairh]

I use my AW daily to start/stop my cycling training via Strava, and occasionally call a family member when on the bike handsfree.

The watch is great but for far from a "Smart" watch, it is a iphone ultralight edition with some basic hearth monitoring features that are not officially recognised as a medical ECG but is a helpful tool nonetheless in this regard.

I would believe it if it changed your life to have a early diagnostic of some hearthritme issues found through the AW, but otherwise then that, if your life is changed because you can pay with your AW that you also can do with your iphone is a bit of stretch but then again, i dont know how much you live your life.

Paying with the watch is so much more natural then having to get my iPhone out of my pocket.

Yes, not missing a notification and controlling my music and podcasts on my wrist is a life changer.

 

[@Brett]

Many Apple consumers can no longer afford the next generation of top tier products.. They’re in denial over the reported $3000 coming MIxed Reality headset. They declare the reasonable price of $1000 for the Apple Watch “Pro” to be unacceptable. The good news is Apple does not listen to them. The Marxist style angst is amusing. Apple’s top of the line products are for the affluent, developers and content creators. And that is as it should be.

You were fairly on point until you mentioned content creators. I do not create content but find use for high end Apple products for my daily use.

 

[Mike WA4D]

That crack marketing team of Craig Federighi must be onto some good stuff. I want what they're having...

Yes, they know that many of us want higher end, feature rich products. This rankles many who cannot afford these devices. There is this absurd idea that Consumer Technology must be egalitarian. The Mass Market doesn’t matter.

 

[Mike WA4D]

You were fairly on point until you mentioned content creators. I do not create content but find use for high end Apple products for my daily use.

Yes I take your point. There are many other high end user scenarios. My examples were too few.

 

[Anaxarxes]

Garmin tactix® 7 – Pro Edition | Tactical Watch with GPS

tactix 7 – Pro Edition is a tactical watch with a Power Sapphire™ solar charging lens, traditional buttons, touchscreen display, and a built-in LED flashlight.

www.garmin.com

Price of 1k would be competitive.

 

[DMG35]

Apple can charge whatever they want, people will still buy it.

 

[Rogifan]

Better off buying the base AW and a separate Garmin for workouts and outdoor activities

Seems like a pain to have to keep switching between watches. What’s so special about the Garmin?

 

[DMG35]

Garmin tactix® 7 – Pro Edition | Tactical Watch with GPS

tactix 7 – Pro Edition is a tactical watch with a Power Sapphire™ solar charging lens, traditional buttons, touchscreen display, and a built-in LED flashlight.

www.garmin.com

Price of 1k would be competitive.

I doubt anything Apple will offer will have all of the features that beast has. I have to admit, that Garmin watch is cool. My only gripe would probably be the screen and navigating around the menus as historically those Garmin watches haven't been too intuitive in that regard (at least the ones I've tried).

 

[contacos]

Eh in times where sunflower oil increased from 0,79 cent to 4,99 Euro, I fully expect a price hike across the Apple board in the fall

 

[lazyrighteye]

Oof. I was expecting it to be higher than the aluminum but was hoping it wasn’t going to be $1k. Definitely out of my league if so. Hopefully it’s not that high.

 

[Rogifan]

Presumably they're now focusing on areas of the market they weren't able-to previously due to the limitations of the early generations of the Apple Watch.

I think its a good move depending on the feature set and crucially, the battery life of this new Watch. If they can get a very long battery life, whilst offering everything they do today and the move advanced fitness features of the premium Garmin & Suunto devices, then there's definitely a market there. The Apple Watch as it stands, has come on leaps and bounds in terms of battery life when on GPS, so I've no doubt they are going to have people moving to them from some of the lower end Garmins.

I'm pretty sure the most expensive Garmin watches are up there at the $999 end of things and whilst they're brilliant for the fitness stuff, the rest of the smartwatch things aren't as good as Apple from what I've seen. But there's also a lot of brand loyalty and a real focus on the feature-set with people who buy that sort of watch. So it would be interesting to see what Apple could do to tempt them away. I guess for starters there would need to be a much more advanced set of workout and recovery stats available.

So far the only thing different about the more expensive Apple Watches has been the materials used for the casing. If this ’pro’ version has better battery life and software features other Apple Watches don’t have it will be a big shift for the product. I’d be curious to know what specifically about the design of this ‘pro’ version would allow it to have better battery life than other models. So far none of the rumors have said it‘s shape would be any different than current Apple Watches.