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Why Technophiles Will (Or Won't) Buy An Apple Watch

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This article is more than 9 years old.

Every day it seems there’s some new bit of news regarding the upcoming Apple Watch. Most recently, it was that Apple sent out invitations for an event on March 9, likely for Apple Watch news. (The tagline is “Spring Forward” – get it?)

Then there are the 12 pages of ads for the Apple Watch that will appear in March’s issue of Vogue.

But at $349, Apple’s latest accessory will cost almost twice as much as the average smartwatch in 2014, according to the Smartwatch Group. (Can we talk for a second about the fact that there’s already a dedicated research group for smartwatches? Okay.)

And it’s not like the Apple Watch isn’t without competition. Pebble, a startup in California, recently raised more than $10 million for the latest version of their smartwatch, the Pebble Time. Unlike Apple’s product, that watch has a seven-day battery life and it will cost about half as much, at $159 for early backers or $199 retail.

So what’s the draw? After all, it’s another gadget to charge, another operating system to update, another set of apps to install. And it’s not a replacement for your iPhone—just a device that makes it easier to keep your phone in your pocket.

Here’s why technophiles around the world say they would (or wouldn’t) shell out for the Apple Watch.

WHY THEY WILL:

Apple hasn’t had a flop yet. Not sure about the Apple Watch? Just wait and see, some experts are recommending. “Look at the history of the iPad,” says Jordan Schugar, Ph.D., assistant professor of English at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. “At first, people didn’t really want to use them, but now they’re in tons of homes and tons of schools.”

Orun Bhuiyan, a marketing technologist and co-founder of SEOcial.com, agrees. “Apple has demonstrated a remarkable capacity to redefine and reinvent products, which makes the Apple Watch worth looking at closely.”

I get notifications at a glance. “I typically carry my phone in my pocket, and it’s been great to not have to worry about ‘alert anxiety’ of wanting to check my phone during moments when the etiquette would not approve,” says Luis Felipe Rincon, co-founder of Wearables.com and a smartwatch owner for the last year. “All those quick notifications help me move through my day quicker as a whole.”

It’s a game changer. Upon release, the Apple Watch promises to do things like let you pay for products with a wave of your wrist and unlock a door without a key. And that’s just the start of it. “The apps that people develop for Apple Watch will make the product do things current devices won’t do,” says Chris Franco, chief growth officer at virtual store Miner. “Apple Watch is a canvas waiting for developers to paint.”

It makes a great gift. Every year there’s at least one big-ticket item at just the right price point for the “big” holiday present. “The watch is genius,” says April Masini, relationship expert and author of the “Ask April” advice column. “It’s jewelry, but not really. It’s expensive enough, but not too much. The $350 price tag means the giver wanted to make an impression, but not necessarily a commitment.” And because it’s technology, it’s appropriate for a variety of gift recipients.

Apple has its Applephiles. “$350 at the minimum is steep, but let us not forget that it’s Apple,” Rincon says. “They always sell at a premium regardless of the product category. Smartwatch average price is about $250, so if you’re going to go up at least $100 from there, you’re likely an Apple lover to begin with.”

WHY THEY WON’T

A smartphone is enough. “Apple has not announced any features that my phone does not already provide,” says Josh Lindenmuth, chief information officer at payroll firm Payce. “Fast payments, health tracking, calendars, voice messaging, and a variety of other features are already in my phone.”

I don’t need more connectivity. “If my phone is put away, it means I don’t want to interact with it,” says Bryan Conklin, founder and CEO of technology application company Zylo. “I don’t need access to parts of it all day via my wrist.”

It's too functional. “For me, it’s trying to do too much,” says Tom Osborne, founder of business content publisher TheRouse.com. “I want a smart watch. Something that tells the time and makes life a little easier. I don’t need games or a keypad to make notes or reply to messages, and I don’t need it to check social media.”

Other smartwatches cost less. “I’m a big fan of the devices in general, but the Apple device is too little too late from Apple,” says Dan Stone, owner of Kixo, an IT support company in the UK. “Too many other companies have already gotten in [to the market] for much cheaper. Apple used to be the fancy high end device, but I believe the Apple watch will struggle in the market now.”

The first wave is an experiment. As with any new tech device, some experts don’t recommend jumping in right away. “The first six to 12 months will bring limited functionality,” says Edward Kiledjian, chief information security officer for Bombardier Aerospace in Canada. For instance, “in the first release, apps are not expected to run directly on the watch,” he says. “For Joe or Jane Public, I think they should wait until the second generation of the watch and software.”

Are you in the market for an Apple Watch?

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