Some how I don't think Apple would do the exact same thing. I think this is more on getting the talent on board who can do what Apple is looking to do. Not so much with the coping.
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Swiss Watchmakers Rebuff Apple's Partnership and Hiring Advances
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Some how I don't think Apple would do the exact same thing. I think this is more on getting the talent on board who can do what Apple is looking to do. Not so much with the coping.
I work in a loud machine shop and I cannot hear my phone ring or even feel it vibrate in my pock sometimes... but my Pebble watch vibrates on my wrist for every notification and I notice it! I can't live without it now!
Haha. Well, this is pretty much the Swiss attitude to anything. They're inherently suspicious of outsiders and don't want much to do with anyone from outside their borders.
Shows what you know. You really think Swatch only makes one type of watch? Swatch owns a myriad of other brands...
I guess this "swatch" I'm wearing is the typical kind you were thinking of...
I'm not sure anyone can ring the death knell for mechanical watches.
WARNING BAD CAR ANALOGY AHEAD:
It's like saying that bicycles would die with the invention of the automobile.
There will always be people that prefer a no "nonsense" watch that doesn't require constant charging. Or one that simply just tells the time.
Not EVERYONE wants hi-tech.
WARNING BAD CAR ANALOGY AHEAD:
It's like saying that bicycles would die with the invention of the automobile.
There will always be people that prefer a no "nonsense" watch that doesn't require constant charging. Or one that simply just tells the time.
Not EVERYONE wants hi-tech.
HA!!!! Spare me. Watches on an extinction curve? Won't happen even in this century. Not everything needs 21st century technology injected to it. Yes there are electric shavers with timers and gel usage, but there are millions of people who still use the safety razor and for a good reason.
Ways of communicating will always change, but the way of telling time will never change, so the old fashioned way will live for a very long time.
Never in your life time will you hear of the Olympics saying their official time keeper is Apple, Samsung, Google..... NEVER.
What really happened
As the CEO of a Swiss Watch company, I'm so tied to my limited way of thinking that I will ignore the fact that many people stopped wearing watches years ago because they have a clock on their phone. Now all these tech companies want to partner up to make fancy computer watches! Forget it! My traditional way of making watches will outlast this crazy fad!
Now if you will excuse me, I have a poker night with the wagon wheel maker, telegram office manager, printing press operator, coal delivery company owner and buggy whip makers. We like to have a good laugh at you people.
As the CEO of a Swiss Watch company, I'm so tied to my limited way of thinking that I will ignore the fact that many people stopped wearing watches years ago because they have a clock on their phone. Now all these tech companies want to partner up to make fancy computer watches! Forget it! My traditional way of making watches will outlast this crazy fad!
Now if you will excuse me, I have a poker night with the wagon wheel maker, telegram office manager, printing press operator, coal delivery company owner and buggy whip makers. We like to have a good laugh at you people.
Wisdom from another old product CEO
I have heard that speech before about Apple knowing nothing about xxxxxxx........... Where did I hear about it......? AH!! Blackberry!! "What do Apple know about phones?" Hahahahaha. Goodluck Swatch. You are next in the corporate sell off list....
I have heard that speech before about Apple knowing nothing about xxxxxxx........... Where did I hear about it......? AH!! Blackberry!! "What do Apple know about phones?" Hahahahaha. Goodluck Swatch. You are next in the corporate sell off list....
I think it's about getting talent, too.
Which cross-references to the poaching thread, in which some posters don't understand that cold-calling is often used to reach out to talent, who might otherwise not know about job openings and incentives.
As for partnerships, isn't Fossil supposed to be one with Google for Android Wear? Not necessarily as a maker, but perhaps as adviser.
Knowing Apple they would hire these guys to design the Watch and Joni Ive would take all the credit. unless it sucked in which case Ive would blame marketing for the terrible design.
Of course. The only threat is to high-end quartz watches, if that is even a category. Watch connoisseurs are not going to forgo a Patek Phillipe for an iWatch. If there is an iWatch in the works, it's a new category that won't really have relevance to the high-end mechanical market.
Watchers are basically jewelry nowadays and Apple doesn't do jewelry.
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Yeah! Lets bring bracers back in style! Lots of space to work with.
No, seriously. iBracers would be amazing.
watch thoughts
The reason that a watch is so tough to design is that people buy watches for fashion...either a certain watch brand, a collectible movement, watch size, weight, materials (stainless steel, sapphire, etc), specs., and that is a world in of itself.
Secondly, from what i know...watch movements have been more difficult to get, forcing watch brands to order the internal swiss movements months and years in advance, pushing up demand and cost. Even brands like Rolex are having a tougher time securing the movements they need (from swatch), to make their watches.
When Swatch and other swiss movement makers have such a lock on the industry, I can see why they have no time (or interest) in branching out to the smart watch category. I would also guess that the Swiss watch movement industry isn't hurting (like the music industry was at the time of the iPod).
In my opinion, the design of the watch is the key. You don't want it so geeky that people don't want to wear it for long periods of time. However, you don't want it so fashionable that it looks like you should only wear it with an Armani suit. I guess that's where Jony Ive could do something amazing!
The reason that a watch is so tough to design is that people buy watches for fashion...either a certain watch brand, a collectible movement, watch size, weight, materials (stainless steel, sapphire, etc), specs., and that is a world in of itself.
Secondly, from what i know...watch movements have been more difficult to get, forcing watch brands to order the internal swiss movements months and years in advance, pushing up demand and cost. Even brands like Rolex are having a tougher time securing the movements they need (from swatch), to make their watches.
When Swatch and other swiss movement makers have such a lock on the industry, I can see why they have no time (or interest) in branching out to the smart watch category. I would also guess that the Swiss watch movement industry isn't hurting (like the music industry was at the time of the iPod).
In my opinion, the design of the watch is the key. You don't want it so geeky that people don't want to wear it for long periods of time. However, you don't want it so fashionable that it looks like you should only wear it with an Armani suit. I guess that's where Jony Ive could do something amazing!