Will you buy an Apple Watch?

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Will you buy the first version of the Apple Watch?

  • Yes

    Votes: 15 20.8%

  • No

    Votes: 57 79.2%
  • Total voters
    72
It is odd but the watch is now integrated into my routine, even though I do not seem to really be using it much. The fitness is nice, and I have a scale that also ties into the health app giving a years worth of data. That plus the iPhone 6 has been tracking all my steps over almost a year...

I just have to say it is an expensive but nice text reader... I guess I am just too lazy to pull the phone out of the pocket or find it to read a text. Now I can read them all the time... Even discretely in the the movie theater...
 
Today, Apple had it's first earnings call since the Apple watch was sold but they repeated their decision to not parse the number of Apple watch sales. However towards the end of the Q&A period Tim Cook did divulge some interesting non numerical info on how sales were going with the Apple watch.

First of all he did state that there are some who think they can come up with a number of watch sales by using the divulged accessories revenue and subtract out the revenue for non watch sales but it would be inaccurate since they would not know the ratio of accessories in the total as they don't break that down.
But later he said this:
The sales of Apple watches for the first day exceeded their expectations and quickly exceeded the inventory they prepared for April which triggered the shortage. May sales was even greater than April. June sales exceeded both April and May combined and it looks like this trend will continue for some time. However, they are planning for their biggest monthly sales of the Apple watch prior to the end off the year for the Holidays. Then he said the recent press estimate that said Apple watch sales were down 90% was laughable and totally inaccurate. So, it appears that the watch sales is not down but up significantly. The report of 90% fall off was just bogus.

In other release, he said the Apple watch has now 3rd party apps totally in 8500, up from 3500 at the end of May. He expects huge app increases when wOS 2.0 is released and 3rd party app developers have more access to stand alone app operation. In addition, they look forward to Apple Watch entering the enterprise market with apps developed for the medical industry, tie in with ipad and work being done with IBM.
 
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"Apple watch sales had accounted for "well over 100%" of growth in revenue from "other products." That category, which includes Apple TV, Beats Electronics, the iPod and the Apple Watch, posted a sales increase of 49% to $2.64 billion." This could lead one to believe that the Apple watch unit sales was only 4M for the quarter, well below the 11-15M some analysts were predicting, but if sales growth continues under the same trajectory that Cooks stated, it could be a 60M unit smart watch penetration by the end of the year. Market share is believed to also be #2 in the smart watch market, second only to FitBit watches.

Apple continues to beat in all areas in the stock market but traders shorted the stock severely in the after market forcing the price down by 7%+ A good opportunity to buy in this morning but as the price is now recovering fast, that opportunity is disappearing fast. The short attack was triggered by just a couple of traders for over 15M shares at the beginning of the qtr report yesterday afternoon with one trade of 2.75M shares alone!
 
I just saw Piper Jaffrey's released their estimates and while they used a different average sale price of $550 vs. my $500 per watch, their estimate failed to consider Cook's statement that other products in the category failed to increase and more of the increase in the category was from the watch than the 49% overall. As a result, PJ's estimate for the year is slightly lower than mine for the year. BUT, their point was that this estimate falls far short of the pre release estimates they made of 200,000 units per day sales. Also, note that Apple does not count a sale of the watch until it is delivered and billed. PJ counts the sale based on orders so using the revenue data to calculate sales orders, IMO, is an invalid calculation. PJ calculation falls apart if Apple can't deliver which is what happened up until mid June according to Cook when Apple stopped having to backorder and mfg caught up to demand. Since mid June, Cook said they can begin to stock stores in the US and expand sales into more foreign markets.
 
I'm hearing there are lots of very slightly used Apple watches on the market. Folks just didn't see the utility after they got 'em. True?
 
navychop said:
I'm hearing there are lots of very slightly used Apple watches on the market. Folks just didn't see the utility after they got 'em. True?
Click to expand...

When I wasn't sure of delivery times, I followed the ebay listings and found lots of the "slightly used" Apple watches, mostly the Aluminum Sport model on ebay for higher than MSRP. As Apple began delivering, the prices fell. I came close to buying one that was available here in north Florida and contacted them. It was a guy who bought 5 to speculate in the ebay auctions. I didn't win and he made some nice profits. A couple days later mine was delivered. Some of these ebay auctions were listed as "slightly used" because the speculator had to open the package and check them out. ebay rules require honesty and disclosure.

