Microsoft Outsmarts Apple Watch

[Jaredallister]

Agree it will likely sell well. At the same time this is really the first time an Apple product is getting a ton of backlash before release. Usually it's hype city and then a let down after the release. OMG GIANT IPHONE!!!! Oh, it bends.

I just think it would sell better / received better reception had they waited to bring out the $10K version.

The iPhone, iPod, and iPad all received the same "back lash" when they were originally launched that the Apple Watch is getting now. And they all went on to be the industry best sellers and changed each of their respective industies. Especially the iPad witch many people called a waste of time, like they do the Apple Watch.

 

[Spectrum90]

The iPhone, iPod, and iPad all received the same "back lash" when they were originally launched that the Apple Watch is getting now. And they all went on to be the industry best sellers and changed each of their respective industies. Especially the iPad witch many people called a waste of time, like they do the Apple Watch.

That's true, the iPad was received with skepticism because is redundant to the iPhone and It doesn't add much value, even though is not a bad product in itself.
Part of the success of the iPad was caused by the small size of the iPhone and the aggressive pricing. The iPad is more popular with older people, probably because they have more problems with the touch targets and reading on small screens.
Now that Apple finally increased the size of the iPhone, the sales of the iPad are falling of a cliff. A product like the Surface Pro 3 is growing because it adds more value, It's not just an oversized phone.

The Apple Watch is not only redundant, It's really an awful product. It's not intuitive, It's hard to use, the inputs methods are complicated, It doesn't work like the iPhone or any other Apple product. It's ugly, boxy, battery life sucks and the price is too high.

Besides, It's a me too product, the Apple Watch doesn't add anything new to the struggling market of smart watches.

 

[Jaredallister]

That's true, the iPad was received with skepticism because is redundant to the iPhone and It doesn't add much value, even though is not a bad product in itself.
Part of the success of the iPad was caused by the small size of the iPhone and the aggressive pricing. The iPad is more popular with older people, probably because they have more problems with the touch targets and reading on small screens.
Now that Apple finally increased the size of the iPhone, the sales of the iPad are falling of a cliff. A product like the Surface Pro 3 is growing because it adds more value, It's not just an oversized phone.

The Apple Watch is not only redundant, It's really an awful product. It's not intuitive, It's hard to use, the inputs methods are complicated, It doesn't work like the iPhone or any other Apple product. It's ugly, boxy, battery life sucks and the price is too high.

Besides, It's a me too product, the Apple Watch doesn't add anything new to the struggling market of smart watches.

Have you used an Apple Watch to come to that conclusion? Didnt think so. The Apple Watch isn't ulgy, I love the way it looks and I can't stand people saying Apple products are over priced. At the end of the day the market decides the cost of every product. Apple sells it's products at a perimum because the market has decided that they are worth the cost. The market will decide weather the Apple Watch is overpriced. I say it's not. Because like all Apple products, it's most likely going to sell very well. All of what you say about the Apple Watch is mostly opinion. Because it's not for you, doesn't mean it not for someone else.

 

[jacob103]

Have you used an Apple Watch to come to that conclusion? Didnt think so. The Apple Watch isn't ulgu, I love the way it looks and I can't stand Pete saying Apple products are over priced. At the end of the day the market decides the cost of every product. Apple sells it's products at a perimum because the market has decided that they are worth the cost. The market will decode weather the Apple Watch is overpriced. I say it's not. Because like all Apple products, it's most likely going to sell very well. All of what you say about the Apple Watch is mostly opinion. Because it's not for you, doesn't mean it not for someone else.

Dude Idk where you got the idea that the watch isn't overpriced? But id rather pay $200 for a Band any day over the iWatch. The band has a two day battery life, works with almost every product on the market. Syncs well, has Bluetooth, Heart rate monitor, GPS, and Color display. But seriously the iWatch doesn't have any of that. Its not even really a fitness watch. You have to sync it to an iPhone for it to even do half the stuff it says. So yeah!

 

[David Hroncheck]

I've got to call you on this one. I've been a Digital Health, mHealth, eHealth advocate for several years. You present an excellent hypothetical that we've long pushed for. Consumer-facing health-sensor products without FDA approval face several hurdles before applications in medicine. There are many FDA-approved tools for remote patient monitoring that the general public are not aware of, usually covered by insurance. MS Band needs FDA approval before official medical use.

Follow Dr. Eric Topol on Twitter for the big picture on Digital Health.

