Apple Watch Sales Have Dropped 90% Since Opening Week

[Steven Bogos]

Apple Watch Sales Have Dropped 90% Since Opening Week

It seems that Apple's newest gizmo isn't quite "ticking" with its user base.

The first smartwatch [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/tag/view/apple%20watch?os=apple+watch], but in true Apple fashion it is pretending that it is, and like the MP3 player and smartphone before it is attempting to make the gizmo the next big "everyday" thing in tech. Unfortunately, it's not quite "ticking" with its user base, as sales have plunged a whopping 90% since the watch's opening week.

Market Watch [http://www.marketwatch.com/story/apple-watch-may-not-be-ticking-with-customers-2015-07-07] reports that fewer than 20,000 watches a day are moved in the US, with particularly bad days dropping to lower than 10,000. This is an incredibly stark contrast to the watch's launch week, which saw 1.5 million watches, or around 200,000 per day, sold.

And those super fancy, super expensive solid gold Apple Watches? [http://store.apple.com/us/buy-watch/apple-watch-edition/42mm-18-karat-yellow-gold-case-black-classic-buckle?product=MKL62LL/A&step=detail] Less than 2,000 have been sold since the device's launch.

While a drop-off in sales following launch week is nothing out of the ordinary, a drop this stark does paint somewhat of an ominous picture for the device.

However, Apple probably isn't too worried as the Apple Watch contributes to a mere 4% of its profits, and is more of an experimental new product than anything else.

Honestly, I'm not surprised. I've said it before and i'll say it again: Smartwatches are never going to take off until we can get high-capacity fast-charging batteries. Having to plug your phone in every night is annoying, but also having to charge your watch every damn 12 hours is unacceptable.

Source: Market Watch [http://www.marketwatch.com/story/apple-watch-may-not-be-ticking-with-customers-2015-07-07]

Permalink

 

[Jak2364]

These things make me feel like an out of touch old man and I'm nowhere near that stage in my life. I just don't understand their point? Like, what do they do that makes them a worthy companion device to a smartphone? Don't they just show the time, notifications, and maybe control certain other apps from your device or something, all of which you could just pull your phone out of your pocket to use?

 

[The Hungry Samurai]

Honestly, I'm not surprised. I've said it before and i'll say it again: Smartwatches are never going to take off until we can get high-capacity fast-charging batteries. Having to plug your phone in every night is annoying, but also having to charge your watch every damn 12 hours is unacceptable.

That's a pretty hardcore exageration. I own one, I'm up at 7am and right now at 11pm my Apple Sport has 48% charge without leaving my wrist.

On heavy use days (when I take it jogging or use it to display turn by turn directions, I drive for a living) I'll occasionally top off my watch while I'm in the shower. (80% to Full in less than 30 minutes) My phone is a much worse battery hog.

I"m not surprised it's not selling well but I really do like the thing, my only complaint is that the app store is still pretty sparse, but it's the best watch/fitness tracker I've ever had.

It's not for everyone but it's been perfect for me.

 

[oldtaku]

And those super fancy, super expensive solid gold Apple Watches? Less than 2,000 have been sold since the device's launch.

Two of them for a rich Chinese brat's husky (yes, the dog).

 

[The Hungry Samurai]

These things make me feel like an out of touch old man and I'm nowhere near that stage in my life. I just don't understand their point? Like, what do they do that makes them a worthy companion device to a smartphone? Don't they just show the time, notifications, and maybe control certain other apps from your device or something, all of which you could just pull your phone out of your pocket to use?

That's the reason they're selling poorly, there really isn't anything they do that can't be covered by a fitbit and an iPhone. The things I like about it is that I want the time on my wrist, and a fitness tracker, but I don't want to wear a watch and a fitbit, I also spend a lot of time on the road, and I feel its safer to check my texts/screen my calls/use my phone GPS for directions with this instead of my phone.

 

[circularlogic88]

Why have a smart watch when you have a smart phone? If it's for the pulse tracker, then why not just get a fitbit? It just doesn't make any sense to me.

 

[FPLOON]

But, I thought if Colbert had one, everyone would have one!

Other than that, I could have bought one... if it wasn't from Apple... and didn't replace the waterproof watch I have on now...

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

I know someone who got one of these things. It doesn't really do half the stuff it was advertised to do, and the half it actually does, it doesn't do well.

This is why I avoid the cutting edge. I invest in technology around generation 3 or 4 when they've ironed out all the kinks.

 

[WhiteTigerShiro]

Honestly, I'm not surprised. I've said it before and i'll say it again: Smartwatches are never going to take off until we can get high-capacity fast-charging batteries. Having to plug your phone in every night is annoying, but also having to charge your watch every damn 12 hours is unacceptable.

Sounds like you should switch to Android. My LG watch only needs to be charged once every few days.

Why have a smart watch when you have a smart phone? If it's for the pulse tracker, then why not just get a fitbit? It just doesn't make any sense to me.

Either you want one or you don't. I could sit here and list some of the things that I do with my watch, but I already know that your response will be that you can do all that just fine with the phone. It's a convenience if you want it, and frankly I love my smart watch.

 

[Yopaz]

These things make me feel like an out of touch old man and I'm nowhere near that stage in my life. I just don't understand their point? Like, what do they do that makes them a worthy companion device to a smartphone? Don't they just show the time, notifications, and maybe control certain other apps from your device or something, all of which you could just pull your phone out of your pocket to use?

