The Prices were about what I expected from Apple with the new fashion theme, I can see where they are priced just to the edge of the majority of families (most of them make enough to afford an Iphone on a plan ) They have to pay bills, taxes, car payment, insurance, house and etc. but with tax return they could pull off the sport. For my area I have a ok job, 20+ per hour, profit sharing, etc. so I'll be buying the sport 1st version, just because I want it. but it will probably be the last one, I waited to upgrade to the Iphone 6 until the watch info was released, and now it has I am going keep my 5s and look more strongly at gear and gear s. seems like more average people friendly and not the preferred people
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The Apple Watch Price ****-Fit Thread
- Thread starter JayLenochiniMac
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I imagine Apple (and their customers) do not consider the brand to be "mass market".
Based on comments from Asian market analysts, Asian customers probably will be impressed and will buy it.
I thought the mantra of the mainstream press about Apple is that they are always just one quarter away from declaring insolvency because of Android's market share.
I am personally shocked at the price of the SS model.
£519 in the UK. That's £180 more than the sport and for a sapphire display, surely essential in a wearable?
Next, the price is almost the dollar equivalent in GBP, which in itself is shocking. $785 essentially for the base SS model.
Finally, the stainless steel strap is £379?! What the actual ****?! How is this in any way acceptable?
So the base model includes ion glass that WILL scratch the second the box opens AND the strap WILL discolour.
Also what the hell were these muppets thinking making a MacBook thinner than the air and continuing with the air. So the reg model is now lighter than air? What the ****?!
Whole event has left me confused.
£519 in the UK. That's £180 more than the sport and for a sapphire display, surely essential in a wearable?
Next, the price is almost the dollar equivalent in GBP, which in itself is shocking. $785 essentially for the base SS model.
Finally, the stainless steel strap is £379?! What the actual ****?! How is this in any way acceptable?
So the base model includes ion glass that WILL scratch the second the box opens AND the strap WILL discolour.
Also what the hell were these muppets thinking making a MacBook thinner than the air and continuing with the air. So the reg model is now lighter than air? What the ****?!
Whole event has left me confused.
But a lot of people don't share your viewpoint. Apple's products tend to sell very well, precisely because a lot of people think they are GOOD value for money.
If people think the watch is good value for money, it will sell well. If you don't think it is, then don't buy one.
But you don't get to decide what other people buy. If their choices bother you, tough cookies.
I have no problem with Apple deciding to test this market. They're spending the money and taking the risk. If one (or more) of their watch collections proves unpopular, hopefully they'll change their strategy and keep moving ahead.
I disagree. I don't think the watch is in any way good value. But what alternative do I have? An android watch that won't work with my iPhone?
So I likely will buy one, as much as I know it's feeding this kind of greed.
I didn't watch the event but I read the live-blogs. I sensed some arrogance just by reading the blogs.
Christ it's just a watch, either buy it or don't - you don't need it, your life / fitness / intelligence will not be altered if you have it or not. If you can't afford it then well it doesn't matter and if you can then good for you - a new toy to play with. Who buys tech or fashion as any sort of general investment ?
Black steel watch is 1500$ in Canada. I fell off my chair laughing. Why would anyone buy anything more expensive than the sport at these prices? I guess i'll wait out this generation of smart watches.
Like I said yesterday. "It's all about those bands, bout those bands, not stainless."
Like I said yesterday. "It's all about those bands, bout those bands, not stainless."
I agree completely. Though the watches have a pretty nice little markup to them as well. I still can't fathom why the stainless is $200 more than the equivalent Sport watch. The extra material cost is minimal. However, I am sure Apple are making about $48.75 on that $49 rubber band. I don't mind paying the Apple tax when there is something to it, but some of these prices are just getting stupid high.
Well, yes. Good value is always relative to the other alternatives that are available.
Maybe part of the watch's value is the way it works with your iPhone. And part of the iPhone's value is the way iOS works in your daily life. There are other alternatives, but you'll value them lower if you don't think they work as well.
The Apple "experience" (for lack of a better work) seems to be a significant part of the value for a lot of people. There's more here than a bunch of numbers on a spec sheet and costs on a bill of materials.
Maybe it's not "feeding the greed" when it's so hard to find an "experience" as good from other companies.
Sure, I'd like to get the same experience for less money, but I don't know where to find it. So far, none of the folks complaining about Apple's prices are offering to sell me anything as good, for less money.
Compare it to the prices of watches at Burberry or even a store like Rogers and Hollands, and the stainless steel Apple Watch price is right in line. Those watches have the same $12 quartz movements as a Timex at Walgreens.
I don't feel like comparing it to other stupidly priced items really makes it any better. I do see your point though. I guess I am just sad to see people throwing money away so they can have a name on the dial. I suppose at least the
Watch offers some extra convenience and usability.
Of course I am; I haven't been living on the moon this past year. I was countering sarcasm with sarcasm. Probably ill advised in here.
Anyway, Angela did a good job of getting Burberry back where it used to be and then some, but I don't know if she's responsible for pricing at Apple. She is responsible for the stores and retail operations and surely must've realized the stores and even the brand simply don't have the pedigree to justify a $17,000 variant of a relatively cheap electronic watch. It takes more than chutzpah at those price points.
