Roger Fingas
A little over three-fifths of current Apple Watch owners are planning to upgrade to the next model, even though any features it might have are still nebulous, according to survey data published on Friday.
The same survey, conducted online by "customer acquisition" firm Fluent, found that just 8 percent of 2,578 people said they already own a Watch. Both owners and non-owners cited the cost of the device as the main disincentive for buying one — even with a recent $50 price cut, the cheapest model is $299, which can be an expensive proposition for a device that already requires a iPhone.
While a simliar percentage of people said they owned non-Apple smartwatches, the vast majority of respondents said they had no smartwatch at all.
Current Watch owners identified convenience and features as their main interests in buying one, with fashion and affordability being distant concerns. Fashion was slightly more significant with the broader survey group, but behind features.
Very few rumors about a second-generation Watch have emerged, despite the normally intense scrutiny of Apple products. Some have hinted at the prospect of a better battery, a thinner body, and/or improved outdoor visibility — most recently, Apple began hiring for more watchfaces, but these could potentially be introduced to first-gen units through a watchOS update.
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56 Comments
If the bands are compatible (and it looks like they will be) then I'd be interested in upgrading. Going to keep my original SS model until it's retro chic though. ;)
I just don't get it - to spend a lot of money on an item that requires an item that costs even more money in order to work. Then it's obsolete when it's not supported anymore.
I have a $400/$500, whatever it is, space black link band, so a lot depends on how the upgrade path works. Particularly for Space Black, it has the least aesthetically compatible options.