Why doesn't Apple Watch say where it was manufactured?

[OllyW]

Ah, interesting. Still I'm not surprised Apple didn't go that route. They make a big point about how easy it is to swap out straps so I think their goal is making money off straps and having 3rd parties want to design straps for Watch.

Apple's design looks clever but it's a safe bet they will be demanding licensing fees from those third parties.

 

[Piggie]

Apple's design looks clever but it's a safe bet they will be demanding licensing fees from those third parties.

They can try, but it can be tricky.

You don't have to alter something much to get around something like that.

Where I work, there is a Glass Lens, and it is a Circle of glass with channel cut out of one side to align it in the metal tube it fits in with a metal pin in the tube.

Another company makes Lenses also, they are the same, but they don't have this channel in the side, they have simply cut a straight edge into the glass so it misses, the metal pin at that point.

It's now not the same item.

I can't see how Apple can trademark/copyright a shape of a piece of metal that just happens to fit within the slot of the watch body.

You can alter it's shape a lot, and the method it uses as a clip and it could probably still fit and function but be quite different.
Probably no reason to exactly copy Apples method and get the same result

 

[Rogifan]

Apple's design looks clever but it's a safe bet they will be demanding licensing fees from those third parties.

Sure I expext it to be like MFI. Plus I think Apple will want to ensure any 3rd party band is good quality, not like some of the super cheap crappy iPhone cases you can buy.

 

[Tycho24]

I suppose I am fine with you having that view, if you also want to admit you wish the rest of the world acted in the same manner, and that if they did you would be happy.

You had to use Ford Gas Stations as the nozzles would only fit Ford Cars.

Likewise Tyres had to be Ford only.

The lights in your home, then a bulb blew you had to buy a bulb from the lamp maker as there was no standard for bulbs.

and so it would go on and on and on.

If that is the world you think you would like to live in, then so be it.

Perhaps you disagree with the method of fitting watch straps to bodies that has been used for decades, so that people could buy millions of straps as almost all used the same sprung pin method of attachment.

Perhaps you feel that was an error, and all watches for the past decades should all of use incompatible proprietary methods of strap attachment.

Note: If you were a businessman I can accept that you would have this view as you are doing it to make you money.

But really, as a member of the public you, as an individual should NEVER actually support this.

It would be like you being a Turkey and Promoting Roast Turkey as the ideal meal 🙂

----------



Not at all.

The method for attaching a wire, and a device to a 3rd party piece of equipment (speaker stand) would benefit, you, me and tens of millions if makers including Apple agreed on a standard.

USB has helped millions over the years, from Printers, Scanners, Thumbdrives, etc etc etc.

Can you just imagine, if Apple, HP, Sony, Packard Bell, Dell, and a hundred others brands all said no to USB and said we are fitting our own standard plug?

I don't see making a charging and data transfer plug that's compatible with others in any way detracts from a device, in fact it should be looked upon as a plus.

I could have my $400 amazing speaker dock system with my Galaxy Phone, knowing I could swap to an iPhone and still use it, etc etc etc.....

Again, as a Public Consumer, you, and everyone here should be dead against such things.
They are Anti consumer friendly.

And we would tear into other firms in other industries if they did things like this. We should not accept it from Apple either.

No matter how much you like Apple product, you as a consumer should not stand up for having your choices taken away.

As much as I genuinely try to be polite & supportive of your more lucid ideas... you REALLY dove off the deep end of crazy town with this post. =(
The world is not black & white... it is shades of grey.
Your ludicrous example of how people must want Ford brand gas if they support consumer choice in consumer electronics is as silly as if I said you must want the entire world to ONLY be allowed to wear blue jeans and a white t-shirt as an "industry standard". Obviously both statements are far fetched & innane. No need to make up ridiculously extreme & unrealistic examples. That does not serve to make your point... indeed, it detracts from it.

