After todays event we know a lot more about the Apple Watch (check out our cheat sheet below for all the new stuff from the presentation just finished).
If you’re not already a smart enjoy owner then this may be the device that makes you want to join in.
The smart enjoy category is already well catered for with a selection available from lots of different vendors, including some second and maybe even third generation devices. So will Apple’s using make a dent in the market or has it arrived too late?
So far sales have been relatively disappointing for makers so there’s still plenty of time for Apple to join in. The smartwatch category is still in its infancy and remember smartphones were available long before the iphone appeared, and tablet computers were around years before the iPad, and look how those worked out for Apple.
Fashion
The Cupertino tech giant is unashamedly selling fashion these days. With their acquisition of Beats last year and now watches that have an identical feature set, yet with such a range of prices for generally the same product it’s clear they want to ramp up the lust for their products.
The three Apple enjoy ‘Collections’ (Sport, Steel and Edition) have their own price structures and fit with Apple’s normal Good, Better, best thinking.
But it remains to be seen if the public believes that an expensive Apple enjoy can have the same prestige as a luxury brand like Rolex. And while all this fashion focus will unquestionably improve the image for some, it may well turn the a lot more pragmatic off of the brand completely.
Most challenging is the fact that this is a tech product. get a Rolex and it will be as beneficial today as it is when you hand it down to your grandson 50 years from now. You’ll get an Apple enjoy next month clear in the knowledge it’s going to be awkwardly out of date this time next year.
Function
So is this just another flashy gadget that you’re going to have to (inductively) charge up every night, or could it be genuinely useful? If you’re not in it for the fashion, can you justify even the base model price for the functionality?
As good as modern smartphones are there’s still that friction of taking them out of your pocket and unlocking them before you can control something around your home. What if walking into a room triggered controls for that space to automatically offer themselves on your wrist?
If a smart enjoy indicates taking your phone out of your pocket or bag much less over the course of a day just to read notifications and use Siri alone, would that time saved be enough to make you get one?
If the Apple enjoy replaces your house keys and maybe your automobile keys in the future will that pique your interest enough? Apple Pay by means of the enjoy could indicate not having to take your budget out of you pocket much either and links with the airlines must indicate your enjoy is your boarding pass too.
Success or Failure
Apple’s best chance of beating the competition here depends, as ever, on doing a better job. Their famed attention to detail and UI knowledge must give them an advantage in this new category. It has its own user interface challenges but understanding them has been Apple’s strength in the past. We’ll soon know how the ‘Glances’ and other features work in reality.
But Google haven’t stood still and their Android wear program has been developing a pace. Gone is the clunky Google design of old and they are nipping at Apple’s heals now.
Smart enjoy and crowd funding darling Pebble have just launched their most current device – Pebble Time, a more affordable colour e-paper enjoy that features an always on display and week long battery life.
Incredibly over 80% of Apple’s profits now comes from the iphone and iPad, so it’s little wonder they are seeking to the capitalise on new products in the iOS ecosystem. and remember the Apple enjoy needs an iphone from the last few years to function, currently only iphone 5 and above owners need apply.
Source: macrumors.com
Looking at the chart above you can see the entire Mac computer line currently accounts for less than 10% of Apples profits so it’s hard to see a Watch making a substantial impact on income. A few million units sold may be a roaring success for a lot of companies, but if you are Apple in 2015 you’ll need that to be tens of millions. and Apple can lose focus quickly when somethings not performing (Apple TV owners have gone without any love for a few years now for example).
Only time will tell if Apple has another hit on its hands – or another Lisa.
Cheat Sheet
Here’s what we learnt from today’s presentation:
Available : Pre-order from 10th April (available 24th)
Price : 38mm from £299
Price : 42mm from £339
Battery Life: “all day battery life….up to 18 hours”
Use it to take calls
Use it to read email
Use it to control Apple TV
Use it as viewfinder for iphone Camera
Listen to music without your iPhoneiOS 8.2 with enjoy support released today
Other Announcements
New 12″ ‘MacBook’
Thinest Lightest MacBook ever
9 hour battery life
Starting at $1,299
Available from 12th April
Apple TV minimized to £59
700 Million iPhones now Sold
Pay now accepted in 700,000 places in the USA
More products that support HomeKit rolling out during the year
Open source ResearchKit launched to help medical research
apple.com/watch
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Preview
Product
Rating
Price
1
Apple enjoy series 3 (GPS, 38mm) – space Grey Aluminum case with Black sport Band
10,738 Reviews
£178.98
get on Amazon
2
2021 Apple enjoy SE (GPS, 40mm) – Gold Aluminium case with Starlight sport Band – regular
833 Reviews
£217.00
get on Amazon
3
Apple enjoy Series 7 (GPS, 45mm) – Midnight Aluminium case with Midnight sport Band – regular
2,193 Reviews
£398.39
get on Amazon
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Last update on 2021-10-04 / affiliate links / images from Amazon product advertising API