Apple is not (and will not be) Burberry. I think that if Apple tries to leapfrog itself into that market too quickly they'll alienate their core customer base who, I'd say, are more comfortable shopping Macy's than Burberry. Look at what happened when the retail genius Ron Johnson (of Target and Apple retail fame) tried to drag JC Penney up market: Penney's customer base balked and Johnson was fired in 18 months.
But the reality of it is they are. If they lose market share, a lot of their operational model goes out the window.
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I don't have much insight into Asian retailing, but that sounds sort-of plausible. So is this craziness all part of Apple's move east?
You know, after today, I kind of got the feeling that Tim Cook is steering Apple more towards China. I don't know that gold plays all that well in the U.S. I am not saying people don't want it or buy it, they do, but I believe most of America moved on from gold (specifically yellowish variants) in the 90s. China, however, loves gold. I feel like the gold iPhone, gold
Watch, and now gold MacBook are all squarely aimed at China. Even though I hate it, and think gold looks tacky, it is a smart play. China has the potential to make the U.S. look like small peanuts. I think over the next several years, Apple will be making products based on Chinese needs and wants, not American.
Lots of price chatter. Gotta say, I've always been a mechanical watch fan, and it's very hard to find new ones south of $1000. Maybe that's why the $1000 Apple wants for SS with link bracelets didn't shock me.
My daily driver is a $500 Mondaine Retro mechanical day date. It's elegant and classy, but certainly won't open my hotel room door and won't ride with me on the bike... However, 15 years from now with proper care and maintenance, it'll be every bit as useful as it was on day one, and I'll be on the 9th Apple watch.
I do think Edition watches are crazy, but I'm a humble engineer. The C-levels on the top floor of my office drop $20000 on corporate dinners and can earn that in a day, so to them, it's a night out to buy one.
My daily driver is a $500 Mondaine Retro mechanical day date. It's elegant and classy, but certainly won't open my hotel room door and won't ride with me on the bike... However, 15 years from now with proper care and maintenance, it'll be every bit as useful as it was on day one, and I'll be on the 9th Apple watch.
I do think Edition watches are crazy, but I'm a humble engineer. The C-levels on the top floor of my office drop $20000 on corporate dinners and can earn that in a day, so to them, it's a night out to buy one.
I really do think that Apple runs the risk of alienating some of their most loyal customers. Many of Apple's most vocal fans (many on these forums) have been using Apple products since the Pepsi days and the dark ages in between. They've vocally supported and bought every product Apple produces. But unlike Apple, these loyal fans, did not become billionaires -- they are average folks.
An average folk under the right circumstance could walk-in and buy any product Apple made. Now, they're told, no... sorry this isn't for you. Why are they doing this? Why move to exclusivity when the average folks gave them everything?
What they could have done:
* Only sell the Sport model in Grey, Silver, and Gold (the new Macbook gold is stunning) and make the majority of profit from the bands which could justifiably be quite expensive.
*Scrap it -- The smartwatch market is flawed from the beginning. They should have just licensed Watch OS to real watchmakers (CarPlay model).
*At the very least, sell the Edition as a numbered "collectors item" for their most loyal fans. Not devote the currently 1/3 of page space to the $10,000 watch.
/endrant
An average folk under the right circumstance could walk-in and buy any product Apple made. Now, they're told, no... sorry this isn't for you. Why are they doing this? Why move to exclusivity when the average folks gave them everything?
What they could have done:
* Only sell the Sport model in Grey, Silver, and Gold (the new Macbook gold is stunning) and make the majority of profit from the bands which could justifiably be quite expensive.
*Scrap it -- The smartwatch market is flawed from the beginning. They should have just licensed Watch OS to real watchmakers (CarPlay model).
*At the very least, sell the Edition as a numbered "collectors item" for their most loyal fans. Not devote the currently 1/3 of page space to the $10,000 watch.
/endrant
The gear s does require a Samsung smartphone to load apps, I believe. But your point is nonetheless well taken.
The edition model is beyond ridiculous, beyond any rational analysis, really. The "base" edition model at 10k is bad enough, but prices go up by as much as 7k based on no difference but the band. I can't see any explanation for it except that they think the market will bear it.
This is what is so disappointing. It is almost like an SNL skit or something. Apple being purely greedy. In all honesty, it makes me rethink Apple products going forward. I understand they are in business to make money, but this goes beyond that.
The Asian markets would definitely pony up for the Apple Edition watches. There are a lot of affluent Chinese that love "western" products and Apple is in the golden halo. They already paid over 200% markup for "gray" market goods from Apple and they are willing to shell out major cash for expensive, high quality, and exclusive merchandise. Their main concern is being able to show off their wealth, not the spending of it.
$10k base price on the Apple Edition watches seem a little low honestly. For how much gold Apple is able to get a hold of, I think that they should have started pricing at close to double at $20k. The only issue with that pricing figure is that the total sales of Edition watches would be less than half at $10k. On the plus side however, I think Apple would sell more Stainless Steel Apple watches if the Edition prices were that high.
$10k base price on the Apple Edition watches seem a little low honestly. For how much gold Apple is able to get a hold of, I think that they should have started pricing at close to double at $20k. The only issue with that pricing figure is that the total sales of Edition watches would be less than half at $10k. On the plus side however, I think Apple would sell more Stainless Steel Apple watches if the Edition prices were that high.