Look, there is a grey area.
For example. Plugs being 110/220volts = good. Plugs are not a part of making a device unique or enjoyable. Sudden regulation on size/shape of watch bands = bad. Watch bands ARE something that could have literally infinite variety of width, length, thickness, material, etc. As long as nobody messes with them & decides to pointlessly play god and force them to adhere to their whims.
We as consumers currently have the CHOICE to buy a watch of the many that adhere to the non-imposed standard & have many options of band choices... OR we have the CHOICE to buy one of the many that do NOT adhere to said standard and have a smaller amount of band choices. However, the trade off may be a smaller, lighter, classier, sexier watch. Who are you to want to take that choice away??
Optional standards are the best of both worlds!!!
Many can use the standard, if it fits their needs. And since nobody is FORCED to... if a company would like to try something unique and innovative... they can.
I honestly have a difficult time understanding why anybody would argue so vehemently against both living in harmony, as they currently do.

 

[magicMac]

I think people often forget about the propriety Nokia power and serial cables. However even so, you could be in a room of 30 people and ask if you could borrow a Nokia charger and someone would likely have one because their market share was so high at the time - this practically is a standard for all intents and purposes.

Apple can do this too. I'm sure many high end hotels will have apple watch MagSafe chargers on the bedside and maybe a standard USB cable in the draw (or nothing) for all the android watches. Both standards can coexist and offer different benefits.

 

[Piggie]

I think people often forget about the propriety Nokia power and serial cables. However even so, you could be in a room of 30 people and ask if you could borrow a Nokia charger and someone would likely have one because their market share was so high at the time - this practically is a standard for all intents and purposes.

Apple can do this too. I'm sure many high end hotels will have apple watch MagSafe chargers on the bedside and maybe a standard USB cable in the draw (or nothing) for all the android watches. Both standards can coexist and offer different benefits.

Indeed, but I think we generally forget how great it is that Companies like Apple did not exist in the past locking down things.

We generally take for granted various things in our lives just work with each other.

If we had companies with expensive Lawyers locking down proprietary things tens or hundreds of years ago, we'd live in a nightmare now.

Again, let me re emphasise this one point.

As consumers, You, Me and every normal person.
We, Should, By Default, be Dead Against ANYTHING that's propriety.

Forget loving Apple, Loving Microsoft or any brand you love (and that's an odd concept in the 1st place)

As a human being, you should want, without question, as many things to be open and compatible as possible.
Anything locked down to one brand, is, for all consumers, a long term negative.

Re the Apple Watch.

Apple could if they wanted, allow the connection method to become a new and open Industry Standard.

That would help EVERYONE (other than a bit of Apple profit)

People who love Apple can buy the Apple watch of course, and they can buy Apple watch straps.

Apple can market their own brand of high quality watch straps that fit their watch, as official and approved products.

Also they could allow free use (without prosecution) of their connection method for 3rd parties to product straps.

Just as we have now with the sprung pins.
You buy a official strap for your expensive mechanical watch as you love the brand and the quality. But they don't try and block you from other straps, or block others from making a strap as the connection method is an open standard for all to use.

So again. for Me, You and Everyone, it's a good thing for us consumers to be able to pick any strap we want and fit it to our current watch.

It would be a negative thing if this were not possible.

Who Knows, Apple may turn over a new leaf, Be brave enough and confident enough about their brand and quality so people will want to buy their official straps, and not block 3rd parties using the connection method.

And this new connection method COULD become a device wide, world wide new open standard for the future.

Of course, knowing Apple this won't happen as they are after short term profit, not long term standard setting (they their locked standards die out in time)

but they COULD change, and that would be positive for everyone here.

 

[magicMac]

Indeed, but I think we generally forget how great it is that Companies like Apple did not exist in the past locking down things.

We generally take for granted various things in our lives just work with each other.

If we had companies with expensive Lawyers locking down proprietary things tens or hundreds of years ago, we'd live in a nightmare now.

Again, let me re emphasise this one point.

As consumers, You, Me and every normal person.
We, Should, By Default, be Dead Against ANYTHING that's propriety.

