Apple Watch, the latest gadget that nobody realised they needed, on Friday began its all-out assault to convince people that this is definitely something worth spending between US$349 (€328) and $17,000 (€16,000) to own.
The U.S. tech giant’s first smartwatch is now available for online pre-order and in-store caressing. Walking into a fancy boutique, pointing at the one you want, paying for it, then carrying out of the store, will not be possible until 24 April.
On the whole, this week’s myriad Apple Watch reviews have been exhaustive, exhausting, and generally favourable despite acknowledging the big price tag and the limitations of the hardware.
The Verge’s Nilay Patel complained about long loading times but declared it "the most capable smartwatch available today." Re/Code managi ng editor Lauren Goode praised the Apple Watch’s design and many of its features, particularly fitness tracking, but had trouble with its wireless charging pad. Her conclusion was that "of the half-dozen smartwatches I’ve tested in recent years, I’ve had the best experience with Apple Watch."
Meanwhile, the New York Times’ Farhad Manjoo said the Apple Watch’s interface represents a steep learning curve, that setting up notifications required "a lot of fine-tuning", but nonetheless "there is something magical" about wearing a discreet computer on your wrist. He even went as far as to say that one of the Apple Watch’s hidden benefits is that it is far less immersive than a phone. "There just isn’t that much to do on such a tiny screen, so you rarely feel yourself getting sucked in and lost."
Until now, the generally accepted wisdom is that no matter what it is, if it was made by Apple, it will sell by the million. Any lingering doubts about this were laid to rest by the early success of the category-defining iPad. Like the iPad, the Apple Watch is not a ‘must-have’ device, but that won’t stop consumers pining for one.
However, it seems runaway success for the Apple Watch may not be guaranteed.
A survey this week by BMO Capital’s Keith Bachman revealed that just 9% of iPhone owners intend to buy an Apple Watch. 60% of those who do intend to buy one indicated they would opt for the entry-level Sport edition, rather than the more costly Watch edition, or range-topping Edition edition.
"Based on the results of our survey, we are lowering our estimates for the Apple Watch," said Bachman, in a report by StreetInsider. "Previously, we had assumed that Apple would sell 55.5 million units from the June 2015 quarter through the September 2016 quarter. Given our survey results, we are lowering our Apple Watch estimate to 39 million units over the forecast period."
People happily spends hundreds, if not thousands of dollars/euros/pounds (delete as appropriate) on watches that are far less capable than the one Apple would have us buy. The problem for Apple though – and it is one of its own making – is the expectation that in a year’s time the Apple Watch will be superseded by the next iteration. The traditional watch market moves far more slowly. Expensive ‘dumb’ watches are longer-term commitments, or even heirlooms.
Furthermore, by pitching Apple Watch as a watch replacement, "Apple has targeted the wrong wrist," argued Radio Free Mobile founder Richard Windsor this week.
He said that dedicated fitness trackers are complementary to normal watches, whereas "Apple has to convince users to consign their beloved timepiece to a drawer.
"Apple will outsell its wearable rivals by a very wide margin but it will do this on the power of its brand and its design alone," Windsor said, predicting sales of 20 million in the first year.
As for me, I’m going to reserve my final judgement until I have experienced the Apple Watch for myself. As someone who does not own a single Apple device, that might take a while.