 

[Mike Majeski]

Outsmart maybe. But Apple have outmarketed MS.
The gold Watch isn't to be taken seriously - it's a halo product designed solely to lift user perception of the whole product line. They're not planning on actually selling many.
But where Apple have really outmarketed MS is inventory. In a few days I'll be able to walk into many stores and buy a Watch. Can't say that for Band.

While it may have been designed to lift perception, I think it has done the exact opposite. Instead of people focusing on the $350 price tag (which really isn't that bad of a price), all of the focus has been on the $10K watch and how that is ridiculous. The Apple Watch has already become a symbol of "people buying overpriced crap they don't really need".

They have marketed this item to the 1%

 

[Grimlock]

I'm not an Apple fan, but can we please revive this thread a few weeks after the Apple Watch launches? There is no chance that microsoft outsells the Apple Watch, not even close.

The Apple Watch got a ton of press and they will be pushing hard with a full ad campaign.

Consumers don't know the microsoft band even exists! That's a huge problem!

 

[Jaredallister]

Dude Idk where you got the idea that the watch isn't overpriced? But id rather pay $200 for a Band any day over the iWatch. The band has a two day battery life, works with almost every product on the market. Syncs well, has Bluetooth, Heart rate monitor, GPS, and Color display. But seriously the iWatch doesn't have any of that. Its not even really a fitness watch. You have to sync it to an iPhone for it to even do half the stuff it says. So yeah!

Apparently you haven't been paying attention b the the Apple Watch has just about everything you mentioned. Also the band is a fitness tracker, the watch is a WATCH! To different things, and the Apple Watch can do more than the band. The Apple watch has a heart rate monitor. Doesn't have a GPS, uses the one in the phone, has a color multi-touch display and connects through Bluetooth, it also has wifi, Nfc, and a gysoscope. But it also has third party apps, can view and replay to emails and texts and more. The Apple Watch can be used as a fitness trackers, and still do more than the band. Also you can sync to your iPhone using Bluetooth or wifi, so I don't have to carry my phone. Even if it's tied to the phone, IT STILL DOES MORE THAN THE BAND. Well worth the money.

 

[920Walker]

Wearing a watch who's screen will go blank daily due to a drained battery...priceless.

 

[Grimlock]

Wearing a watch who's screen will go blank daily due to a drained battery...priceless.

That's the same thing people said about the iPhone.

I'm not running to get any smartwatch, I'm not terribly impressed with any of them, but the one thing I'll say for the Apple Watch is they will have an app store. I'm sure devs will come up with creative apps and this will help drive interest and keep the apple enthusiast crowd happy. Even if sales aren't through the roof like the iPad it seems integrated well enough into their ecosystem to maintain a solid user base.

 

[Visa Declined]

Wearing a watch who's screen will go blank daily due to a drained battery...priceless.

All it needs to do is make it through the day, which I'm sure it will. Seriously, the amount of hate the Apple watch is getting here is borderline ridiculous. Every time a competitor comes out with something you guys tear it apart, call it worthless, etc. If Apple announced tomorrow that their watch worked with Windows Phone, this place would totally explode with joy.

 

[Mike Majeski]

Perhaps the Band vs Apple Watch discussion isn't fair right now...but what is is Pebble for Apple Watch. Pebble is cheaper, and the interest tripled after the Apple event.

Probably a better option for those who just want a smart watch. Know it isn't a very good fitness tracker, but it connects to most of the standard fitness apps, just have to bring your phone along (which you have to do with the Apple Watch anyway)

 

[Greywolf1967]

Microsoft for all it's Smarts in pushing the Band has still missed the boat and a trick. Yes the Band is a Good Fitness wearable, and no doubt it will rank above most of the Fitbit type devices. However as a Watch it will not crack the top 10.

Right now Moto 360, LG G Watch (Newest), Pebble are among the must have items. Apple and this Taptic feedback will no doubt jump to number 1.

As the $349 model will be a full on sell out for some time to come Yes it has some Health options....but that is not what will drive the Geek community. Look at it logically .....Fitness and Geek are a rare combo. New Tech and Geek is what drives the Apple Market. Most of the Apple base will use the Health apps to figure out they are having a heart attack or stroke.

Microsoft has missed the boat on the Watch lover crowd.......what is the worst is they had the ability to get in front of this and have a leg up on Apple. Even if they did a Limited release much like the Band to say here is tech we wish to License to other makers and gauge Community response.