I think anyone who bought one and lost interest, probably hasn't taken the time to understand all that is possible with the Apple watch. I'm a bit different since I had 2 years to learn the benefits of a Smartwatch with the Sony model and for me moving to an Apple was just like upgrading from a Kindle to an ipad, or from a cheap economy car to a Mercedes or BMW. Not just far more features but also better performance and value for the money. For those who are no longer wearing a watch for time, getting an Apple watch is like a person living in NYC relying on public transportation and now deciding to buy a car. It may offer some advantages but many of these people will not want to put up with new task of charging the watch every other day or the unfamiliar feeling of something on their wrist. A car that requires a garage and other inconveniences for a NYC dweller, better to just call a cab or hop on the subway.
 
It will be interesting to see what those people who gave up on the Apple Watch based on the launch software do when WatchOS v2 comes out.

Apple's stock is down 4.23% to $125.22 as I write this, so there's still time to gobble up shares.
 
Roland, I think people who gave up on Apple watch based on the launch software aren't really the type of person who can use what these Smart watches offer or are willing to deal with the limitations of a Smart watch vs a traditional watch. Here's the legitimate excuses I have learned why these people are not candidates for a smart watch:
1. They just don't like to wear any watch, period.
2. They wear a watch but don't see the need for adding any function besides telling the time.
3. They find the need to charge the watch along with their phone as just unacceptable, since their quartz watch runs for 10 years on a battery.
4. Too much trouble to learn how to use it. These people barely use an iphone for more than phone, text, and a camera.

While I had the Sony for 2 years, I still spent some time looking at the Samsung, Pebble, and Fitbit as I waited for the Apple watch to arrive since I was happy with my Galaxy s5 anyway. What I know for certain is the release Apple watch is far superior to any of these android devices. The function extends at least 500% more than any of the android systems. Plus, the Apple watch is even easier for me to wear and fit, swap bands for different styles and fashion. So when someone uses the excuse that the Apple watch release is not good enough, I wonder what it is they are looking for. Granted, this Fall the wOS2.0 will open up a new chapter of applications it can't yet do, but we don't know yet what all is being worked on.

I do believe the wearable electronics is the way of the future and while Apple stock is my largest holding, I have also begun a position in FitBit as a way to play the lower priced wearable watch market. I got in on the IPO price so I'm near double my investment. But this is certainly a gamble. Apple is fantastic growth play. It's up 42% year over year. And, trading a part of the position on these $10 swings can double that annual growth rate even if the stock stays range bound as it has these past 6 months.
 
Don Landis said:
So when someone uses the excuse that the Apple watch release is not good enough, I wonder what it is they are looking for. Granted, this Fall the wOS2.0 will open up a new chapter of applications it can't yet do, but we don't know yet what all is being worked on.
Click to expand...
As I have a birthday coming up in a few more months, I might be getting myself an Apple Watch. So far, I have not run across one in the wild, and I've seen only celebrities on TV/Internet wearing them. I may be blazing the path at work come mid-September.

Another reason I would get one is HomeKit. I plan on replacing our timer-based thermostat with the HomeKit-enabled EcoBee3. It takes the Smart Thermostat an extra notch up by supporting remote thermal sensors that can be set in different rooms. The idea is when those rooms are occupied, the base unit starts to give those sensors more weight in the average temperature used to control the HVAC. Our house does not have zones so this is a way for the thermostat to adjust the temperature to the rooms where people are, making them more comfortable. It can also sense when all monitored rooms are unoccupied and switch to the "away" mode, even if it is not a normal "away" time.

There is an iOS App to monitor and control the EcoBee3, and with the addition of HomeKit Apple Watch support as well. The Apple Watch app can override temperature settings and monitor the remote "bees", too.

EDIT: I ran across this article referenced from the MacRumors site: https://www.strategyanalytics.com/s...e-the-world's-1-smartwatch-maker#.VbMHUnhvBcY
MacRumors Article: Apple Watch Captured Estimated 75% Smartwatch Market Share in Launch Quarter
 
Last edited:
I've seen plenty in the wild after about mid June. Recently I was in Best Buy and noticed two store clerks wearing the Sport model. another had the Pebble and several were wearing the FitBit. In mid May my son-in-law went to Disney for the weekend and said there were quite a few people wearing them and they all greeted each other like belonging to some early adopter club. I had to laugh at that one.

