The Apple / Band Debate may be about cost versus durability

[Jcmg62]

There's a whole heap of news about the Apple Watch out there today.....seems you can't visit a webpage without there being something to do with it.

One of the big things that struck me is the cost of the thing...anywhere from ?350 to ?8000 seems like a mighty chunk of cash.

I have a question that I can't seem to find the answer on...how long is that shiny new wrist jewellery going to last before the battery goes pop?

Frankly, if I were dropping hundreds, possibly thousands of Pounds on anything I'd want it to last a whole lot longer than a couple of years. Let's face it, you wouldn't spend ?4000 on a Rolex / Breitling / Tag Heuer and just chuck it away after 2 or 3 years.

I should point out that I'm assuming that battery technology in Wearbles is similar to mobile phones, meaning that an average user would start to see battery degradation and device performance issues within 2 - 3 years.

I'm reasonably certain Apple have already thought this one through and have an answer somewhere down the line, but with the reality that technology is considered disposable these days the answer may be as simple as "shut up and buy a new watch"

Given the practicalities of wearable devices having a very short lifespan (when considered against a regular old fashioned ?300-500 watch), price might be the biggest factor when it comes right down to how well the Apple watch does.

It's probably fair to say that Apple are going to sell millions and millions of watches. Why? Because their pretty darn stylish and probably work really well. The question is, will they sell just as many in 24 months time when those early adopters are left scratching their heads and wondering how best to recycle their wearable. And will they be quite so eager to head off to an Apple store and do it all over again?

MS are onto something really big with the Band. It's sleek, powerful, useful, feature packed and desireable. And it's also just about affordable enough to replace every 2 - 3 years.

 

[someone2639]

MS band 2 in 2 years confirmed

 

[rhapdog]

I can just see it now.

"I bought an Apple Watch for $2500 2 years ago. It had a lifetime warranty. I didn't read the fine print where it said the "lifetime is 2 years." Now the watch won't take a charge, and I'm left with an expensive bracelet."

I wonder how many will wise up when it's time to buy the 3rd watch and decide to go a bit cheaper. Let's face it, new iPad, new iPhone, and now a new iWatch every blooming year or 2? Getting crazy. It adds up, even for the rich fanbois.

 

[someone2639]

I can just see it now.

"I bought an Apple Watch for $2500 2 years ago. It had a lifetime warranty. I didn't read the fine print where it said the "lifetime is 2 years." Now the watch won't take a charge, and I'm left with an expensive bracelet."

I wonder how many will wise up when it's time to buy the 3rd watch and decide to go a bit cheaper. Let's face it, new iPad, new iPhone, and now a new iWatch every blooming year or 2? Getting crazy. It adds up, even for the rich fanbois.

Quick, we need to collaborate on a watch that attaches to your apple watch for $100 once the battery dies.

 

[Jcmg62]

Quick, we need to collaborate on a watch that attaches to your apple watch for $100 once the battery dies.

Llololololol.....I like the way you think, Steve Jobs would be proud ))))))))

 

[kenjancef]

I did hear today that the battery is replaceable, but unfortunately only by Apple....

I, for one, do hope the Watch does well, but I'm going to stick to my Band, even though I have an iPhone 6+. One of the things the Band has that the Watch doesn't have is GPS. I'm REALLY surprised that the Watch doesn't have it. And for the price, I don't see what the Watch would do better than the Band. I don't really use the alerts on the Band that much, I mainly use it for fitness. And sorry, but I don't think, no matter what I'm wearing, it would ever be THAT difficult to pull out my phone to check out an alert.

And to have the Watch sync only with an iPhone leaves out a LOT of people. Do they think that people will spend upwards of $500-$1,000 for the Watch AND buy an iPhone too?

It's all a matter of opinion, and whatever works for that particular person....

 

[MikeX74]

I did hear today that the battery is replaceable, but unfortunately only by Apple....

I, for one, do hope the Watch does well, but I'm going to stick to my Band, even though I have an iPhone 6+. One of the things the Band has that the Watch doesn't have is GPS. I'm REALLY surprised that the Watch doesn't have it. And for the price, I don't see what the Watch would do better than the Band. I don't really use the alerts on the Band that much, I mainly use it for fitness. And sorry, but I don't think, no matter what I'm wearing, it would ever be THAT difficult to pull out my phone to check out an alert.

And to have the Watch sync only with an iPhone leaves out a LOT of people. Do they think that people will spend upwards of $500-$1,000 for the Watch AND buy an iPhone too?

