The Apple watch is not a watch. And please no Motorola hype. Motorola is a company in existential crisis now. Owned by Lenovo, another company in deep trouble. Like Samsung all three are stuck in the deadly middle of the market beneath dominant Apple and above the pirahnas of dozens of cheap phone makers which look "as good as" their models. So they are both outclassed and underpriced at the same time.
Very few people will consider buying Motorola products unless the price is brought down considerably, same with Samsung and Lenovo whose premium phones are over $600
So the answer to how Apple will sell the watch becomes clearer. Have boutique stores (standalone and piggyback) handle the heavy lifting on the pricier models, and let the existing Apple Stores handle most of the traffic on the mass market ones. That way, existing stores can be only slightly modified to accomodate the new product. No need to create a crazy lux/everyman ridiculous hybrid.
So the answer to how Apple will sell the watch becomes clearer. Have boutique stores (standalone and piggyback) handle the heavy lifting on the pricier models, and let the existing Apple Stores handle most of the traffic on the mass market ones. That way, existing stores can be only slightly modified to accomodate the new product. No need to create a crazy lux/everyman ridiculous hybrid.
You know...maybe. And perhaps more likely on launch. But, in the long run, I really can't see Apple making a product you can't get directly from them...somehow. I can see early on that Apple Watch Edition will be a "prestige" item with limited availability in Apple Stores - perhaps requiring an appointment to access. Would people online order an edition for UPS delivery? Some might. But on launch day? Sure - I can see your point: Apple Watch Edition only in select stores.
And two things are reasonably predictable:
1. People need to be careful about doorside delivery on launch day. I can see an active uptick in Bad Guys(tm) watching for deliveries on doorsteps that week for packages from Apple Inc.; and
2. Business opportunity: Concierge service by third parties to come show you an Apple Watch Edition in your home/office. For a fee, of course.
The Apple watch is not a watch. And please no Motorola hype. Motorola is a company in existential crisis now. Owned by Lenovo, another company in deep trouble. Like Samsung all three are stuck in the deadly middle of the market beneath dominant Apple and above the pirahnas of dozens of cheap phone makers which look "as good as" their models. So they are both outclassed and underpriced at the same time.
Very few people will consider buying Motorola products unless the price is brought down considerably, same with Samsung and Lenovo whose premium phones are over $600
So nobody should try to build a premium phone? They should just all quit?
I still don't get it. A high priced watch keeps its value. A Rolex is a Rolex, even after ten years. A gen 1 apple watch is an outdated piece of tech with a dead battery. Unless the gold version with its high price gives you kind of life time free update on the internals I don't see the sense of the high priced model.
I still don't get it. A high priced watch keeps its value. A Rolex is a Rolex, even after ten years. A gen 1 apple watch is an outdated piece of tech with a dead battery. Unless the gold version with its high price gives you kind of life time free update on the internals I don't see the sense of the high priced model.
Congrats for understanding the obvious - most people here don't.
I still don't get it. A high priced watch keeps its value. A Rolex is a Rolex, even after ten years. A gen 1 apple watch is an outdated piece of tech with a dead battery. Unless the gold version with its high price gives you kind of life time free update on the internals I don't see the sense of the high priced model.
No one knows how much Edition watches will sell for anyway... How expensive is "expensive"? One thousand? Three thousand? Ten thousand? Sometimes a higher price will ensure higher sales. It's all relative.
Comments
You mean Dixons.
Very few people will consider buying Motorola products unless the price is brought down considerably, same with Samsung and Lenovo whose premium phones are over $600
So the answer to how Apple will sell the watch becomes clearer. Have boutique stores (standalone and piggyback) handle the heavy lifting on the pricier models, and let the existing Apple Stores handle most of the traffic on the mass market ones. That way, existing stores can be only slightly modified to accomodate the new product. No need to create a crazy lux/everyman ridiculous hybrid.
You know...maybe. And perhaps more likely on launch. But, in the long run, I really can't see Apple making a product you can't get directly from them...somehow. I can see early on that Apple Watch Edition will be a "prestige" item with limited availability in Apple Stores - perhaps requiring an appointment to access. Would people online order an edition for UPS delivery? Some might. But on launch day? Sure - I can see your point: Apple Watch Edition only in select stores.
And two things are reasonably predictable:
1. People need to be careful about doorside delivery on launch day. I can see an active uptick in Bad Guys(tm) watching for deliveries on doorsteps that week for packages from Apple Inc.; and
2. Business opportunity: Concierge service by third parties to come show you an Apple Watch Edition in your home/office. For a fee, of course.
So nobody should try to build a premium phone? They should just all quit?
I still don't get it. A high priced watch keeps its value. A Rolex is a Rolex, even after ten years. A gen 1 apple watch is an outdated piece of tech with a dead battery. Unless the gold version with its high price gives you kind of life time free update on the internals I don't see the sense of the high priced model.
Congrats for understanding the obvious - most people here don't.
No one knows how much Edition watches will sell for anyway... How expensive is "expensive"? One thousand? Three thousand? Ten thousand? Sometimes a higher price will ensure higher sales. It's all relative.