Forget loving Apple, Loving Microsoft or any brand you love (and that's an odd concept in the 1st place)

As a human being, you should want, without question, as many things to be open and compatible as possible.
Anything locked down to one brand, is, for all consumers, a long term negative.

Re the Apple Watch.

Apple could if they wanted, allow the connection method to become a new and open Industry Standard.

That would help EVERYONE (other than a bit of Apple profit)

People who love Apple can buy the Apple watch of course, and they can buy Apple watch straps.

Apple can market their own brand of high quality watch straps that fit their watch, as official and approved products.

Also they could allow free use (without prosecution) of their connection method for 3rd parties to product straps.

Just as we have now with the sprung pins.
You buy a official strap for your expensive mechanical watch as you love the brand and the quality. But they don't try and block you from other straps, or block others from making a strap as the connection method is an open standard for all to use.

So again. for Me, You and Everyone, it's a good thing for us consumers to be able to pick any strap we want and fit it to our current watch.

It would be a negative thing if this were not possible.

Who Knows, Apple may turn over a new leaf, Be brave enough and confident enough about their brand and quality so people will want to buy their official straps, and not block 3rd parties using the connection method.

And this new connection method COULD become a device wide, world wide new open standard for the future.

Of course, knowing Apple this won't happen as they are after short term profit, not long term standard setting (they their locked standards die out in time)

but they COULD change, and that would be positive for everyone here.

I disagree. I think your repeated black and white propriety = bad and standard = good approach is really naive.

If companies were locked into using standard connectors, companies couldn't differentiate themselves or innovate. The lightning connector offers more than a standard USB peripheral port, it can switch modes to HDMI and USB hub mode and power an SD card reader and some memory sticks.

Anyway, just look at the amount of PC laptops out there with all different DC power connectors and different shaped batteries, even within the same manufacturers, they use different connectors for different model lines and each individual model has a very small market share. All MacBooks use a magsafe/magsafe2 (adapter can be used between the two) and because of their differentiation from the other manufacturers and their higher market share, consumers benefit because they get a power cable that connects magnetically and is reversible so that if someone trips over the cable, your laptop doesn't go flying and trust me it's going to be far easier to find a magsafe2 power cable in 10 years than HP model xyz-333-bbd-2231231 EU version revision 3.

So non-standard can be good but it can also be bad. But it's not just one or the other.

 

[Piggie]

I disagree. I think your repeated black and white propriety = bad and standard = good approach is really naive.

If companies were locked into using standard connectors, companies couldn't differentiate themselves or innovate. The lightning connector offers more than a standard USB peripheral port, it can switch modes to HDMI and USB hub mode and power an SD card reader and some memory sticks.

Anyway, just look at the amount of PC laptops out there with all different DC power connectors and different shaped batteries, even within the same manufacturers, they use different connectors for different model lines and each individual model has a very small market share. All MacBooks use a magsafe/magsafe2 (adapter can be used between the two) and because of their differentiation from the other manufacturers and their higher market share, consumers benefit because they get a power cable that connects magnetically and is reversible so that if someone trips over the cable, your laptop doesn't go flying and trust me it's going to be far easier to find a magsafe power cable in 10 years than HP model xyz-333-bbd-2231231 EU version revision 3.

Please note:

There is a VAST difference between saying No to better connectors or better anything.

And saying No one can use this better connector apart from US.

Or course, I totally welcome Every and All advancement in any aspect of anything from anyone.

It's the blocking others from using it, which we should all, as consumers be against.

It would be like Intel Coming out with some Fibre interface, that is 10x the speed of anything out there and saying only PC's can use it. Apple are blocked.

We'd all be against this yes?
We would expect it to be a new standard open to everyone, even if that meant a tiny licence payment on every connector.

I am always someone who wants the industry to move forward, and often get frustrated by the slow pace we are moving these days compared to say a decade or two ago.

It's the stopping others from using something better aspect I am so against, and so should ever other person here.

 

[SHNXX]

I don't know about you guys but I prefer end to end design of consumer products, which results in a very tightly controlled predictable and pleasant user experience.

