Microsoft Outsmarts Apple Watch

[Mike Majeski]

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

Microsoft outsmarts Apple Watch | America's Markets

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.

 

[Kaushik Banerjee]

Well this didn't come as a shock to me, windows central covered a post in which they clearly stated why the apple watch will be beaten by the microsoft band like a total knockout....
http://m.windowscentral.com/how-microsoft-band-will-beat-apples-watch

 

[jmshub]

It's far too soon to call the Apple watch a bust. One thing Apple fans like, and that's Apple products. Despite all the negative press now, this thing could still sell like gangbusters when it is launched.

 

[theefman]

I imagine there'll be a lot of disappointed MS fans when this thing sell like hotcakes (like all apple products).

 

[Mike Majeski]

It's far too soon to call the Apple watch a bust. One thing Apple fans like, and that's Apple products. Despite all the negative press now, this thing could still sell like gangbusters when it is launched.

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.

 

[Kaushik Banerjee]

I imagine there'll be a lot of disappointed MS fans when this thing sell like hotcakes (like all apple products).

Either you are totally correct or totally wrong!
Correct because apple fans will buy it bacause they are apple fans...they prefer the total apple suite...of products no matter what!
Wrong!???? Only time will tell, when the apple watch starts sellings in the markets..!

 

[Mike Majeski]

I imagine there'll be a lot of disappointed MS fans when this thing sell like hotcakes (like all apple products).

If you are a MS fan rooting for Apple to fail then I think you're setting yourself up for disappointment.

Either you are totally correct or totally wrong!
Correct because apple fans will buy it bacause they are apple fans...they prefer the total apple suite...of products no matter what!
Wrong!???? Only time will tell, when the apple watch starts sellings in the markets..!

That's the thing though...even hardcore Apple fans are questioning whether a $349 smart watch is worth it. Was in Verizon last week and the sales person there said she's waiting to the second generation of Apple Watch, as $349 for a fitness device you still have to carry your phone for is a waste. And that's from the people who usually push iOS over everything.

 

[Kaushik Banerjee]

Well one thing I would say is Microsoft band is fitness oriented so in that case apple watch is more of feature oriented, they have tons of features and a tight integration. So a comparison between the two may not always hold true.

 

[Laura Knotek]

I'm sorry to say but Apple has made their niche being a "Coveted" brand. If they didn't market such an obnoxious watch at the same time as an obtainable one, the allure and hype wouldn't be as big.

That's the way Apple works, it's the status quo with an ability to draw in the conventional and flamboyant simultaneously.

Just as androids thing is the ability of choice and a multitude of variety like a buffet restaurant.

Microsoft needs to find it's niche. It's getting there but it needs something solid.

I believe Hololens might be that cool Microsoft product.

Sent from my Moto X using Tapatalk

 

[Kaushik Banerjee]

I believe Hololens might be that cool Microsoft product.

Sent from my Moto X using Tapatalk

Yea that wont be long for Microsoft, NASA is already teaming up with Microsoft Hololens and I don't think it will be long for MSFT to release a consumers version of it. I can firmly say no other company has invested in virtualisation technology to this extent after watching the windows 10 event..!

 

[MikeX74]

There are a couple of things going on in this article besides reporting that Microsoft is expanding sales and distribution of the Band.

1. The usual pre-launch bashing of a new Apple product. There were a lot of articles bashing the iPod, iPhone, and iPad before they launched, foretelling abject failure for each. This is nothing new. No matter what products Apple may bring to market, there will always be hit pieces telling us why they'll flop.

2. USA Today fishing for more clicks(and ad revenue) by putting Apple in the headline, especially in a negative manner. Apple in the headline+fans+haters=more clicks.

Yes, it's great news that MS is expanding Band sales, but let's not pretend that USA Today's motives were strictly about reporting good news about Microsoft.

 

[Spectrum90]

Who's going to pay $200 for a device that has to be charged every 1.5 days, and which primarily objective is to collect data 24/7, with 10 sensor, to improve your health?
Only a small percentage of people is so obsessed with their body to require that kind of data.

The Apple Watch is even worst, a mini smartphone for your wrist that has to be charged everyday. The software is complex and confusing. It has more input methods than the iPhone. I think Apple lost touch with reality, or they couldn't resist the pressure to launch a new product category.

