John Gruber's latest thoughts on the Apple Watch pricing

[jabingla2810]

http://daringfireball.net/2015/02/apple_watch_pricing

Interesting read for anyone interested in the Apple Watch.

The thought of the Edition Watch costing $20,000 seems a bit out there, but these are some smart experienced guys.

And the Link Bracelet itself (without watch) costing over $1000?

The Sport model is looking most realistic to me now if these guys are even close to being right.

Thoughts?

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

Waiting for this thread to turn into a ****-fit

 

[DravenGSX]

Where's the reasoning for the price of the stainless link bracelet? It doesn't make sense.

 

[GadgetSN]

Plenty of people around the world have money to buy a USD 20k watch. The problem Apple face is its prestige in this area. It will have none if the typical buyers of their base watches are those that dont own or particular like watches eg the young tech/gadget geeks.

 

[Rogifan]

That was a pretty long post and at the end of it you realize he's just as clueless as the rest of us are. So he thinks Apple is going to have a watch that starts at $349 and ends at $20K? Seriously?

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

That was a pretty long post and at the end of it you realize he's just as clueless as the rest of us are. So he thinks Apple is going to have a watch that starts at $349 and ends at $20K? Seriously?

Well, John Gruber didn't make the statement that it'd be the biggest ****-fit in the history of Apple-versus-the-standard-tech-industry ****-fits for no reason.

 

[madsci954]

There was an article on Cult of Mac, someone weighed in the value of gold in the Edition model and predicted $1000 in gold, I can't see that turning into 20 grand.

Edit: Source
http://www.cultofmac.com/312832/heres-much-gold-get-18k-apple-watch-edition/

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

There was an article on Cult of Mac, someone weighed in the value of gold in the Edition model and predicted $1000 in gold, I can't see that turning into 20 grand.

Edit: Source
http://www.cultofmac.com/312832/heres-much-gold-get-18k-apple-watch-edition/

Swiss watchmakers have no problem doing that though.

 

[Piggie]

The more I read, the more I realise this guy is simply an idiot that some people pay far to much attention to.

Lest we forget, Apple is a MASS production company, producing great products for the MASSES, and making the bulk of their money from selling hardware to millions of people.

We should ignore some peoples wet dream fantasy about this imaginary company they seem to think Apple is.

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

We should ignore some peoples wet dream fantasy about this imaginary company they seem to think Apple is.

You mean being able to get the Space Black stainless steel model with the link bracelet for just $100 over the base price?

 

[madsci954]

Swiss watchmakers have no problem doing that though.

But those watches are handed down to your children's children's children. A 20 grand smart watch better come with several lifetimes worth of free repairs and upgrades.

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

But those watches are handed down to your children's children's children. A 20 grand smart watch better come with several lifetimes worth of free repairs and upgrades.

And some here are predicting that. Or at least being able to upgrade the innards in the Edition models but not the others.

 

[lirn8]

I hope he doesn't get paid for this article

 

[matrix07]

Well, if he's right what I predicted in another thread will not be the most shocking after all.

2. The most expensive Edition combination (of watch & strap) will be $10,000+. Anyone who buy it will get a red carpet treatment.
3. Some of the most expensive models will be sold out on Day 1 and very hard to find for at least half a year.

 

[Runt888]

But those watches are handed down to your children's children's children. A 20 grand smart watch better come with several lifetimes worth of free repairs and upgrades.

This is one of the two problems I have with people predicting outrageous prices. The tech in the watch isn't meant to last more than a few years.

My second problem is the fact that Apple is planning on making close to a million of the Edition (according to recent rumors). Maybe I'm completely wrong as to the size of the luxury watch market, but that seems an order of magnitude higher than I would guess if the prices are going to be in the tens of thousands of dollars.

 

[Rogifan]

Does anyone know what's all part of the S1 computer (SiP)? Apple refers to it as an entire computer on a single chip. Does that mean if a future version of the Watch had wifi and GPS they would be included somewhere on this chip?

----------

This is one of the two problems I have with people predicting outrageous prices. The tech in the watch isn't meant to last more than a few years.

What is this based on?

 

[Julien]

Does anyone know what's all part of the S1 computer (SiP)? Apple refers to it as an entire computer on a single chip. Does that mean if a future version of the Watch had wifi and GPS they would be included somewhere on this chip?...

The S1 already has WiFi as well as BT. Also the GPS processing could be (or more likely will be) included on a future S chip.