It's a philosophical difference
Open doesn't always work better.
Open source type products work better in some settings but I don't think they work well in something like a watch.

 

[mjs402]

I intend on purchasing the Rose Gold Apple Watch if it is below $1500 (otherwise Space Gray Stainless Steel). In which case I sincerely hope it doesn't say "Made in China" on it. I realize that MacBooks are "Made in China", but it feels like 2 entirely different categories of devices here.

 

[Piggie]

I intend on purchasing the Rose Gold Apple Watch if it is below $1500 (otherwise Space Gray Stainless Steel). In which case I sincerely hope it doesn't say "Made in China" on it. I realize that MacBooks are "Made in China", but it feels like 2 entirely different categories of devices here.

What do you have, may I ask against Chinese people?

Do you feel Chinese people are not as good as say Americans?

Interested to understand why you feel a product would be better if say an American assembled it, as opposed to say someone from China Assembling it.

Sounds a little racist if I'm honest 🙁

Myself I'm far more interested in how well something is designed and made and how it works, than the race of the person who assembled it.

 

[mjs402]

What do you have, may I ask against Chinese people?

Do you feel Chinese people are not as good as say Americans?

Interested to understand why you feel a product would be better if say an American assembled it, as opposed to say someone from China Assembling it.

Sounds a little racist if I'm honest 🙁

Myself I'm far more interested in how well something is designed and made and how it works, than the race of the person who assembled it.

What of my quote says racism to you? Do you hear me complain about MacBooks being assembled in China? Or the fact that I'm typing on one now? It's a watch, a high-end piece. Most name-brand watches do not come out of China, fact.

Get over yourself and stop reading into comments. Don't let my opinion ruin your day.

 

[Piggie]

What of my quote says racism to you? Do you hear me complain about MacBooks being assembled in China? Or the fact that I'm typing on one now? It's a watch, a high-end piece. Most name-brand watches do not come out of China, fact.

Get over yourself and stop reading into comments. Don't let my opinion ruin your day.

Apologies if I misunderstood your remark.

So, may I ask then, what did you actually mean when you said:

"In which case I sincerely hope it doesn't say "Made in China"

Is there something bad about it being made in China by Chinese people, as opposed to elsewhere?

Why may I ask do you see that as a negative ?

 

[mjs402]

Go to a high end watch site, let me know if it's made in China. Like I originally said, 2 different classes of products between assembling a laptop and a watch. I'm not certain why you keep bringing up Chinese people nor do I really care. I think the majority of people on this forum echo my remarks in terms of where it is assembled, at least the Edition version.

 

[Piggie]

Go to a high end watch site, let me know if it's made in China. Like I originally said, 2 different classes of products between assembling a laptop and a watch. I'm not certain why you keep bringing up Chinese people nor do I really care. I think the majority of people on this forum echo my remarks in terms of where it is assembled, at least the Edition version.

Because I am asking you to explain what you mean, as I don't understand, and you won't explain.

For some reason you are telling me that there is something negative about a watch being assembled in China, as opposed to say America?

Perhaps decades ago I might of understood they may be lacking skills and technology thru no fault of their own, but that's obviously not true today.

They can make circuitry and silicon chips, laptops and other amazingly complex devices.

Hence, I don't understand why you, and you are saying the majority of others here will see it as a negative aspect of the device if it's made there.

I don't understand where this viewpoint comes from, perhaps you had some poor quality items you bought in the past and have a negative view now?

As you won't explain, I'm just trying to ask why you have this viewpoint as it's something I don't share.

You keep saying you don't know why I bring up Chinese.
Well you are the one that is saying it's a negative aspect to the watch if they make it apparently.

If you want to know, I purchased a new computing device today, and you know what.
I've not even looked to see where it was make.
It's fault free, working perfect, and was amazing value for money, and that's what matters to me anyway.
Not what nationality the people were who put it together.

 

[mjs402]

Good for you. I hope you enjoy your purchase. I know I'm enjoying my iPhone 6 Plus, iPad Air 2, Retina MacBook Pro 13", Apple TV, Time Capsule and iPod nano all of which (I think) made in China.