It's all a matter of opinion, and whatever works for that particular person....

Since the Watch is compatible with the iPhone 5, 5c, 5s, 6, & 6+, the possible market for it is more than 200,000,000 Apple customers(Stated by Tim Cook at the iPhone 6 keynote). Also, it uses the GPS, accelerometer, and other sensors in the iPhone to cut down on potential battery usage.

 

[someone2639]

it uses the GPS, accelerometer, and other sensors in the iPhone to cut down on potential battery usage.

But it's 2.5 times less than the Band with GPS

 

[rhapdog]

Also, it uses the GPS, accelerometer, and other sensors in the iPhone to cut down on potential battery usage.

Yeah, and the band can use all that without a phone and can last 2.5x longer than Apple's watch.

meh. I'm not buying either one. My Windows Phone can do what I need. For everything else, I can live without.

 

[TechFreak1]

One thing is for certain it will be a mugger magnet...

I sure as heck wouldn't want to spend ?350 and then spend additional hundreds of pounds to get the most out a watch.

Apple sure has nailed the mantra "less is more" in this case more profits to line their mattresses or... make clothes out money...

 

[mhc48]

Cost and battery now that after the last update, I get effectively 2 days out of my Band. I find that in addition to sports & fitness, the Band also does pretty much all of the other "cool" and useful things that the ******* watch does, any way, the ones I want, only far more subtly Though it's no looker and could be a tad less clunky, I like the unobtrusive and understated black that becomes responsive with functionality when I press the button.

 

[mhc48]

Having GPS on walks and runs without needing my phone is nice now but I think will be even better come late spring and summer.

 

[Jcmg62]

There's an interesting article on Techradar about how the success of the Apple Watch could in fact breed success for other wearable bands. The author's take on it is that up until now wearable technology hasn't really found its feet, but suddenly Apple gets behind it and it's the next big thing. If he's right and Apple do give the fledgling wearable market the shot in the arm it needs then theoretically the Microsoft Band could ride the wave of Apple's success........assuming:

A) Microsoft stop fu***ng around and make the Band available to more than 10 people who happen to live within a mile of Redmond and

B) Apple leave just enough market share over for the others to make a living out of

 

[paulxxwall]

The apple watch looks nice! The ms band doesn't! I'm sorry im a Time piece nut love tags,fossils,my boy patek Philippe ,etc and that band only belongs on the wrist when your working out and exercising only then . It has no style . Ms can make a sweet one but yeah with ms its always a wait

 

[DroidUser42]

B) Apple leave just enough market share over for the others to make a living out of

Since it appears to be "iPhone only" that's a given. While some individuals may do it, I can't see a mass defection just to be able to use the new iShinny.

Also, given the price tag that isn't softened by a 2-year contract, there's lots of room below them.

 

[willgill]

The apple watch looks nice! The ms band doesn't! I'm sorry im a Time piece nut love tags,fossils,my boy patek Philippe ,etc and that band only belongs on the wrist when your working out and exercising only then . It has no style . Ms can make a sweet one but yeah with ms its always a wait

It's a matter of taste, but the Apple Watch reminds me of the first clunky digital watches from the '80's. Microsoft needs some design mods to make it sleeker, like curved screen and thinner wristband but it's a LOT closer to what I am looking for than the Apple Watch.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

 

[teemulehtinen]

I have a feeling that Apple watch will be the thing that revolutionises the payment business rather than Fitness or wearables per se. Look at the video and read the article by a developer friend of mine: Apple And McDonald's Went Live With Apple Pay in 8 Weeks It's amazing how they manage to have the leadership to build something like this in such a short time - wheras we know how impossibly difficult it seems to be for MSFT to get its act together.

 

[TechFreak1]

I have a feeling that Apple watch will be the thing that revolutionises the payment business rather than Fitness or wearables per se. Look at the video and read the article by a developer friend of mine: Apple And McDonald's Went Live With Apple Pay in 8 Weeks It's amazing how they manage to have the leadership to build something like this in such a short time - wheras we know how impossibly difficult it seems to be for MSFT to get its act together.

Or perhaps MS was busy playing the "nice guy", as the saying goes "nice guys finish last".

Regardless without knowing the exact facts, one can only speculate.

In terms of mobile payments, PayPal Here could be an option as PayPal is looking to get into the mobile market. Since Apple has their system, Google purchase of softcard's ip and Samsung's acquisition of loop pay. The only viable option for PayPal is Microsoft. I for one would rather use PayPal for mobile payments.