POLL: Do You Really Think Apple Watch will be Refreshed Yearly?

[HappyDude20]

im considering getting the watch, but obviously many ppl expect the second gen to come out on a yearly basis.... However I feel a solid argument can be made that apple would release one every two years considering ppl shelling out $10K+ don't wanna feel swindled on a yearly basis.

HOWEVER. With technology moving at a quick pace and surely other tech companies striving to enter the market, it also makes sense that Apple would release a new watch yearly.



Anyhow, here's a poll and let's see what the general consensus is here in macrumors.

 

[0007776]

I think it depends on how well it actually has been selling, and what Apple thinks they can get away with. I'm sure they would love to have people upgrade every year.

My guess is the new one will come out a year to a year and a half later, and if a lot of people upgrade apple will stick with that schedule, and if it's mostly new buyers apple will probably slow down the release schedule so they get a mix of new buyers and people upgrading.

 

[Nermal]

It wouldn't surprise me. $650+ iPhones are updated every year. $900+ Macs are updated every year. I suspect that $350+ watches will be too.

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

However I feel a solid argument can be made that apple would release one every two years considering ppl shelling out $10K+ don't wanna feel swindled on a yearly basis.

That's actually a weak argument. Nothing screams "I have money" more than dropping $10K-17K on something that will quickly become obsolete. That's why the Edition is attractive to its targeted market for the purpose of showing off wealth.

 

[duervo]

It's kinda tough to say. Apple will refresh when the time is right.

This could depend on new bio sensors being available to use in the watch, or something like better sapphire for the displays that don't reflect as much light, or just making it thinner overall (doubtful, though. If anything they will probably use the extra space from shrinking components for more battery capacity.)

If WatchOS 2.0 really is faster with 3rd-Party apps, and better for batteries like some are claiming, then that will increase the longevity of the 1st gen watch, and could potentially be a reason for possibly waiting longer for the 2nd gen to come out.

About the only thing that IS certain, without a doubt, is that there will be a 2nd gen watch.

This is all speculation, of course. But, if you look at all the other product refreshes that have happened ... Their laptops and iMacs usually follow at least a yearly refresh cycle, as well as the iOS devices (well, at least the phones and tablets.) However, if you look at other products like the Apple TV, or the Mac Pro, those refreshes can hardly be considered as yearly on average. They've usually been refreshed "when the time was right", or "when it was ready" in Apple's eyes.

So, yeah ... Tough to say, but if I were a betting person (which I am not) ... 2nd gen: Spring/Summer 2016.

 

[Smurphy Gherkin]

Usually these discussions forget the CPU and graphics performance. Having had the Watch since launch day, it is clearly underpowered - or the software is too bloated, take your pick. The interface is laggy - appalling on 1.0, and very very very bad on 1.01

This thing will be updated yearly... you can bank on that.

The only question is that Watch 1 was very late, and not the time of year they wanted to launch - so they might adjust Watch 2 release to get closer to the original schedule. But after that, it will be yearly for at least 5-10 years.

 

[MrLoL]

It wouldn't surprise me. $650+ iPhones are updated every year. $900+ Macs are updated every year. I suspect that $350+ watches will be too.

Don't forget $15000+ watches. It would be stupid to release a 2nd gen when people has bought gold models (which is made to last)

 

[OllyW]

Don't forget $15000+ watches. It would be stupid to release a 2nd gen when people has bought gold models (which is made to last)

So you have to nobble the evolution of the high selling mass market models to protect a handful of high end customers?

I expect to see an improved second generation released before the 2016 holiday season.

 

[Amplelink]

Apple will do what the market will accept. I wouldn't be surprised if they come out with another one in time for the holiday season next year. Do it this year and there will be some pissed off folks.

 

[mcdj]

It would be stupid to release a 2nd gen when people has bought gold models (which is made to last)

If it has a computer in it, it was not made to last.

 

[H3rman]

I'm saying every 18 months to 2 years.

 

[TouchMint.com]

Don't forget $15000+ watches. It would be stupid to release a 2nd gen when people has bought gold models (which is made to last)

id bet anything they do a tradein / upgrade policy for the costly ones.