 

[MrLoL]

If most of all Apple Watch's features are in it, I'm pretty sure Apple will offer replacement service after future updates of S chips for Edition and Steel.

Especially if some models really cost <10,000$

 

[lewisd25]

John Gruber fails to take into consideration that the majority of high-end swiss watches that are priced above $20,000, such as A. Lange and Sohn, Patek Phillipe, etc., are EXTREMELY limited editions with runs of only a few hundred units...collectors not only pay for quality, but rarity as well.

And I call ******** on only sport straps being made available for retail. Many, many people will want a link bracelet and a milanese loop. Apple will be shooting themselves in the foot, and will push customers towards 3rd party straps.

 

[NewtypeCJ]

Honestly, I could care less about what happens with the Apple Watch Edition. I'm not interested in the gold at all. $10,000 or $20,000 - whatever.

But I really hope he's wrong about the stainless steel apple watch pricing starting at $700. I was hoping it'd be more like $500.

I have never bought a watch that was over $199. And at the time I felt like that was extravagant. I stopped wearing a watch because my cell phone fulfilled the same function. I don't feel like I'm alone in that.

Now Apple's making a watch that has many of the same functions of my cell phone - it's as much a convenience device as it is "fashion" piece. My iPhone 6 is $750 outright - spending another $700+ on a companion device that's also going to suffer from obsolescence feels like a bit of a waste.

I'm an Apple fan and I buy new iPhones every year without blinking. I have never particularly thought, "LOL Apple tax" because I appreciate the build quality of their computers and phones. But jeez, when we're talking about a watch...if Gruber's pricing proves true, ugh...

 

[gcooldude86]

I really hope he's wrong that we will be able to buy any bands after the initial purchase. Secondly, talking about having a "smart watch" for $10K that'll have a lifecycle of 3-4 years seems ridiculous. Thats why I think they didn't have a gold link bracelet because the cost would be tremendous. The only way they could get around this is offering an upgarde for the S chip and battery.

Nobody will know the end price of these watches till Apple reveals those details. He could be way off on the pricing.

 

[NewtypeCJ]

I really hope he's wrong that we will be able to buy any bands after the initial purchase. Secondly, talking about having a "smart watch" for $10K that'll have a lifecycle of 3-4 years seems ridiculous. Thats why I think they didn't have a gold link bracelet because the cost would be tremendous. The only way they could get around this is offering an upgarde for the S chip and battery.

Nobody will know the end price of these watches till Apple reveals those details. He could be way off on the pricing.

That's a good point. If you're spending many thousands of dollars on a watch you're expecting it to last a long time. This being a tech item will be obsolete in 2-3 years - this pricing seems exorbitant in that case unless Apple sees this as potentially just being another "hobby."

 

[yegon]

The more I read, the more I realise this guy is simply an idiot that some people pay far to much attention to.l.

I think he's well off regarding the price of the gold edition and the bracelet, but he's far from an idiot. He talks a lot of sense, regularly blows holes through the frankly stupid Apple coverage in a lot of press that is pure click bait.

I'm no fanboy, but Apple coverage is generally garbage, either embarrassing, cringe making fanboy ra-ra pieces by approved authors or Apple is doomed if next product sells 5% less than expectations/market share is everything/everything should be cheaper/my android can dl torrents, iPhone sucks type bs.

Sure, Gruber is very pro Apple and certainly an approved author, but he usually ignores the boring, improbable rumours and is usually pretty bang on regarding long term observations. His claim chowder stuff is smug as hell, but Im pleased somebody is calling out the absolute garbage espoused by a lot of outlets.

 

[Night Spring]

And I call ******** on only sport straps being made available for retail. Many, many people will want a link bracelet and a milanese loop. Apple will be shooting themselves in the foot, and will push customers towards 3rd party straps.

Agreed. I also noticed that Gruber lost track of the leather bands. He said that steel bands (link and Milanese loop) won't be sold separately because the bands themselves are so expensive. Then he goes on to conclude that only Sports bands will be avaiable as separate purchases. So what about the leather ones? He just seems to forget about them altogether.

 

[Rogifan]

The S1 already has WiFi as well as BT. Also the GPS processing could be (or more likely will be) included on a future S chip.

Right. I guess my question is around upgradability. It would make spending thousands of dollars on a watch easier to swallow if one could upgrade the internals of their watch and get things like GPS and wifi. Even if gen 1 has wifi it doesn't sound like you're going to be able to connect to a wifi network and use the device independet of the iPhone.