If I'm spending big bucks on a gold watch, I want it to come from a well known watch-making country. But hey, guess what? When I order my Retina MacBook Air (which according to recent rumours sounds amazing) and it gets shipped from Shanghai, I don't really care because I'm getting a laptop from Apple which I'm sure will be great. Watch though, to me anyway, is a premium accessory/jewellery-ish object that I personally don't want "Made in China" written on it. To me it devalues the meaning of a luxury watch and you can bet that I'd buy an Apple Watch but not an Edition version if it was "Made in China".

That's how I feel, and unless you are going to buy me an Apple Watch, that's my opinion and you're going to have to deal with it.


Cheers.

 

[Piggie]

Good for you. I hope you enjoy your purchase. I know I'm enjoying my iPhone 6 Plus, iPad Air 2, Retina MacBook Pro 13", Apple TV, Time Capsule and iPod nano all of which (I think) made in China.

If I'm spending big bucks on a gold watch, I want it to come from a well known watch-making country. But hey, guess what? When I order my Retina MacBook Air (which according to recent rumours sounds amazing) and it gets shipped from Shanghai, I don't really care because I'm getting a laptop from Apple which I'm sure will be great. Watch though, to me anyway, is a premium accessory/jewellery-ish object that I personally don't want "Made in China" written on it. To me it devalues the meaning of a luxury watch and you can bet that I'd buy an Apple Watch but not an Edition version if it was "Made in China".

That's how I feel, and unless you are going to buy me an Apple Watch, that's my opinion and you're going to have to deal with it.


Cheers.

But it's not a watch 🙂

I perhaps could, see your point a little more if the Apple watch WAS a actual real watch, with springs and gears, and you wanted hand crafted in Switzerland engraved onto it.

But it's a little computer on a strap.
I'm not even sure you'd want people who make metal gears and springs, making a computer for your wrist 🙂

I suppose I just don't see this device AS a quality watch.

It's to me like sticking a quartz movement into a Grandfather long case clock. it's a joke of a product if you do that. The whole thing that makes a grandfather clock anything IS the mechanics of it.

Not that I'm knocking Apples new gizmo at all, I'm sure it's going to be one of the best smart wearable's out there when it finally launches, but, personally and mentally I'd not even put it in the same league as a nice mechanical time piece.

Like if you were into V8 and V12 engines, with all the smells and gears and tolerances, and the fuel pumping thru it, and then Apple made a car with an Electric motor, and you tried to make out it's the same thing.
It's just not.

I'm very keen on electic cars (I hope to have one on the future) but It's not the same as a real piece of machinery.

Anyway, you are of course entitled to your views, I just can't ever see myself viewing this in the same way as something mechanical and quality that will last for many many decades.

To me, it's more like an advanced iPod and sticking it inside a gold case, is not going to make the slightest difference.

 

[mjs402]

But it's not a watch 🙂

I perhaps could, see your point a little more if the Apple watch WAS a actual real watch, with springs and gears, and you wanted hand crafted in Switzerland engraved onto it.

But it's a little computer on a strap.
I'm not even sure you'd want people who make metal gears and springs, making a computer for your wrist 🙂

I suppose I just don't see this device AS a quality watch.

It's to me like sticking a quartz movement into a Grandfather long case clock. it's a joke of a product if you do that. The whole thing that makes a grandfather clock anything IS the mechanics of it.

Not that I'm knocking Apples new gizmo at all, I'm sure it's going to be one of the best smart wearable's out there when it finally launches, but, personally and mentally I'd not even put it in the same league as a nice mechanical time piece.

Like if you were into V8 and V12 engines, with all the smells and gears and tolerances, and the fuel pumping thru it, and then Apple made a car with an Electric motor, and you tried to make out it's the same thing.
It's just not.

I'm very keen on electic cars (I hope to have one on the future) but It's not the same as a real piece of machinery.

Anyway, you are of course entitled to your views, I just can't ever see myself viewing this in the same way as something mechanical and quality that will last for many many decades.