Both products are going to fail.

 

[Blacklac]

Who's going to pay $200 for a device that has to be charged every 1.5 days, and which primarily objective is to collect data 24/7, with 10 sensor, to improve your health?
Only a small percentage of people is so obsessed with their body to require that kind of data.
.

Anyone who wants a extension of their phone, as a watch... Like its marketed. Lol. Heck, some people can't even pull their cell phones out on the clock. A watch is at least somewhat beneficial, in that sense. Do most people need one? Hell no.

Thinking a dumb band will improve your health is a joke.

If it could read Blood Pressure and tell me my cholesterol levels, ok, we have something. Heart rate tells you very little about your overall health.

 

[Likwidz]

Who's going to pay $200 for a device that has to be charged every 1.5 days, and which primarily objective is to collect data 24/7, with 10 sensor, to improve your health?
Only a small percentage of people is so obsessed with their body to require that kind of data.

The Apple Watch is even worst, a mini smartphone for your wrist that has to be charged everyday. The software is complex and confusing. It has more input methods than the iPhone. I think Apple lost touch with reality, or they couldn't resist the pressure to launch a new product category.

Both products are going to fail.

As for the Band, don't forget about its use in the medical field. I have a client that is a medical doctor and uses the device with several of her high risk patients. She remotely monitors all of their vital metrics including heart rate, activity levels & caloric expenditures, and sleep patterns. The $200 for the Band is a minimal cost, seeing that it can help those monitor their health and well being. I wouldn't be surprised there are others who use it in the same way to track the well being of their love ones as well.

 

[Likwidz]

Anyone who wants a extension of their phone, as a watch... Like its marketed. Lol. Heck, some people can't even pull their cell phones out on the clock. A watch is at least somewhat beneficial, in that sense. Do most people need one? Hell no.

Thinking a dumb band will improve your health is a joke.

If it could read Blood Pressure and tell me my cholesterol levels, ok, we have something. Heart rate tells you very little about your overall health.

You're right the Band will not improve one's health but the data it provides can. And I respectfully disagree about your statement that the heart rate tells very little about overall health. My degree is in exercise science, and I use the H/R for all sorts of important vital data. The H/R can be used to identify metabolic rate resting and active, it can make sure you are effectively expending calories, it can be used to see if over training is occurring and sometimes if a person is getting sick, particularly when exercising. There are many are functions of monitoring H/R and true most of the every day user wouldn't be able to take advantage of other metrics by using the Band, but the statement heart rate doesn't tell you about your overall health is incorrect.

 

[hotphil]

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.

 

[DavidinCT]

As the "Band" will expand, it still is the fact that it's a Fitness band, Not a Watch....

I'm looking for a Watch, that has a nice look, ya, know, like a watch ! Yea, I would like fitness features on it but appearance is important to me on what I wear and I don't want to look like a fitness junkie, that these fitbits and the band makes the appearance of.

The Apple watch is that, a WATCH, not a fitness band. This is where it has the advantage.

 

[Blacklac]

As the "Band" will expand, it still is the fact that it's a Fitness band, Not a Watch....

I'm looking for a Watch, that has a nice look, ya, know, like a watch ! Yea, I would like fitness features on it but appearance is important to me on what I wear and I don't want to look like a fitness junkie, that these fitbits and the band makes the appearance of.

The Apple watch is that, a WATCH, not a fitness band. This is where it has the advantage.

What makes Microsoft's not a watch, besides them calling it a band? Just my opinion, it has a screen that shows the time. Its a watch. :shrugs: Sure, its not a square or round display.

 

[MarkusDindu]

I'm buying an Apple watch, I think they're cool. It will have a ton of apps, and I want to make phone calls on it like **** Tracy.

I know a lot of people here are hating on it,(or anything Apple does) but I also know that if it was Microsoft that made this watch, everyone would be going nuts for it.

Laura, is there a thread in which you have posted your experience with your new Moto X? I would love to read your opinion on it.

 

[thatotherdude24]

The Apple watch will have no problem selling because of Apple stores. Apple trains their salesmen to be amazing at what they do. When the average Joe walks into the Apple store and the salesman starts showing what all they'll be able to do with their phone for ONLY $350, they'll have no problem selling them.

Apple is a marketing company.