Seriously, it was not that long ago that these were the phones that only the well-to-do (rich) could afford.
This made me think of one model I read about in A History of Engineering and Science in the Bell System 1875-1925. It was one of the first to support automated switching (entering digits to a control system instead of using a human operator). The digits were entered with a single button: you pressed quickly a number of times equal to the digit, pause, another set of pushes for the next digit, pause, etc.
That's sort of humorous from a UI design standpoint in light of the early one button Apple mouse.
We're getting waaaay off topic here but this is probably the first and last time I get to discuss watches on an Apple form :-)
I think the biggest problem Seiko has is their branding - which is, I am sorry to say, hopelessly confused. They cannot use the Seiko brand for everything that they produce - Seiko is indelibly associated in most Western consumers' minds as a mid-priced quartz watch. I recall an issue of WatchTime where an unnamed Swiss watch CEO waxed lyrical about how good the watches are but ended up saying that their biggest problem is their name. Not many people are going to pay several thousand dollars for a watch that says "Seiko" on the dial.
Their other big problem is that they are still pretty reluctant to commit to really pushing their mechanical watches - which is a pity since they are capable of doing almost anything that the Swiss can. For the longest time, they kept their mechanical watches hidden away in Japan and even now when they have finally started to sell mechanical watches in the west, they still appear tentative.
- HCE
I agree completely, but it seems like they're starting to open up a bit. There's a Grand Seiko store in my (European) town, for example
this is so funny! reminds me of microsoft saying the ipad was doomed cause they had tried tablets and people didnt like them, like many ditched the iphone before; decca telling beatles to give up cause four-member bands were out, and funny enough too even steve jobs when he said computers didnt need color back in the day. i may not like many of the ways apple has gone in the past ten years, but the jury is still out, i was wrong with fcp x so with the closed itunes ecosystem strategy it is early to tell.. but i do know that if apple makes a watch it will be useful!
the apple camera days are gone.. they have patents on screen projection so maybe this is where they are going.. maybe watches will soon have a bigger screen then even the huge galaxys, but floating up in the air like a hologram. maybe flexible screens will do the trick. and even if battery is an issue for sure at some point for rf, if there is one thing im sure of is that this swatch ceo comment will one day go down in history as a funny anecdote
Nobody but the true fanbois will buy an Apple watch, the wristwatch is dying, replaced by the pocket watch also known as a phone.
The only people who still buy wristwatches are buying a fashion accessory, not something to use to tell time. Most of them still look at their phones when they want to know the time.
And while the Apple watch would look cool to us tech-heads, it's not going to look cool to the idiots who spend stupid money on a Rolex.
Great post, but I'd take Seiko out of that list. Yes, they make a ton of cheap watches, but their luxury products (Grand Seiko, Ananta, Credor) are absolutely amazing and on par with anything the big Swiss manufacturers have to offer. So they're certainly a bit more exposed to competition from something like an iWatch, but their brilliant high-end models would make up for that. They're also very innovative, as their hi-beat and especially their spring drive movements show.
Nice to read an informed and open-minded discussion here on an old art form, mechanical timekeeping, and that it's still very much alive. Thanks.
Actually, I own a few. They still make a couple of cool, relatively inexpensive ones.
But their design capabilities seem to have significantly declined over the years.
(As an aside, people may not know this, but Swatch is, by far, the largest watch company in the world. They own a number of major luxury brands -- e.g., Omega, Blancpain, Breguet -- as well as high-end jewelry stores. They also have a chokehold on some critical watch components, as one of the biggest component suppliers to the industry. In other words, no one would be more threatened by Apple's entry into this market than Swatch).
I was going to post the same thing. They are also the worlds largest manufacturer of watch mechanisms, both cheap, and high end. Many other companies buy from them.
That's an important point to keep in mind. I love seeing people talk about Apple hyping a product - when Apple has never even mentioned it. That's the problem with all these silly rumors - they acquire a life of their own and when Apple fails to commercialize every single silly idea that people come up with, the stock gets hammered.