To me, it's more like an advanced iPod and sticking it inside a gold case, is not going to make the slightest difference.

I think this is where our views differ. I view it as a luxury watch, I know it's not mechanical but it just seems really high-end and while I realize that it isn't on the same level as a Swiss-made watch (maybe this is why I attribute high-end watches with watch-making countries), it still feels really premium. Particularly the Rose Gold with the White Sport Band, looks like something I wouldn't mind on my wrist.

Nonetheless, I can appreciate your point of view.


Cheers.

 

[Mr. Buzzcut]

But it's not a watch 🙂

I perhaps could, see your point a little more if the Apple watch WAS a actual real watch, with springs and gears, and you wanted hand crafted in Switzerland engraved onto it.

But it's a little computer on a strap.
I'm not even sure you'd want people who make metal gears and springs, making a computer for your wrist 🙂

I suppose I just don't see this device AS a quality watch.

It's to me like sticking a quartz movement into a Grandfather long case clock. it's a joke of a product if you do that. The whole thing that makes a grandfather clock anything IS the mechanics of it.

Not that I'm knocking Apples new gizmo at all, I'm sure it's going to be one of the best smart wearable's out there when it finally launches, but, personally and mentally I'd not even put it in the same league as a nice mechanical time piece.

Like if you were into V8 and V12 engines, with all the smells and gears and tolerances, and the fuel pumping thru it, and then Apple made a car with an Electric motor, and you tried to make out it's the same thing.
It's just not.

I'm very keen on electic cars (I hope to have one on the future) but It's not the same as a real piece of machinery.

Anyway, you are of course entitled to your views, I just can't ever see myself viewing this in the same way as something mechanical and quality that will last for many many decades.

To me, it's more like an advanced iPod and sticking it inside a gold case, is not going to make the slightest difference.

Exactly right. The whole "assembled in x" thing is a joke anyway. US auto manufacturers got away with it for a while but people eventually started to see through it. If the complex electronics and battery chemistry come from somewhere else, does it really matter who snaps it all together?

 

[Thanks pal]

What a GREAT way to get customer lock in!!!
Can you imagine how hesitant after owning Apple Watch you'd be to switch to Android Wear if you had say.... $600 in custom bands for Apple Watch??!! =)

I was thinking that the Apple Watch is a great way to lock you into the iPhone. If the watch requires the iPhone to function then when it's time to upgrade your phone you won't be looking at the Android.

 

[Rogifan]

^^
Sounds like something that's just a concept at this point. I'd rather wait to see if Apple has some MFI type program with officially approved 3rd party straps.

 

[Piggie]

I'm amazed as this is The Exact Thing I said someone should/would make in a posting I wrote about 2 weeks ago 🙂

I must of had a premonition 🙂

Or perhaps it's just so obvious, it simply had to be done.

 

[ZEEN0j]

I'm amazed as this is The Exact Thing I said someone should/would make in a posting I wrote about 2 weeks ago 🙂

I must of had a premonition 🙂

Or perhaps it's just so obvious, it simply had to be done.

If you are talking about the adapter then yes. It was just a question of when. Even the pebble watch has one but it's not that easy to get a hold of. Something like the Apple watch I'm guessing there will hundreds of accessories sometime after the release.

 

[firewood]

The lights in your home, then a bulb blew you had to buy a bulb from the lamp maker as there was no standard for bulbs.

That's actually how the electric light industry first started. It took over 20 years (after 1882) before the E27 screw base became standard among all lamp vendors in the U.S. Didn't seem to slow down the electrification of homes.

 

[Rogifan]

So Apple updated their supplier responsibility website. I noticed on the supplier page Watch isn't listed anywhere. Perhaps that's because this list is 2014 only? But then I'd be curious to know where the 3,000 or so Watches Apple employees are using were assembled. Does Apple's design shop in Cupertino have the capacity to produce that many Watches? Or does Apple not disclose suppliers for products not officially on sale?

http://www.apple.com/supplier-responsibility/our-suppliers/