Some Thoughts On The Forthcoming Apple Watch

I am generally an Apple fan. I'm not a consumerist so I'm not exactly their ideal customer (I write this on the last model of the BlackBook. you'll figure it out). I have a first generation iPad because, well it does what I want it to do. I have an old 32GB iPod touch because it does what I want it to do. I also own a relatively large collection of watches.

I like watches. I live analog watches the most. Mind you I'm not a technophobe, I loved Fossil's Wrist PDA product and probably put a few years on my eyes while it worked. I also have a Nike+ Gps watch because I run, not jog, run and I have other GPS items that I can record my bike rides, though unfortunately it doesn't sync with Nike+. The point being is that the idea of the Apple Watch appeals to me, but I'm not sure if I'll buy one...or at least do more than buy one and wear it every now and then until it collects dust.

I say this because the reason I like my watches is because they are all different. Different straps. Different shapes. Different features. It is not merely the same watch with different interchangeable faces. Furthermore; when they were bought they were bought with the clear understanding that they would never do anything more than what they do and I rarely have to replace a battery (for those that are not self-winding).

Problem is that the Apple watch for me, would be a very expensive "look at me" piece that got worn very few times. Even at it's cheapest, $350 so I'm told, that would be a very expensive "look at me" piece. Perhaps that just means I'm not the customer that Apple is looking for. I also wonder if the current generation, having not had a need for a wristwatch since they have phones on them at all times, will warm to this past the initial "ohh this is nice" phase.

One way to kind of gauge this would be to see how well the Pebble watch is doing as well as looking at how popular the short lived iPod Shuffle that people converted into a watch was because anyone paying attention knows full well that the upcoming iWatch IS that iPod Shuffle idea with a far better design and OS.

One thing from my Wrist PDA days though: Battery life. It was quite annoying to discover that my watch was dead because I had forgotten to charge it overnight. Or it was dead because some process on the watch went wild and ate the battery. Or that it died simply from sheer use. It charged via USB so I took to plugging it up any time I wasn't traveling. I'm not sure how the masses of people will take to having to do the same (particularly if they are using the health tracking monitors that require contact with the body).

We shall see soon. I hope if goes well for Apple in the long term. I figure most people aren't packing a dozen or more watches in their homes, so one good watch is all they will want. If that's the case, and they're willing to pony up. Apple could very well have a hit on it's hands.