“In Apple CEO Tim Cook’s words, the Apple Watch is ‘incredibly beautiful,'” Jack Linshi writes for TIME Magazine. “But some are saying it’s “incredibly unnecessary.'”
MacDailyNews Take: “Some” said similar things about the Mac, the iMac, Apple Retail Stores, the iPod, iTunes, iTunes Store, iPhone, the MacBook Air, and iPad, among other things. This is what “some” do just prior to an Apple-generated paradigm shift.
“But what few realize is that Apple has a 3.7 million square mile ace up its sleeve: China,” Linshi writes. “It’s no secret that Chinese consumers love their Apple products. Chinese resellers and admirers alike traveled the world and lined up for days to sweep up Apple’s latest iPhone last fall. Some constructed iPhone 6 “undergarments” to bypass customs duties on the way home. One man even used 99 iPhone 6 units to propose to his girlfriend. (She said no.)”
“Now, with the Apple Watch heading to China on April 24, the country’s Apple fans have already begun generating outlandish headlines,” Linshi writes. “Apple, then, is likely counting on its legions of Chinese fans to scoop up Apple Watches to help boost worldwide sales. But China is no back-up plan. In fact, given Apple’s loyal following in China, the Apple Watch could very well have been made for China.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Apple Watch is not just for China. As Apple says, “There’s an Apple Watch for everyone.”
Apple Watch will be a hit around the world. Watch and see.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “Fred Mertz”and “Dan K.” for the heads up.]
Ha! There’s that “or something” at the end of the headline again, which means I HAVE to read it to find out what laughable stupidity someone’s bleating about. 🙂
Apple’s “ace up its sleeve” is Apple’s existing happy and enthusiastic customer base, with iPhone (5 or later), in China and everywhere else. These are not random people; these people already have an Apple ID and a relationship with Apple. At launch of Apple Watch, they will be 300 million strong (at least), likely significantly more. Only a VERY small percentage of that pool of potential customers needs to act like typical Apple customers (“I want one as soon as it’s available!”), and Apple “sells” millions in pre-order before sales actually begin.
By the end of the June, Apple sells (or has a waiting list for) TENS of millions, even if only 10% (1-in-10) are “early adopters.” There will be three additional quarters of iPhone sales in 2015, including release of the next iPhone models; Apple sold almost 75 million iPhones during the last completed quarter alone. Going forward, Apple Watch is sitting there on display, as iPhone’s prized companion.
Actually Cook said about 3 months ago that there are 700 million Apple ID’s with credit cards attached to them at that time.
That’s even better, but not all of them are iPhone (5 and later) owners. But I’ll bet at least half of them are, and growing larger every day… Apple has conditions set up to ensure success for Apple Watch.
Heh. “Watch and see.” I see what you did there.
I was thinking China as well! In one of Apple’s video’s before all of this started I noticed a lot of Chinese people wear watches! I still do as well, but watches don’t seem to be as common in the U.S. Can’t wait to see the numbers!
I just don’t see the need for critics to call for a product to be a failure before it goes on sale. There’s plenty of smartwatches already out there they can call a failure. Why go after Apple so early? I kind of wonder when the U.S. Space program started back in the 60’s if there were so many people saying that it would be a failure before the first rocket was ever launched. Do people automatically think failure first before they think success? Calling a product that hasn’t been sold yet a failure is just retarded.
They throw whatever at apple because people will click on the link. Bash shamedung and nobody cares.
There are close to 7 million people on this earth. Each with 2 arms (for the most part). If Apple don’t succeed in getting an apple watch on every arm in the world, we should certainly could the launch a failure.
That’s BILLION. 🙂 And it’s now more than 7.
To me, it’s amazing that Apple has sold more than ONE BILLION iOS devices as of late last year, considering the population of the entire world is about seven billion (and a significant portion are children).
If I’m deciphering your ignorance correctly, you are saying that if Apple doesn’t put a watch on every person on Earth then the product is a failure.
Did you star in “Dumber and Dumber”?
Who’s the dumb one? Is /s really necessary?
No, but a semblance of proper grammar would be nice:
“… we should certainly could the launch a failure.”
