
Understanding Apple's Wearables Strategy - adam
http://techpinions.com/understanding-apples-wearable-strategy/32076
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nevi-me
Interesting article, but ... Why are we going on about Apple's 'wearable
strategy' when they don't even have a device out there? I noticed during I/O
that some 'prominent' people were discussing the 'iWatch' like it's already in
stores. Why are we even entertaining such detailed assumptions about things
that we don't yet know of?

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JonFish85
In some ways, it's interesting that Apple is almost "driving" the market
without even being a part of it yet. Everyone assumes that Apple is working on
an iWatch, and companies are scrambling to get out and take as much share as
they can. The first I heard of Smart Watches was really Pebble, but then
quickly there came rumors that Apple was building one, and suddenly Samsung
rushes a few to market.

I think people assume that Apple will set the standard on a quality watch, and
maybe have it be unique and special in some way. I think people would be
underwhelmed if they came out with something that was almost exactly what
Samsung/LG/Motorola is coming out with. People like to speculate on what
they'll do that will make it stand apart.

I think it's also helped along by the fact that this would be the first new
product of Tim Cook's Apple. It's been a few years coming, and expectations
are high: what does this mean for AAPL over the next 10 years, can they still
innovate...?

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personZ
_and companies are scrambling to get out and take as much share as they can_

From a pro-Apple perspective, it undoubtedly looks this way, confirmed when
every Apple follower brings up Apple in the context of competitive product.

From a neutral perspective, it looks like nothing of the sort. SoCs are
getting more powerful, and more efficient. Screens are getting much, much
better. Batteries are getting better, and longevity increases with all of the
other improvements. Software is getting better.

Biometric and wearable devices have been around for years, but technology is
finally making them very practical. But the category is truly inevitable, as
predicted on so many sci-fi movies of decades ago.

Recall when Samsung introduced the Note. It, the "Phablet" was deridden on
every Apple blog. Bound for certain failure, we were told. Now Apple is coming
out with a 5.5" smartphone.

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lostlogin
It's kind of funny to deride something as a pro Apple stance and use Apple's
5.5inch phone as an example of Apple flip-flopping. The iPad mini would have
been a better example of Apple caving as it exists.

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personZ
We know Apple is producing larger phones. There is zero mystery about that. It
is _entirely_ relevant that the same pundits who now have a lot to say about
wearables also got larger smartphones entirely wrong.

And no, the mini is not relevant, as a core facet of the Note was that it was
a large smartphone, not a small tablet.

However I didn't "dismiss" anything. I pointed out that there is a perspective
bias in how one sees things. Samsung, for instance, came out with the Gear
before the iWatch was even more than a murmur. But now, not unexpectedly,
everyone else is somehow reacting to Apple.

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lostlogin
I think you're missing my point. The mini tablet category was dismissed by
Jobs. It became apparent that people wanted smaller tablets. And then Apple
made it and by numbers it sells well, possibly better than the full sized one.
This is an example of Apple caving to demand despite appearances of knowing
best. I was not comparing the Note to the Mini, I was comparing Apple's
attitude to consumer demand. I thought that comparing a real product and real
example was more meaningful that relying on supply chain rumour which has a
poor track record.

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actionscripted
I still don't feel that Apple's next big move will be wearables. I think it's
going to be something you can use in your living room, likely with games.
Maybe iOS devices as game controllers.

Why is everyone so certain the iWatch is happening? Maybe I've been out of the
loop but I haven't seen a confirmed, legitimate statement from Apple about it
and I really don't see why Apple would release one. Watches aren't as common,
the screen size leaves little utility and you've probably got your phone
nearby anyways.

Happy to be totally wrong but I think a living room play makes more sense than
a wrist play.

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coralreef
You can already use your iPhone as a game controller, they have standardized
frameworks available and 3rd party manufacturers like Logitech sell them.

However, that will never be a billion dollar market for them. It would be a
supplementary feature for Apple TV, but would never be a big thing alone.

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radley
The article is a little behind the curve, particularly with Google already
releasing wearables.

Take what he says about Disneyland / Starbucks and apply it _everywhere_.
That's what Google is already doing with Android. The wearable isn't the
monitor, simply because 99.999999% of current wearable users will already have
device with Google ID & location tracking (Google Maps).

(Curious how Maps tracking will play out on iOS...)

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sigsergv
It make sense bur requires a lot of 3rd party devices to support those
”iWatches”. And in general it's not about personal smart watches but about
smart houses. And this is a huge (potential) market with major player like
google interested in.

So if author is right, a new marketing war is coming.