Did you take a big loss on it or something? You posted several months ago that seeing multiple executives sell large percentages of their shares made you nervous. Edit : not nervous but commented that something wasn't right if I remember correctly.
edit edit: It's hard for me to see this as feasible unless a watch makes more sense than a phone in your pocket. The trend has been largely in favor of consolidation when it comes to mobile devices. The rumors take on a life of their own because it's such a large company that constantly feeds off media attention.
Comments
http://www.economist.com/news/business/21571943-industry-ripe-shake-up-time-money
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dick Applebaum
Seriously, it was not that long ago that these were the phones that only the well-to-do (rich) could afford.
This made me think of one model I read about in A History of Engineering and Science in the Bell System 1875-1925. It was one of the first to support automated switching (entering digits to a control system instead of using a human operator). The digits were entered with a single button: you pressed quickly a number of times equal to the digit, pause, another set of pushes for the next digit, pause, etc.
That's sort of humorous from a UI design standpoint in light of the early one button Apple mouse.
Quote:
Originally Posted by HCE
We're getting waaaay off topic here but this is probably the first and last time I get to discuss watches on an Apple form :-)
I think the biggest problem Seiko has is their branding - which is, I am sorry to say, hopelessly confused. They cannot use the Seiko brand for everything that they produce - Seiko is indelibly associated in most Western consumers' minds as a mid-priced quartz watch. I recall an issue of WatchTime where an unnamed Swiss watch CEO waxed lyrical about how good the watches are but ended up saying that their biggest problem is their name. Not many people are going to pay several thousand dollars for a watch that says "Seiko" on the dial.
Their other big problem is that they are still pretty reluctant to commit to really pushing their mechanical watches - which is a pity since they are capable of doing almost anything that the Swiss can. For the longest time, they kept their mechanical watches hidden away in Japan and even now when they have finally started to sell mechanical watches in the west, they still appear tentative.
- HCE
I agree completely, but it seems like they're starting to open up a bit. There's a Grand Seiko store in my (European) town, for example
the apple camera days are gone.. they have patents on screen projection so maybe this is where they are going.. maybe watches will soon have a bigger screen then even the huge galaxys, but floating up in the air like a hologram. maybe flexible screens will do the trick. and even if battery is an issue for sure at some point for rf, if there is one thing im sure of is that this swatch ceo comment will one day go down in history as a funny anecdote
" Certainly not a watch!"
No, but is it a coincidence that this came about near the time of the shareholders voting?
Newpapers love to sell stories so maybe this 'iBangle' was all a bit concocted.
Saying that the Google glasses onslaught might soon mean retro is now cool.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ort
It would be an accessory.
Not everything needs to be a revolution.
Ah, but an accessory can be a revolution.
Nobody but the true fanbois will buy an Apple watch, the wristwatch is dying, replaced by the pocket watch also known as a phone.
The only people who still buy wristwatches are buying a fashion accessory, not something to use to tell time. Most of them still look at their phones when they want to know the time.
And while the Apple watch would look cool to us tech-heads, it's not going to look cool to the idiots who spend stupid money on a Rolex.
Nice to read an informed and open-minded discussion here on an old art form, mechanical timekeeping, and that it's still very much alive. Thanks.
Right, especially an accessory that's connected to the noösphere.
I was going to post the same thing. They are also the worlds largest manufacturer of watch mechanisms, both cheap, and high end. Many other companies buy from them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jragosta
That's an important point to keep in mind. I love seeing people talk about Apple hyping a product - when Apple has never even mentioned it. That's the problem with all these silly rumors - they acquire a life of their own and when Apple fails to commercialize every single silly idea that people come up with, the stock gets hammered.
Did you take a big loss on it or something? You posted several months ago that seeing multiple executives sell large percentages of their shares made you nervous. Edit : not nervous but commented that something wasn't right if I remember correctly.
edit edit: It's hard for me to see this as feasible unless a watch makes more sense than a phone in your pocket. The trend has been largely in favor of consolidation when it comes to mobile devices. The rumors take on a life of their own because it's such a large company that constantly feeds off media attention.