Web traffic points to slow but steady Apple Watch interest, UBS says
As gauged by Web search traffic, interest in the Apple Watch has diminished considerably since the launch of the product in April but in a relatively smooth fashion, analysts with international financial firm UBS hinted on Tuesday.
Interest is reportedly lower than that seen with previous Apple products, and more closely mirrors the patterns of devices like the Nintendo 3DS, Kindle Fire, and Nexus One -- but it has declined slower than with some other Apple devices, UBS commented. The firm added that it thought expanded retail presence in June might have lead to less online activity, but that doesn't appear to have been the case.
Search queries have dropped by at least 60 percent in most countries, UBS claimed. The strongest traffic is based in the U.S., Canada, Hong Kong, and the UK, but is described as "quite weak" in Japan relative to the high popularity of the iPhone in that country.
At least some decline is expected after any launch however, and there is no direct relationship between Web searches and popular demand.
UBS estimates suggest that Apple sold 2.2 million Watches in the June quarter, and are calling for only 20 million in Apple's 2016 fiscal year, about half its original forecast. The firm was among a number that anticipated higher sales, and there has been wide disagreement about the June quarter -- Canalys, for instance, has claimed that shipments hit 4.2 million.
Apple has been mum on exact figures, only indicating that the Watch outsold first-generation iPhones and iPads in comparable early timeframes, and that June Watch sales surpassed those in April or May.
Even if interest has fallen, "a slow start does not mean the Watch can't be a success as native apps are created and more functionality added over time," UBS elaborated.
Apple is due to release watchOS 2 sometime this fall. Native app support will be the headlining feature, fixing the slow speeds of some apps that can often make it simpler to pull out an iPhone than check a Watch.
Interest is reportedly lower than that seen with previous Apple products, and more closely mirrors the patterns of devices like the Nintendo 3DS, Kindle Fire, and Nexus One -- but it has declined slower than with some other Apple devices, UBS commented. The firm added that it thought expanded retail presence in June might have lead to less online activity, but that doesn't appear to have been the case.
Search queries have dropped by at least 60 percent in most countries, UBS claimed. The strongest traffic is based in the U.S., Canada, Hong Kong, and the UK, but is described as "quite weak" in Japan relative to the high popularity of the iPhone in that country.
At least some decline is expected after any launch however, and there is no direct relationship between Web searches and popular demand.
UBS estimates suggest that Apple sold 2.2 million Watches in the June quarter, and are calling for only 20 million in Apple's 2016 fiscal year, about half its original forecast. The firm was among a number that anticipated higher sales, and there has been wide disagreement about the June quarter -- Canalys, for instance, has claimed that shipments hit 4.2 million.
Apple has been mum on exact figures, only indicating that the Watch outsold first-generation iPhones and iPads in comparable early timeframes, and that June Watch sales surpassed those in April or May.
Even if interest has fallen, "a slow start does not mean the Watch can't be a success as native apps are created and more functionality added over time," UBS elaborated.
Apple is due to release watchOS 2 sometime this fall. Native app support will be the headlining feature, fixing the slow speeds of some apps that can often make it simpler to pull out an iPhone than check a Watch.
Comments
How does UBS get search stats for ?Watch?
Why does one want an AppleWatch? That is the question, everyones question. There is plenty other things people can do with thier money.
About 4-5M people have already answered this question... Handle your money and we'll handle ours...
Why do you want to post responses to Appleinsider stories? That is the question, your question. There are plenty of other things you can do with your time.
I'm not worrying why, I love mine...
Interesting the watch compares closely to the 3DS, kindle fire and nexus. I don't recall articles declaring those products failures or the companies are doomed.
welcome to the Internet, son.
Of course there is, let's not lie to ourselves. If people are interested, they search. If they aren't interested, they won't buy. Simple as that.
As gauged by Web search traffic, interest in the Apple Watch has diminished considerably since the launch of the product in April but in a relatively smooth fashion, analysts with international financial firm UBS hinted on Tuesday.
"UBS Claims that ?Watch sales are 'Smooth'"!
Yep they should be "Spiky", like Apple's share price this week. Why?
Anyhow, very happy with mine.
I shared my Apple Watch experience earlier, I was interested enough to order one but after spending some time with one at the Apple retail store, I immediately cancelled my order. I am not saying this is a bad product or that it won't sell millions or that there are not millions of happy Apple Watch owners already. What I am saying is this product will be not much more than an accessory product for those with an iPhone and not a "halo" product which the original iPod and iPhone were. I think most fanboys (which I include myself) don't want to hear that Apple has made a tepid product after so many years of grand slams, but the reality lies in the sales numbers which I agree might be too soon to tell the whole story. If you love Apple's products and want them to be great do yourselves a favor and regain a critical eye. Apple listens to it's customers complaints, help them make the Apple Watch 2.0 what this version should have been.
This is actually an apt description of the ? Watch. And that is okay!!! Mine is a spectacular accessory to the iPhone. We are years and years away from watches being a viable alternative to a smartphone. The battery technology is nowhere near where it needs to be to support a completely autonomous device the size of a watch. So for now, what could be better than an extension of your iPhone on your wrist?
I believe that besides the exceptionally useful features the ? Watch provides such as messages, calls, emails and apps, the most under appreciated one is handoff. I now go to my ? Watch before any of my other devices to reference something (which I believe was Apple's main focus for it when they designed it) and if I would like to expand the information I am seeing to a larger screen, I can immediately pick up EXACTLY where I left off on my iPhone, or my iPad, or even my MacBook! That is something that I have begun using more and more as the weeks with my ? Watch have gone by. Once OS2 is released, the ? Watch will improve further and those on the fence or that cancelled their original orders I believe will finally go for it. Autonomous wi-fi connection I think will be the greatest benefit when it goes live and that will further the convenience benefits that most would be interested in with a product like the ? Watch.
...help them make the Apple Watch 2.0 what this version should have been.
In other words, perfect for *you* from the very outset. The proverbial grand slam with little effort. I don't mean to be facetious, but it seems that analyst expectations (often derided) seem to quietly mirror techie boy expectations, minus the self-awareness.
I now go to my ? Watch before any of my other devices to reference something (which I believe was Apple's main focus for it when they designed it) and if I would like to expand the information I am seeing to a larger screen, I can immediately pick up EXACTLY where I left off on my iPhone, or my iPad, or even my MacBook!
I have an ? Watch too, and I really enjoy it. But I have no idea what you are talking about when you say that you use your ? Watch to "reference something" and then use your iPhone, iPad, or MacBook to "pick up EXACTLY where" you left off.
Can you give an example? I think perhaps I'm missing out on some capabilities or some apps, because I'm not doing what you're doing.