I haven't looked into the HVAC apps yet. I have one timer thermostat for the whole house. I don't know how that would work unless you have solenoid dampers on the air outlets in each room. Sounds expensive.
 
Apple said its smartwatch will be available at more than 100 Best Buy stores in the U.S., expanding to over 300 outlets before the holiday shopping season. Best Buy will be the first major U.S. retailer beside Apple to sell the device.

"The Apple Watch is an important addition to an emerging product category, and we know our customers want it," said Jason Bonfig, senior category officer at Best Buy. "We are excited to bring Apple Watch to more consumers, especially with the holidays coming up."

Best Buy stores will carry Apple Watch Sport and Apple Watch as well as a wide range of straps and other accessories. It will not carry Apple Watch Edition, the gold-cased model whose price starts at $10,000.
 
Best Buy began selling Apple Watch and accessories on Friday. Available on the Best Buy web site and in select Best Buy stores:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/clp/apple-watch/pcmcat748300502343.c?id=pcmcat748300502343

Click on "find a store" to see which Best Buy's near you have them.


It looks like if you have an Apple Store in your area no Best buy will be carrying them. Let us all know if this is not true. It is for Jacksonville as none of the Best Buy stores carry the watch.
 
Not in my area so I won't be getting a watch for a while.

Sent from my iPhone using Chrome.
 
n0qcu said:
Not in my area so I won't be getting a watch for a while.

Sent from my iPhone using Chrome.
Click to expand...


You can order through the Apple Store on line.


I wonder what the determining factor is for BB carrying the watch. I may stop in our local BB and ask.

I know according to reports from Apple they are trying to expand sales in other countries and supplies of some models are still difficult to keep in stock. If they would have packaged the Apple watch in separate sku packages, the inventory could have been better managed, putting together a watch by parts at the time of sale as opposed to guessing the right balance of assembled watches in a box. That would be package the bands separate from the basic watch which would require much less inventory with hardly any additional cost.
 
Well folks... I did it. I am now a an Apple Watch owner.

I never wanted an Apple Watch I was disappointed with its features and besides that I had ordered a brand new Pebble Time Steel on Kickstarter. I had no need for an Apple Watch.

Well my Pebble Time Steel got here on Wednesday and out of the box it had a screen issue where when the back light was on it looked like the screen was cracked from the bottom left corner up to the top right corner. (See pics at http://www.satelliteguys.us/pebble) I put in a ticket with Pebble and then woke up the next day with an even bigger problem. The screen had a frown on it with an error code and website URL on it. I went to that URL and it told me my new watch was dead. So I submitted another ticket.

And then decided to go to the Apple Store and get an Apple Watch. I got the basic 42mm Space Gray Apple Watch Sport Edition. An extra charger and Apple Care.

While in the store the girl who was helping me told me everyone is buying the Sport Edition, and that its been weeks since anyone has purchase the regular Apple Watch.

I did not have them set it up for me in the store instead I took it back to my office and got it setup. I was happy the battery was 80% charged, but I ut it on the charger anyways as it was doing it thing. Once it was up and running I loaded the latest WatchOS 2 beta on it and now I am rocking an Apple Watch.

I got to say I like it more then I thought I would. Even used it this morning to pay for breakfast. Left my phone up stairs last night and came down to take out the trash and got a phone call outside on my watch, I thought that was cool.

I found a cool app called the Roomie Remote and now I can control my TV, DISH Hopper, DIRECTV HR24 and Roku from my wrist. :D

Only issue I am having with it now is battery life. I had it charging all night and put the watch on at 6am, and as I was typing this just got a warning that less than 10% charge remain. I was hoping to get more than 13 hours battery life from it. But it could be in part due that I am running the beta software on it.
 
Welcome to the club Scott
Battery life may be linked to the beta software. Hope it gets all ironed out before the real release of OS2 which we'll all get the next few weeks.
I didn't do the beta and have 40-50% after 9-11 hours use.
 

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