Apple Watch--Is this an Opportunity for IWC?

Greetings Fellow IWC Fans,

I read some estimates that it is expected that 36,000,000 of these devices will be sold during the first year. Is this a good place for IWC to develop a free “watch” application as means to increase brand awareness and introduce the brand to a new demographic and at least make them aware of IWC? Maybe an Apple Watch owner could configure their watch to look like a Mark XVII. Maybe this is an opportunity for us to “try before you buy”. Personally, I wouldn’t mind having a 5241 minute repeater set up on my Apple watch. :)

Any thoughts?

Regards, George

Nice idea -
but as I have heard - any kind of "watch-apps" for the apple watch are not allowed by apple.

Regards
Thomas

(who has cancelled his apple watch order - because I really don't know right now, what to do with it ;) )

Hello Andrew,

It was nice dream while it lasted. :) You are about the Apple policy. Maybe I should have researched this more. Details are below.

[i][b]Apple on Tuesday updated the official App Store Review Guidelines, officially taking a stance against third-party applications for the Apple Watch whose sole purpose is to tell the time, as first discovered by developer David Smith.

A newly added clause of the agreement guiding third-party development now explicitly states that Watch applications which simply tell the time will be flatly rejected.

“Watch Apps whose primary function is telling time will be rejected,” reads the document[/b][/i]

I have been wearing an Apple Watch this week to assess its capbilities. I like it but much prefer my other mechanical watches.

Regards, George

Well for me this is like we would compare Aston Martin DBS with lets say Smart.
Two completely different galaxies, not to mention worlds...

Booth are cars indeed. :)

I handled an Apple Watch at my local store recently and was very impressed with the build quality. I found the "crown" pretty unsatisfying, though. It occurred to me that that big old BP crown would work beautifully. And then I had a bad thought, a very, very evil thought: You could cram an awful lot of battery and processor into a 46mm X 16mm case.

I owned an Apple watch for a week, and sold it. It does little more than a Quartz watch plus an iPhone which is still needed.

The apps are in a cluster and an IWC app will get lost. Also, the screen stays on for only 20 seconds which limits utility for apps.

So --simple answer: no way.

That's exactly the "problem" for me: it is useless without an iPhone nearby.

I would have bought it just for running - but as there is no gps "on board" - and I don't wan't to run with my iPhone tagged on my arm - I stay for running with my Polar V800 - and "for the rest of my life" with my iwc-collection :)

regards
Thomas

Currently I am more than happy with an IWC on my wrist and an iPhone in my pocket. Perfect.

As an Apple shareholder, I hope that 36 million consumers go out and buy the watch then realise that it is very limited in its usefulness and put it away in a drawer until Version 2 is launched. Then I hope 40 million buy Version 2, realise it is very limited ...

It's a brilliant business model. Almost as good as persuading consumers to pay $12,000 plus on a mechanical watch. Realise that it is very limited in its usefulness and go out and spend $40,000 on a perpetual calendar.

Hi to all (after years of sleep :=)
I read that IWC plans a module with will atached to the bracelet.
I have a Samsung Gear S - nice toy but not a must have. Seriously: I don't want Google to know each and every step I take!
Alle the best from Germany
Hans

Yes! Right there with you Ralph. I'm unlikely to buy an Apple Watch - but like observing the feeding frenzy. They have this whole product category very well planned over the next 8 years and release cycles and re-releases planned through version 3 and beyond.

I still submit, however, that an IWC application would be more than an application that simply "tells time". It could be a version of their helpful iPhone app, where I can browse the collection, or integrate with other IWC experiences, social, video, etc. somehow, a way to engage the millennials who for the first time are wearing watches.

Word!

Servus Hans - nice to hear from you after a really very looong sleeping period ;)

Quite funny that the AppleWatch topic woke you up :D

regards from vienna
Thomas

Welcome back --I'm glad you're here.

Welcome back Hans, although I am sure you never left.