I still use the iPad 1, but a watch is something you'd want to wear more than three years. For the price of the Edition, I'd rather get an Omega and that's something I can even give to my son when he's 18.
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Planned Obsolescence????
- Thread starter chasescott66
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I still use the iPad 1, but a watch is something you'd want to wear more than three years. For the price of the Edition, I'd rather get an Omega and that's something I can even give to my son when he's 18.
I don't think you can say it is "just" a watch - then it is pretty bad value for money and inconvenient (you need to charge it everyday).
Well clearly it's not "just" a watch, but those assuming it will be worth nothing in 3 years are ignoring the fact that it is still a very nice watch.
I also think the obsolescence of the Apple Watch is being exaggerated. It is a mirroring device that is firmware upgradable. They may add a camera and such but otherwise as long as the LCD and battery are still operable, it will continue to be perfectly usable for many years.
Everyone loves to complain about the fast upgrade cycle of Apple products. But here I am on a Late 2008 MacBook running Yosemite along with apps like Photoshop CC without any problem. People need to remember, you don't NEED to upgrade every time a new version is released. You may WANT to, but Apple's products last longer than any other electronics manufacturer's offerings that I've ever had.
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Cheaper upgrade thought
One plan I considered is to keep your band while upgrading the watch itself. For example buy a SS 42 link for 999 this year and buy the SS 42 sport for 599. Assuming they keep the band connector standard for several years. Similar to buying a new camera body without bundled lenses.
One plan I considered is to keep your band while upgrading the watch itself. For example buy a SS 42 link for 999 this year and buy the SS 42 sport for 599. Assuming they keep the band connector standard for several years. Similar to buying a new camera body without bundled lenses.
Only problem is Edition costs like a mid-tier Rolex and requires daily plug-in to electrical source (if the battery even lasts...) just to tell time (18 hours usage when it's new, probably close to half when all else are "obsolete" and it's only good for "tell time")
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battery is the biggest thorn in the whole "obsolescence issue".
next is the lack of same level of "water resistance" compared to all other high end watch in the similar price range.
Do you speculate that when 2nd or 3rd generation watch came out with a battery tech that lasts 180 hours, Apple would "upgrade" the battery tech in your 1st generation Apple Watch to the battery that makes more sense for a watch? Probably not.
Probably not. What's your point?
I'm not arguing that you won't want to upgrade, that Apple will add extra features and better performance. I'm not even trying to say that it will hold it's value like a Rolex. All I'm saying is that it won't become obsolete on anything like the timescale of an iPhone.
It will still be a nice watch long after Apple have stopped supporting it with software upgrades.
Do you always have to have the latest and greatest?
Just because Apple releases a new watch doesn't make the first generation watches a bunch of paperweights. It will still do everything that it did when you first bought it.
Well I guess that is to be seen. The people who buy watches at that sort of price probably aren't that bothered about how long it lasts. Or maybe they don't even care what the thing does as long as they are seen to have one.
I suspect that Apple doesn't really expect to sell too many of these. The main point of it is to help position the Watch brand as a luxury watch rather than a consumer electronics item.
I really don't see someone who can afford a $10k Apple Watch still using it only for the watch feature and bother charging it everyday if the software is outdated and not working with their latest generation iPhone.
They will either buy a new one or if they only want time and a nice object to wear on their wrist, for the same money they will be able to get something that is more unique/luxurious and doesn't require daily charging.
I think Apple will be selling the Edition version decently, but it will be a disposable luxury item - as opposed to more regular watches which are designed to last. The customer base will therefore be different (either super rich who want an Apple Watch more than just a watch and for whom that money is not a large spending or wealthy enough people who want to show off their wealth and are sensitive to the Apple brand, but I don't think people who are currently buying expensive watches because they are passionate about them will be interested). I suspect Asia and especially China is where Apple is planning on selling these, plenty of buyers in my first and especially my second category over there
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Exactly.
And to add, a device is NOT obsolete when the next generation debuts.
The iPhone 4S, which launched in October 2011 is still fully supported today by the most current iOS. Even the iPhone 4 (2010) can still run iOS 7, which will meet requirements for the vast majority of apps in the App Store.
Will the Apple Watch be "obsolete" when the second generation debuts, likely next year? Of course not. Will it be "obsolete" in three years when we're likely seeing the third or fourth generation? Again, of course not.
This mindset of year, two year, three year old devices being "obsolete" simply because they don't have every feature of the newest model is absolutely shooting mankind in the foot. It's become a vicious cycle of waste, both environmentally & financially, in an effort to keep up with the Joneses. It used to be the hardcore Mac / tech geeks that planned on upgrading their devices every year or two, partly because of fandom but mostly because of a need for the best processing power. Now, thanks to wholly ignorant statements like "this will be obsolete when the next model comes out", we're seeing this ideology across almost all users. Mom and pop are buying new devices every year or two, college kids are trying to get new smartphones every year or two, etc.
Sigh.
<steps off soap box>
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Disclaimer... I typically upgrade my personal iPhone every other year (often skip the S releases) and my personal Macs every 4-5 years. At work (Mac Admin / Apple IT professional) this cycle is much shorter, however a large part of my job is evaluating new hardware/software for use as it becomes available. I advocate the same as I preached above for my end users though, sticking to a minimum of bi-yearly iOS device replacements (though I encourage longer) and 3-4 years for Macs. At work I listen to music in my office via a 3rd gen iPod (the touch/click wheel model) on an Apple Hifi, and use an old Apple Pro keyboard (clear w/ black keys) to type on one of our Mac servers, etc. It's up to YOU to decide when a device is obsolete, not your friends, not the media.
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Fair enough. The only thing is people who buy expensive watches also see those as investments (not just show off) and those watches will be passed down for generations.
Can Apple Watch achieve the same, as heirloom, having a battery and silicon components inside the body?
Probably not, but as I said, I think the point of the gold one is marketing not sales.
You seem to be one of the only intelligent ones on here lately.
You are correct. People need to realize that Apple adds features to sell to more people that haven't considered their devices before. I know some people on 2008 MBs that still function for their needs.
I have a 2011 3D Panasonic Plasma, for example, that still has a beautiful picture. And not many TVs today even come close to it. Sure I'm missing the 4k and OLEDs for today....but that $5000 I pay for a new TV will degrade a LOT faster in it's 1st year than my current TV will today.
Half as thick because traditional watches get thinner over time? And thickness is a concern with watches?
Bingo. I can't help but wonder if these same people are upgrading their televisions and other big electronics at the same speed. Because, you know, Sony will release a dozen new TVs this year, surely that means the models from last year are now "obsolete".
Imagine a iPhone 3 in solid 18k gold. It's be a sucky jewellery today and an obsolete phone. Electronics items will never be jewellery long term.
Nobody considers an iPhone jewellery, it's a cutting edge computer.
The watch won't last long term as an electronic device of course, but the TV analogy is better. Better ones come along, but it's still a perfectly good TV for the medium term i.e. 10+ years, not 2-3.
And anyway, this is a disruptive technology, the market for non smart watches is about to shrink dramatically.
But it's more jewellery than most electronic devices. Therefore the comparisons are wrong, it will last longer and not be obsolete in 2-3 years.
You are asking for a company that never updates its products.
You think that's a good idea?