counting the board members rooting for professional software.

[Jeremy Garchow]

[Marcus Moore] “If I can get the same function for less money, I care not at all.”

This isn’t about getting the same function for “less money”, this is adding a gold smelting operation to the device for considerably more money.

It doesn’t really sit well with me. Perhaps I need to get over myself.

This has nothing to do with the function of the Watch.

I’m a big fan of Apple, but this feels odd to me, even though I like the possibility of the tech inside of the Watch.

[James Ewart]

me too…love it but the waterproof/showerproof thing might be an issue. That said I already have one of these…

[Marcus Moore]

I think it’s just a different market than any Apple has played in. They have to straddle the world of fashion in a way they never have before- the very bottom end of the watch market is pretty eroded because everyone has a cel phone. So they need to address 2 kinds of people-

1. People who aren’t currently wearing a watch. What functionality can they present to make it attractive to put something on your wrist. For many people under 25-30, perhaps for the first time EVER.

2. People who currently like and wear watches. Here they have to compete equally on both function AND style. I don’t think people who like Rolex or Omega will wholesale drop what they’re currently wearing- unless the utility of the Apple Watch becomes so compelling that it outweighs the cache of the pure style of those brands.

I agree completely it’s different. But it’s a different market. Let’s not forget that there are very successful companies out there that will gold-plate existing Apple devices for this crowd. As crazy as that seems.

[Jeremy Garchow]

[Marcus Moore] “I think it’s just a different market than any Apple has played in. They have to straddle the world of fashion in a way they never have before- “

Do they have to? I don’t think they have to. Certainly, they wanted to, and that difference is weird to me.

[Marcus Moore] “I agree completely it’s different. But it’s a different market. Let’s not forget that there are very successful companies out there that will gold-plate existing Apple devices for this crowd. As crazy as that seems.”

I’m not sure if you read this article, but the very first thing talked about is gold plated (android) phones:

https://daringfireball.net/2014/09/apple_watch

So, Apple has to compete with Vertu, and TAG, and Rolex?

[Marcus Moore]

I think the watch market is currently weighted more heavily towards the high end, which is why I think Apple is extending the product that far up market.

[Jeremy Garchow]

But that’s part of my dilemma. This isn’t a watch.

[Marcus Moore]

But it has to compete with watches. Everyone who wears watches. For whatever reason they wear them. Utility or fashion.

[James Ewart]

I don’t wear a watch. I will wear an apple watch!

[Jeremy Garchow]

[Marcus Moore] “But it has to compete with watches. Everyone who wears watches. For whatever reason they wear them. Utility or fashion.”

I understand that difference, but I don’t think Apple HAD to do it anymore than they have to make gold phones.

Apple are pretty decent at marketing. They could have just as easily said that this wasn’t a watch, and made it all their own. They didn’t.

[Marcus Moore]

I’ll say it again. Competing for the same space.

And it is a watch; but with a bunch of other stuff. Exactly the same way that an iPhone compares to a straight up cel phone.

The distinction is that the watch market is different than the phone market, the computer market, and the music player market. Fundamentally, it’s skewed more towards fashion and taste (or at least the assumption of those things).

Gold watches are a more important part of the watch market in a way that high $$$ versions of computers, phones, tablets, etc. never have been.