Anything they do now will be the same old sad Microsoft story.......here is something good.....after the fact....much like the Zune.

The part that boils my bunny the most......Microsoft had lots of community outcry for a watch, even after the band release...and still did nothing.

However mark my words the Apple Watch will sell and for most Apple fans it will be the second coming, and it will rank as the #1 Watch Wearable.

Most reviews I have read when it is looked at as a Watch with the ability to interact with the phone, have been glowing and upbeat.

Just to add....I am a Microsoft Baby, it's my full ecosystem. PC/Tablet/Phone.....The Apple Watch has my attention, and now has me thinking of a switch. Something I would never have thought of before. As I have been an Apple hater from the first iPhone ( The iPhone before the touch screen one....their music phone)

 

[todd7900]

Not sure why you are here, except to troll, if you really are ready to drop at least $350 bucks on an Apple Watch you are already totally invested in the Apple ecosphere.

 

[Greywolf1967]

Not sure why you are here, except to troll, if you really are ready to drop at least $350 bucks on an Apple Watch you are already totally invested in the Apple ecosphere.

Not here to troll at all. I just gave my opinion. I also have no trouble dropping cash for what I want, as I dropped the $750 for my Nokia Lumia 1020.

My wish would be to drop $350 for a Microsoft Smart Watch, but that just does not seem to be in the cards.

Again like I said Microsoft did a good thing with the Band, as it will end up being among the top of the Fitness wearable's. Heck they are now pushing more devices in the US and going to add the UK.....the more the better, Feed the Need.

They could also be punching above their limit had they followed the Band with a Watch. They had the time to get well ahead of Apple on this and take a run at Pebble, Moto and LG. But as I said iPod >Zune. It being a device that could'a, should'a, would'a, but they were late to the party.

What makes things worse for me is I would rather stay pure Windows, but I can't if the options are not available. I am left looking at an Apple device that I want.....but I would have to get an iPhone also *shivers* something I am not sure I can do.

I would be in like stink on a skunk if Microsoft had a Watch matched to a 1520, 1320, or a 640XL (what ever worked best with Wind).

 

[humlason]

With so much doom and gloom making the boards these days, thought I'd share this one:

Maybe the Band could be the thing that makes Microsoft look cool again to the masses. Just search "Microsoft Band" right now on bing and you'll see tons of articles praising Microsoft on the price, performance and battery life. (Two points from CNet though, who just had to reiterate their negative findings in November and incorrectly list the price at $300.)

I think the $10K gold Apple Watch will go down as one of the biggest marketing blunders of all time. While it was meant for an exclusive set of customers, it soured the opinion on the entire product line. Had Apple released the $349 first and later said, oh BTW we have an obnoxious $10K version too, the negative feedback wouldn't have been as bad.

I'm a tech fan first, and a Microsoft fan second, so I want all ventures to succeed. However, it is nice to see Apple screw the pooch for once.

It looks awesome, I think I'll get one too

 

[Mike Majeski]

While I agree the Apple Watch will get a lot of sales from the tech geek crowd, I think the real tech geeks will be waiting for the Pebble Time. Not to sound like a d-bag, but the Apple Watch seems like it would be too high-fashion, mainstream for the real tech geeks.

I know the Apple Watch is going to ship with app support, but which one really gets the tech geeks excited...the Pebble Time with the usual ability to hack together some customizations and what not, or the Apple Watch, where you have to deal with Apples usual standards and the only real customization is a $1K watch band.

 

[Jaredallister]

While I agree the Apple Watch will get a lot of sales from the tech geek crowd, I think the real tech geeks will be waiting for the Pebble Time. Not to sound like a d-bag, but the Apple Watch seems like it would be too high-fashion, mainstream for the real tech geeks.

I know the Apple Watch is going to ship with app support, but which one really gets the tech geeks excited...the Pebble Time with the usual ability to hack together some customizations and what not, or the Apple Watch, where you have to deal with Apples usual standards and the only real customization is a $1K watch band.

The geeks are the minority in the industry. And the Apple Watch is all about customization.

 

[Spectrum90]

The geeks are the minority in the industry. And the Apple Watch is all about customization.

Apple watch is all about stupidity, the worst Apple's product ever. Only sheep are going to buy that ugly thing.

 

[tgp]

Apple watch is all about stupidity, the worst Apple's product ever. Only sheep are going to buy that ugly thing.

Doesn't matter. If I had people lined up to buy the rocks I collect from my field, I'd sell every one I could.