 

[Gjwilly]

Sales have already flattened so no update in 2016.
Apple puts their money behind their biggest sellers and the Apple Watch is no iPhone.

 

[dumastudetto]

id bet anything they do a tradein / upgrade policy for the costly ones.

Why?

Those who bought the edition watch will easily be able to afford to buy a new one every year - if they want one. Probably for most in the edition category of customer, the price will be a lot lower relative to wealth than those dropping a few hundred bucks on the sport model every year.

 

[Aluminum213]

it's 1000% getting yearly updates just like any Apple device, why people think the watch won't is simply because they don't want to have to feel they have outdated tech this time next year

 

[NavySEAL6]

18-24 months. I suspect the next Apple watch refresh will bring new materials, bands, and colors. Apple Watch 3 will see the internal upgrade

 

[kmj2318]

It would be stupid for them not to.

In an undeveloped product category, innovations happen very fast, and companies need to quickly iterate to keep up. Companies can get away with not updating every year if the market isn't too competitive, for example: iPods. You guys are looking at this completely backwards.

 

[Gjwilly]

it's 1000% getting yearly updates just like any Apple device, why people think the watch won't is simply because they don't want to have to feel they have outdated tech this time next year

Except that NOT every Apple device gets yearly updates.

 

[Aluminum213]

Except that NOT every Apple device gets yearly updates.

All their top selling products do

 

[Mac2me]

It wouldn't surprise me. $650+ iPhones are updated every year. $900+ Macs are updated every year. I suspect that $350+ watches will be too.

Yeah but phones are more a necessity these days and people's call plans are expiring all the time. Just a different case with the watch. I can see a number of software updates coming down the road to refresh and improve. New band offerings coming out and others being phased out maybe. I don't know if they would offer a plated gold case. Maybe there could be a battery update since it's not glued in (send it in for but that would probably be a nightmare arranging). Is it possible to do a firmware update of some sort? Sure there will eventually be a thinner one down the road and they are probably learning from this one and working on one, but unless there's some new technology available to include I don't think it will happen until then. They haven't even rolled out to all the countries the iPhone is in yet.

 

[Bazooka-joe]

Yeah but phones are more a necessity these days and people's call plans are expiring all the time. Just a different case with the watch. I can see a number of software updates coming down the road to refresh and improve. New band offerings coming out and others being phased out maybe. I don't know if they would offer a plated gold case. Maybe there could be a battery update since it's not glued in (send it in for but that would probably be a nightmare arranging). Is it possible to do a firmware update of some sort? Sure there will eventually be a thinner one down the road and they are probably learning from this one and working on one, but unless there's some new technology available to include I don't think it will happen until then. They haven't even rolled out to all the countries the iPhone is in yet.

iPads are updated annually so I think the watch will. I am sure that Apple know that there are many consumers out there skipping Gen 1 and waiting for Gen 2 so I think that they will release a new watch in Spring 2016

 

[Phil A.]

Sales have already flattened so no update in 2016.
Apple puts their money behind their biggest sellers and the Apple Watch is no iPhone.

No-one knows what the sales figures are apart from Apple, but supplies are still very constrained so I'm not sure I'd trust reports that say sales have flattened!

 

[ditzy]

I think the 2nd gen will be released April 2016. The 3rd gen October 2017.

 

[HappyDude20]

Glad to see the poll is neck in neck. Considering that report just came out stating sales have dropped, I'm super curious to see when apple will indeed introduce the 2nd gen watch.

 

[thelookingglass]

Glad to see the poll is neck in neck. Considering that report just came out stating sales have dropped, I'm super curious to see when apple will indeed introduce the 2nd gen watch.

the thing is, sales dropping for the watch is nowhere near as much of a hot button issue (for apple) as if it were the phone. the watch is just a blip on the radar for apple right now. wearables as a whole are just a blip on the radar. i don't think apple is in any huge rush to put out a second gen hardware product and i didn't see anything in watch os 2 that would require significantly upgraded hardware.