Teen Interest in Apple Watch Drops Ahead of Launch, iPhone Remains Popular

[ani4ani]

Funny. That's exactly what people said about the iPhone when it first came out. That Apple fanatics would buy it, and then it would die out just like all the other smart phones....

Care to bet on this prediction?

Actually, when the iPhone fitst came out it barely sold even to fanatics (did they even really exist before then?) and really didn't kick on until a major price drop.

Care to bet on a watch price cut?

 

[CrAkD]

I can't picture any scenario where a teen would pick s watch over a ps4 or Xbox one (same price as apple watch)

 

[mantan]

Actually, when the iPhone fitst came out it barely sold even to fanatics (did they even really exist before then?) and really didn't kick on until a major price drop.

Care to bet on a watch price cut?

Pricing will be interesting to see. Unlike a traditional high end watch which justifies itself on quality of materials and residual value, the difference in Apple watch components is fairly negligible and is based on technology that will very likely be obsolete in two years.

While there may be an untapped market for wearable technology, I have a hard time seeing a large one at the current price point. At least not until there is a lot more functionality.

 

[Tech198]

no fitness for teens...

At least it's only 11% plan on purchasing.. which is good as it means more readily available for us

Could also be "I'm only thinking about it" or "I'll just tell them this just to keep them happy"

stats arn't that meaningful anymore ...

 

[now i see it]

http://www.theverge.com/a/apple-watch-review


For those who haven't read it... It says it all.

 

[Michael Scrip]

My teenager fits this description. She wants one because, in her words, it's cute. When I told her she could 1. wait until version 2 and I would get it for her birthday or 2. take the money from her summer job and pay for it herself, the interest waned for the AW and she's looking at a Pebble.

Apparently when it's her money, fiscal responsibility is more than just 8 syllables.

But at least she's interested in some sort of wearable smartphone accessory!

That's awesome!

 

[badNameErr]

Get off my lawn!!!

 

[JAT]

So, how do you poll teens without seeming creepy?

 

[scottsjack]

Teens are smarter than I thought.

Exactly, like who wears a watch these days? I haven't been a teen for decades and also haven't worn a watch for decades.

The Apple Watch seems designed for the decadent-bling crowd to show off their high income. The fashion stylistas who always have to be just 'right now' may also want to clamp on an Apple Watch.

For the rest of us where is a quad-core mini?

 

[Michael Scrip]

The Apple watch is for adults, I would even say people over 35, professionals who like to train a lot and who are in need of staying in touch with their emails and notifications. Fantastic for Apples since the 35-55 is the wealthiest market and the current top demographic!

I was thinking the same thing.

Let's pretend no teenager would ever buy the Apple Watch. Or that no one under 34 years old would ever buy the Apple Watch.

I don't think that bothers Apple in the least.

Why? Because people turn 35 every single day across the globe! That's the beginning of the "Apple Watch Age"

I honestly don't think Apple had teens in mind when they designed the Apple Watch... nor did any other smartwatch maker for that matter. I wonder what the teen survey would show for the Moto 360 or the LG G Watch R.

On a sidenote... I think it's funny that people keep saying "$350 is too expensive for teens"

Guess what... A LOT of things are too expensive for teens! This is not a new concept.

Does Apple make any products for teens? Maybe cheap iPods a long time ago... but certainly not other products like their laptops that start at $900.

 

[TechGod]

Teens are smarter than I thought.

The intelligent ones among us are an endangered species I'm afraid.

 

[asiga]

For the rest of us where is a quad-core mini?

Things don't go so fast. First, the executives need to feel something isn't going right. Then they'll have to rethink who is Apple and what it's meant to do. And finally, they've to find the right answer (which won't be trivial for people who trashed most of the better OS X points while thinking fitness is what people is most interested in).

This survey is a glimpse of what's going to happen with the watch market (not only teens). But that's still the first stage of all the above points. In other words, the quad core mini isn't going to happen soon.

 

[alfonsog]

The kids that work for me all wear watches. Most also have iPhones, but a few have droids. None of them have heard very much about the WATCH but when I get mine next week I think they are gonna like it even more than me. A few of my friends are getting one as well. A few says they're waiting for rev. b but I always buy everything rev. a since the 2001 iMac G4. I figure I can buy the rev. b next year if its a hit. In the meantime I get to use the damn thing for a year... The people that read this forum are not the average person and I bet that will have a huge holiday push for the watch...

 

[Flow39]

I just turned 18, and I am probably the only one in my school who will be buying one. Why? Because most people don't love technology enough to spend $350+ on an accessory. I really love tech, and that's why I'll be buying it. Most people are shocked when I tell them I spent $400 on a watch, but to me it is worth it.

And I have definitely not lost ANY interest in the Apple Watch.

 

[jbernie]

I think it's hilarious to see people push the idea of -a "killer app". There's no such thing. What's the killer app on an iPhone? iPad? Gany of the Galaxy phones?

The concept of the killer app/function is taking a device that is interesting or a curiosity and turning it into a must have, there is definitely some added convenience in the watch but nothing makes it a must have device as it doesn't replace the phone.

The smart phone itself is the killer app (or function), as we can see by how many functions it performs and how many of those devices that solely performed those functions are fading away (P&S cameras, GameBoy type devices etc), the watch right now while interesting is more duplication of an existing device, so do you really need to spend $350+ to duplicate the iPhone?

