The Apple Watch is Already Wiping the Floor with the Entire Smartwatch Market

Business Insider ^ | Thursday, April 16, 2015 | Rob Price

[Star Traveler]

The Apple Watch is on fire: KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo estimates that Apple's debut smartwatch has sold more than 2.3 million units since preorders opened, MacRumors reports.

Apple hasn't released any sales data on Apple Watch sales, and it most likely won't until the company's quarterly earnings report. But this 2.3 million figure echoes what others have estimated — the research company Slice believes there were about 1 million US preorders on launch day, for example.

Ming-Chi Kuo has a good track record on Apple: He was spot on with his predictions about the iPhone 5S, for example. If Kuo's figures are correct, Apple has — in a stroke — cornered the entire smartwatch market.

The Apple Watch's strong sales are bad news for Google and its Android Wear smartwatch operating system OS. According to Canalys, devices using Android Wear sold 720,000 units in 2014. Slice's figures suggested Apple was able to easily breeze past this figure in a single day. In doing so, Apple took away Google's one historical advantage, which Business Insider explained in a previous story:

The iPhone has always — with some truth — been considered the "rich man's phone." Apple customers tend to be better off than Android users and spend more on apps and in-app purchases. Accordingly, ad rates on iOS, Apple's operating system, are higher than on Google's OS.

This strong push is immediately going to make Apple's Watch OS an extremely attractive platform for developers looking to move into wearables, especially when coupled with the purchasing power of Apple consumers. And as this app ecosystem develops, it will make the Apple Watch even more attractive compared with other smartwatches, consolidating Apple's position further still.

[Star Traveler]

Does it have over a thousand apps, too?! ... LOL ...

[mowowie]

I am so EXCITED for Apple!!!!!

/s

[Ramius]

They’re water resistant, like splashing or rain or sweat when working out but they aren’t supposed to be submerged in water. I’ll likely take mine off to take a shower. :-)

My order went in at 12:05am on the 10th.

I haven’t worn a watch in years either. But I’m not getting it because I need a watch. Its main function is as an extension of the phone that’s instantly and quickly there all the time. The phone can stay in my pocket or briefcase more of the time. What I’m looking forward to most are things like:

- quick glance at incoming messages/email
- quick answer calls
- Apple Pay (since I still have a 5s, need the watch to do it)
- exercise data, stopwatch, heart rate tracking ALL DAY (very cool for me)
- music remote
- camera remote
- map directions

Those are things I’m sure I’ll use many times every day without needing to fish for the phone and unlock it yet again. And it’s all stuff that is perfect for a small device on my wrist. And... It’s a watch too. :-)

But there’ll be all sorts of groovy apps that will be fun. Looking forward to it. They’re going to sell a gazillion of these things.

I got the cheaper sport model, mainly because I know it’s only for a year, maybe two, and the next generations will be better. They’ll be thinner and lighter. I’m expecting more sensors for health data, like blood pressure. Probably some day they’ll even have a way to give me blood chemistry data too. Who knows?

[mowowie]

Star Traveler, You are 15 yrs old aren’t you?

[Karl Spooner]

I thought 20. You know what they do to kids these days.

[Star Traveler]

Yeah, taking it off in the shower would be safe, but when I get one (won’t be for a while, another item is first) ... I would like to know it’s possible to use in the shower.

Thanks for the info.

[Star Traveler]

Don’t tell Medicare ... LOL ...

[Neidermeyer]

You bought a spot on a speculative waiting list for a product that the manufacturer has not yet managed to finalize a production methodology. You seem confused. You bought a dream, not a physical item. It is likely the manufacturer will overcome it’s production problems... Although they have announced deliveries of the actual production units will not begin until June except for the “handbuilts” that will go out sooner.

[Star Traveler]

Well this kid was taught the Bible in public school, and learned “old math” (and not “new math”) and rode on busses with blacks in the back ... :-) ...

Does that sound like 20-something’s you know ... LOL ...

[mowowie]

It is amazing the absolute power that certain organizations have over the weak minded.
Years of psychological studies have paid off in dividends it seems.
I have to figure out how to create wealth off of such people without wanting to kill myself in the process..

[Star Traveler]

For not having produced them, they’ve sure got a lot of them they’re showing to people in the stores ... :-) ...

Delivery for people who first ordered then will be shipped out and arrive on the 24th or maybe the 25th (that was reported today in the news). It’s the “walk-ins” that won’t get any Apple Watch until maybe June (again walkins). Online orders will be arriving continuously, everyday ... from the 24th forward.

[Karl Spooner]

You are always LOL and I doubt anyone has ever taught you the bible.

[Redcitizen]

Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the Western Spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun. Orbiting this at a distance of roughly ninety-eight million miles is an utterly insignificant little blue-green planet whose ape-descended life forms are so amazingly primitive that they still think digital watches are a pretty neat idea.

[Star Traveler]

How to create wealth? ... Easy ... make an excellent product that meets the consumers’ needs and have excellent customer service — like Apple.

Then you make a humongous amount of money — like Apple ... :-) ...

[WVKayaker]

... I have to figure out how to create wealth off of such people

It's really simple! Design and build something better and more unique than the existing marketplace offers. Apple excels at doing it. It is only visible to those intelligent enough to recognize and use such innovations.

Trolling critics scoff and scratch their butts, wondering "how people could be so stupid"!

In 1984, I "stupidly" took a chance and bought my first Mac, a 512k ROM version dubbed the "Fat Mac". It was the second iteration of the original. I used it to build houses, both CAD and bookkeeping. Since that time, I have owned many different Macs, and usually have sold them for a great recovery on my original investment. I am currently typing on a 7 yr old MacBook Pro 15".

Apple products are appliances that "just work". Every day! All day!

[mowowie]

No kidding, when was the last time you saw a non-tool wearing a digital watch?
People went back to the real deal for a reason.

Be interesting to know the number of $500 iwatches languishing in top draws across America in 18 months...

[Star Traveler]

I see you’re exhibiting your clairvoyant tendencies now ... LOL ...

Do you know what the Bible says about those who practice such things? ... :-) ...

[Star Traveler]

What kind of warp engine did you use to get here? ... :-) ...

[mowowie]

I’ve been in IT for almst 25 years, worked on and used plenty of Mac computers.

Would NEVER consider owning one, guess i’m not hip or intelligent enough to handle it.

PS
My PC “Just Works” just fine.
I know how to actually use a computer...

[Star Traveler]

You’ll easily find out in 18 months because version 2 will be out by then. The sales data will tell you ... :-) ...