Depends on which watch you have and what you do in your life. Personally I do quite a bit of work in a cell lab where things need to be sterile or near sterile. So if anyone calls me or sends me a message I am unable to check my phone, but I could check the notification on my smart watch to see whether or not it was of immediate importance. This is even more important for those who work in the animal labs. I know of one such device that even lets you answer directly from your watch (although I imagine typing a message must be a pain).

For more general purposes many smart watches can be used to measure your pulse making them great for those who care about exercise or are just curious about such things. It also uses this information to analyze your sleep patterns to wake you up when you're in either stage 1 or 2 of your sleep cycle since this will make you less groggy and more alert.

I would still assume that smart watches will remain a niche product for a while longer. Personally I would like one for use in the lab, but I agree with the article here that the battery capacity really should be improved before I'm sold. Also it will not be one that's locked to a specific brand of phone so Samsung and Apple are out.

 

[TallanKhan]

I can't understand why anyone thinks a smart-watch is a good idea. I don't even bother wearing a watch most days - my phone tells me the time if I need it. Other than the time factor it is just a second smart-phone but with a smaller screen, the inconvenience of having it attached to your wrist and a dreadfully short battery life.

 

[Godzillarich(aka tf2godz)]

I can't understand why anyone thinks a smart-watch is a good idea. I don't even bother wearing a watch most days - my phone tells me the time if I need it. Other than the time factor it is just a second smart-phone but with a smaller screen, the inconvenience of having it attached to your wrist and a dreadfully short battery life.

It's worth noting that people said the same thing about the iPad. when it was coming out, a lot of the people I knew were laughing at the idea and called it a "shitty computer" and now everyone has one. I'm not saying the smart watch is a good idea(it's one of the worst ideas I think I've ever seen in Apple's history) and saying companies don't usually listen to bitching from consumers because they think they will buy it anyway because of examples like that. It looks like they were wrong this time.

 

[jklinders]

The Iwatch looks pretty darn useless to me. It seems to do very little that a phone doesn't and gives you yet another device to keep constant track of the charge of. Tablet computers make a certain amount of sense if you are not looking for anything hugely powerful from them, but smartwatches seem to be really hipster and silly to me.

 

[CrystalShadow]

I can't understand why anyone thinks a smart-watch is a good idea. I don't even bother wearing a watch most days - my phone tells me the time if I need it. Other than the time factor it is just a second smart-phone but with a smaller screen, the inconvenience of having it attached to your wrist and a dreadfully short battery life.

It's worth noting that people said the same thing about the iPad. when it was coming out, a lot of the people I knew were laughing at the idea and called it a "shitty computer" and now everyone has one. I'm not saying the smart watch is a good idea(it's one of the worst ideas I think I've ever seen in Apple's history) and saying companies don't usually listen to bitching from consumers because they think they will buy it anyway because of examples like that. It looks like they were wrong this time.

Yeah... But the idea behind the iPad goes back the the early 90's, and people found it useful even with terrible 90's era tech.
(It goes back further if you take sci-fi into account)

I find a tablet more useful than a smartphone. Every time I start using my phone for something I'm immediately reminded how awkward and cramped the interface is.

Then again, I have a phone just because everyone keeps telling me I need it. Even though nobody ever calls me, nor do I call anyone else... >_>

The smartwatch seems... Redundant since it doesn't actually do much that I can think of that actually benefits from it being on your wrist.

 

[circularlogic88]

Why have a smart watch when you have a smart phone? If it's for the pulse tracker, then why not just get a fitbit? It just doesn't make any sense to me.

Either you want one or you don't. I could sit here and list some of the things that I do with my watch, but I already know that your response will be that you can do all that just fine with the phone. It's a convenience if you want it, and frankly I love my smart watch.

So, you're going to be dismissive about the practicality of a device that you and a large majority of 1st world countries already own to defend the legitimacy of another luxury device that has less functionality, relies heavily upon syncing up with said device you already own and has pricing that starts at the same level of a base entry device you already own? And you're not going to list off the benefits because you're assuming I'm the one being dismissive? You said, either I want one or I don't. I want a reason to want one apart from saying that I have one when it does nothing that products released before it have already come out and are cheaper. And that steep drop off in purchases echos my sentiments.

 

[StorkV]

Call me when they will become a stand alone product with a decent battery autonomy and some useful functionalities.

 

[FirstNameLastName]

Who would have thought that an expensive device that performs a fraction of the functions of the average smart phone but with a smaller screen and shorter battery life would have a hard time convincing customers that it's worth the asking price. Seriously, this should come as no surprise to anyone. The reason why smart phones have taken off the way they have is because they allow people to perform many tasks that would be cumbersome with other methods. The reason why this is failing is because everyone already has a phone, a phone that performs all the same tasks and would not be significantly improved by being strapped to our wrist. Not having to pull our phones out of our pocket isn't enough of a convenience to convince the average consumer to buy a second, inferior device.

 

[chikusho]

Yeah, this isn't really accurate.

First off, the data used to make these calculations are suspicious at best. Apple hasn't gone out with any numbers this quarter, and Slice collects data from people who freely provide them with information on their purchases.

Secondly, 1.5 million watches sold in one week is more than the closest competitor sells in an entire year, for a product that's much more expensive. That's not a failure, that's knocking it out of the park.