Another item to watch is the replacement cycle, as we see with iPads the upgrading isn't occurring at the same pace as the iPhones, we still have our 1st gen retina iPad and no need yet to upgrade, it might be nice to have something smaller/lighter but as it is primarily used on the couch the need to spend a few hundred $$$ isn't there.

What will the market be for used watches? If you are stuck with a minimum $350 watch and wanting to upgrade every year but the used market says $50 is the price then you might find it a less attractive purchase.

I bought a Microsoft Band on release day and quite enjoy it, you change the way you interact with your phone as the vibrate alerts replace the need to have audible alerts on the phone, etc etc, and no doubt the watch will do that too, but at $200 the purchase price is more attractive and less of a worry if it didn't work for you.

It will be interesting to see where things go over the next 6 months. If it was able to do continual glucose monitoring (like many rumors suggested) I think a lot of diabetics like myself would be buying it in a heartbeat, that is a game changer in many ways.

 

[brueck]

Those look like pretty good percentages for a 1st generation product with an app store in its infancy.

 

[Mildredop]

Ahead of launch? Hasn't it already launched, hence the orders?

 

[alvindarkness]

Why? Because people turn 35 every single day across the globe! That's the beginning of the "Apple Watch Age"

The midlife crisis demographic. You could be onto something there.

 

[shoorty0690]

not really. iphones are free or 199 on contract.

There aren't many services that offer this anymore without altering their contract. I tried this with ATT when I bought my 6 Plus. Once I found out they were adding an additional 25$ to my plan a month for buying a subsidized phone, I returned it and bought it outright. It would cost me more in a 2 year contract than to just buy the phone at cost.

 

[MattXDA]

I'm a teen, don't have a job, didn't use anybody else's money and I bought two. (Both coming on 24th April) Couldn't decide between Sport Space Grey and Regular Milanese.

 

[Keirasplace]

Exactly, like who wears a watch these days? I haven't been a teen for decades and also haven't worn a watch for decades.

The Apple Watch seems designed for the decadent-bling crowd to show off their high income. The fashion stylistas who always have to be just 'right now' may also want to clamp on an Apple Watch.

For the rest of us where is a quad-core mini?

If $350 is "high income", the US has really slipped A LOT.

My parents bought me a C64, a C64 Monitor and the disquette drive for $1200 + Tax, I think in 1983, you can imagine how much money that's now... about $3000. Watches that cost $100 bucks were routinely bought in the early 1970s even by young adults and these things only told time and that's pretty close to $350 now. And those things were only giving you time. Same thing for appliances, clothing, just about everything was proportionally to wages much more expensive.

Teens in the 1970s to 1990s, bought cars in the thousands (and fed them gas) by working at McD and similar jobs. If a teen is interested enough, they'll buy something. But, they probably will buy something else instead for now (also less teens are working these days than in the past).

People seem to have totally forgotten that things haven gotten massively cheaper these days.

 

[MH01]

I keep reading this utter nonsense on here, and you are simply not in touch with facts.

Please, go on Amazon.com right now and type in watch. 1.4 million hits.

Please explain to me why a company like Amazon would choose to offer 1.4 million different watch designs in a market you claim doesn't exist. And we're not even just talking low end, there are seven pages of mens watches that cost more than a BMW 5 Series!

Next Google COSC, and you'll be able to find out that the two major players in luxury watches (Rolex and Omega) certify over 1.2 million new watches a year.

Next go to Macy's. Mens watches alone make up 3700 products you can buy. My local Macy's just ripped out their entire watch department and revamped it and made it bigger.

And Apple, a company that has made some pretty savvy moves these last few years decided to spend three years and millions of dollars trying to enter this market. With major brands like Tag Heuer vowing to bring a smart watch to market.

Oh yeah, and they sold out in six hours.

Yet despite all this evidence you want to go with, "Many people just don't wear watches like they used to since the smartphones make them redundant."

Sorry but even a tiny bit of online research will tell you that you are completely wrong. Plus you are also commenting on a trend probably in America, and not considering the different attitude to such things in the eight other countries Apple launched in.

I get what you're saying, I do see that many people choose not to wear a watch any more. But it is absolute idiocy to claim that there is such a small market for watches that Apple cannot sell millions of this product.

Of course people still wear and buy watches, what is up for debate is weather people are going to buy smartwatches. The claim that apple sold out in 6 hours supports his statement that the true apple fans and scalpers bought in asap. Let's see what happens in 6 months time , interesting times. My gut feeling is that apple created a great smartwatch, but your public just do not care.

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Teens these days don't see the need for a watch —any watch— when they can have a smartphone.

Agreed. And that $350 can go to a new iPhone each year. Teens are not going to spend $1k each year, the iPhone is a much better device.

 

[Designx]

Of course teens are not interested in the watch. It's quite simple really - teens have thier smartphones out 80% of the time already and are not shy about using them anywhere. The watch is designed for stealthy information retrieval.

 

[mdlooker]

The title should read, "Teen Interest in Apple Watch Drops as Parents Bring Reality of Purchase"

 

[H2SO4]

Why does everyone presume that teenagers aren't capable of purchasing their own products? I'm 18 and employed full time, I purchase all of my Apple products with my own money. People tend to forget that 'teenagers' go right up to 19 year olds. Y'all should stop thinking of 13/14 year olds begging their parents for "teh new iPhonez."

Because on the whole they are not.