The Apple Watch: What Does Our Watch Insider Think of the New Smartwatch?


Apple Watch - orange strap“Not bad at all” was my immediate reaction to the introduction of the Apple Watch. However, it also struck me that this is not really a watch but more a reincarnation of the iPod Nano, only designed with round edges and meant to be worn on the wrist. A kind of Bonsai-iPhone, for lack of a better description. 

Reading the time is, of course, a very secondary concern for wearers of the Apple Watch. This new smartwatch is stunningly innovative, and I am sure it will sell like hell. But make no mistake, the Apple Watch will certainly not do harm to the Swiss Watch Industry, as foreseen by Apple design guru Jonathan Ive (he’s quoted here on my blog, Watch-Insider.com). In fact, in my opinion, the traditional mechanical wristwatch has become even more attractive after the launch of the Apple Watch, since it now can be regarded as the “antidote” to the smartwatch. With all the possible information that will now be flowing to and from the wrist, the Apple Watch defines the beginning of a new technological era. Yet, the classical mechanical Swiss-made wristwatch should only profit from this development. I don’t even think the Swatch watch brand will suffer, since those watches are unique enough that an Apple Watch cannot replace them. Yes, there will be some watch companies that suffer. For those offering more or less no-name quartz watches, made of a mediocre quality, the market may well become challenging. Below are some photos, taken from the Apple homepage, showing several looks for the new Apple Watch. For more technical information, click here. And please do let me know your own thoughts on the Apple Watch!

 

Apple Watch - bracelet

Apple Watch - orange strap
Apple Watch - gold, orange strap
Apple Watch - black rubber strap
Apple Watch - Mickey Mouse
Apple Watch - gold-black

 

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  1. Basicitizen

    I usually purchase a few watches a year (nothing crazy, oakley minute was my last purchase). I see more and more watch companies advertise their products in magazines and on TV more than often and they all look great and tempting. However, I started to ask myself, do I want another watch that tell time or do I want to do more than just telling time? Since the announcement of Apple Watch, I haven’t purchase a single watch. We are living in the digital age. Nothing can replace a timeless mechanical watch. The millennial generation is rapidly increasing and they are attached to their devices. Spending several hundreds on a nice mechanical isn’t their cup of tea. Time has changed, pun intended.

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  2. Shawn Paul

    Not so found of Apple watch. For the modern times the most wanted wristwatches are the luxury brands which are mostly in prioritized.

    Reply
  3. I’m not tied to my smart phone, so why would I want a watch that integrates with a smart phone?

    I don’t need to be in contact that much.

    As far as the Apple watch goes, I use a Samsung. An Apple watch would be completely useless.

    How long before these go the way of the calculator watch?

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  4. I don’t think the Apple Watch is a threat to “Haute” horology, but just like every digital or quartz-based watch out there, it will erode overall ‘watch’ sales. I think there will always be a strong desire for mechanical watchmaking, but lower end watches will start to give way to more digital counterparts that provide much more functionality with ever increasing stylized design. Apple got some things right with this watch more than merely providing an iPod nano on the wrist. Their attention to swappable bands and focus on size and detail are going to make some people think twice about spending several hundred dollars on a Tissot that simply does not measure up to a higher end mechanical piece. My 2 cents…

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  5. I own both a Samsung Galaxy Gear 2 Neo and have multiple automatic watches. I wear my Neo more often as it is surprisingly useful. But it dose make the wearing of my automatics all the more special.
    I also agree that the Apple Watch will pose a minimal threat to Haute Horology.

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  6. TELMO ROGÉRIO SECCO

    AM assiduous reader AND THE FANATIC AND DEAR Honorable ALEXANDER LINZ.EU CONSIDER THE POPE OF WATCHES HE IS FABULOSO.ALTAMENTE IMPARCIAL.FALA TECHNICAL AND THE TRUTH WITH MUCH WISDOM.
    A GREAT ABRAÇO’
    TELMO SECCO
    SAN MARCOS-RS-BRAZIL.

    Reply
  7. TELMO ROGÉRIO SECCO

    SOU LEITOR ASSUDIU E FANÁTICO PELO DIGNISSIMO E PREZADO ALEXANDER LINZ.EU O CONSIDERO O PAPA DOS RELÓGIOS,ELE É FABULOSO.ALTAMENTE TÉCNICO E IMPARCIAL.FALA A VERDADE COM MUITA SABEDORIA.
    UM GRANDE ABRAÇO´
    TELMO SECCO
    SÃO MARCOS-RS-BRAZIL.

    Reply
  8. Since I live only ten minutes from the site of the introduction here in Silicon Valley I will say its reception was less than enthusiastic. Face it, The watch is big and ugly an you must have an iPhone in your pocket to use it and it isn’t cheap at USD 350 for the least expensive one. Frankly it is too small to do any useful work. Okay, it will tell you the time.
    I agree with Nick Hayek when he enumerated Swatch Group’s problems with their misadventure in trying to bring this type of product to market. The outsider is at the mercy of the software platform. However I am certain Apple will sell a bunch of them to their adoring sycophants around the world.

    Personally I think Apple and its products are highly over rated. Google (Android) will eat their lunch eventually.

    Reply
  9. I agree with you. Not bad, but no threat to haute horlogerie. It is an electronic device for the wrist, not a true timepiece.

    Reply
  10. James Dennis

    Alexander,

    You have hit the mark perfectly, it’s more an iPod Nano than a watch, and telling the time will possibly be the last thing people will want from such a device. In this information rich society people will be more concerned with Twitter; email; Instagram; and maybe to a lesser extent Facebook updates than they will be with the time. Of course the advent of being able to monitor your activity and health just-in-time will become more important as the obesity rate increases due to the lack of activity in society, especially children as the prefer to play on their tablet than with bat and ball.

    I think the trend will be to have a smartwatch on one wrist and a traditional watch on the other. The only threat I can see is to the relevance of the smartphone as smartwatches such as the new Samsung get cellular network connected, and as a male I think this is good as I struggle to fit each new smartphone in my jeans pocket and my wife has threatened divorce if I get a satchel/ man-bag.

    This leaves us with the tablet for reading and browsing (good news for school kids as they won’t have to carry 15kg books around on their back, bad news for chiropractors) and the smartwatch for communications, social media, health monitoring and of course music.

    Reply
  11. jrgougeon

    I think the Watch Insider shouldn’t be putting his watermark on images he didn’t take.

    Reply
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