I don’t have any doubts that Apple doesn’t know what it’s doing. I’m sure at some point they must have done some research about what consumers would like before undertaking this AppleWatch project. There must have been some favorable response or some indication that AppleWatch would be an item they could sell. I can’t believe Apple is doing this blindly and taking a huge risk of soiling its reputation.
They’ve got app developers behind them that certainly must somewhat believe in AppleWatch making them money. These people who keep criticizing Apple and claiming AppleWatch is going to be some huge failure either are stupid or have some sort of agenda to see Apple fail. I don’t know about AppleWatch changing the world or anything that extreme, but I feel certain it will sell at least as well as AppleTV. My blind faith tells me Apple is smarter than all those pundits and critics who do nothing but sit back and yell “Flop!” How many of them have even tried the product before telling everyone in earshot that Apple has a clunker product?
Although smartwatches aren’t currently useful to most of the general population, I believe in time and a few generations out they could be. It’s too early to just give up and say, “No consumer out there will buy an AppleWatch.” At least wait until it goes on sale to see if such a statement is true.
If Apple fails to shift enough units and that’s a big if, they could offer a discount when you buy an iPhone and Watch together. Perhaps a $50 discount or something. I am very sure that it will be a runaway success, literally. How many people have I seen jogging with an iPhone strapped to their arm and thought to myself well there’s another iWatch sale…let alone the health monitoring possibilities in healthcare. When the Apple watch becomes a true standalone product it will be everything Apple wanted it to be. At the moment its a beta product, but a mighty fine one at that. I will probably wait to purchase a 3rd or 4th generation Apple Watch – slimmer, faster, longer battery, and finally no need for iPhone to use all features, whilst retaining further advantages when you pair with your iPhone, Mac, Car etc… I imagine the next big feature of the 2nd generation watch will be FaceTime.
“How many people have I seen jogging with an iPhone strapped to their arm…”
none, you’re fulla crap.
Well over here in the people do, I can’t speak for other countries. Thanks for your constructive comment.
Most everyone can afford an Apple watch. If you finance it for one year, it’s cost is around a dollar a day…a buck…we spend far more on coffee, etc…each day. Anyone who is complaining about the $350 price doesn’t have a job. We all let a dollar slip thru our pocket each day in one way or another. Consider it a lease to own pmt. and buy a cheaper brand of toilet paper…c’mon. I laugh at the naysayers.
Apple Watch will be a roaring success, but wait, what might not be?
MDN’s page load times have been getting longer and longer.
What people don’t know is that over half the gold $10k+ watches will be sold in China.
The Chinese love gold. The Chinese love to show off their wealth. The Chinese love to give gifts to family, to bosses, to employees, as wedding presents, etc. The Chinese love Apple products.
The East Indians, you know, the Indians in or from India, love gold a hell of a lot more than the Chinese.
Can’t wait to see their turn.
Ah, but they buy gold as an investment, with many women buying solid gold necklaces, not only for adornment but also for future security.
Buying an Apple Watch makes no sense in this context.
“Apple . . . is likely counting on its legions of Chinese fans to scoop up Apple Watches”
Unlike most companies who don’t count on their customers to purchase their products.
I bet the next big thing for Apple fans is the Apple Fan. A wireless blue tooth fan that is the ultimate in fan technology. Every Apple fan is gonna want an Apple Fan.
I think – based on a completely unscientific, unproven instinct – that Apple Watch will have decent initial sales (by Apple standards), but as more and more people get to see the actual watches and what they can do and how they look – and as Apple continues periodically to add more features – it will gradually take off in a big way.
No no no, you guys have it all wrong! (waves arms wildly)
They’re putting out an intentional bomb so that the stock
price takes a nosedive, down to $72!! Then they buy back
a whole buncha stock…then they release the car and
the robot…the stock soars and they sell their holdings,
Valuation over a trillion, cash reserve tops half a trillion.
Now about that robot…
..he’s called the iSteve and he looks kinda familiar…
round glasses, black turtleneck, jeans and sneakers..
he has built in everything, media player, phone…
he projects 3D movies with stereo eye beams
(though it is kinda freaky to have him standing
there projecting the movie while you watch…
and some people might be thrown when he
‘sings’ the songs you play…phone calls
are conversations with iSteve…)
…and he can drive you around in the Apple Car!!
The beautiful ones are the high end ones that most people won’t bite for. The cheap ones are butt ugly