Which Apple Watch is the one that costs $399, and which is the one that costs $1,299? It’s not a trick question, these are 4 different watches.
By the time the Apple Watch Series 4 came out, I rushed to buy it. I desperately needed to replace my Apple Watch Series 1. It was slow, and its battery didn’t always last all day. I had gotten tired of dealing with it a few months after the release of the Apple Watch Series 3. But I stuck around. The rumors about the Apple Watch Series 4 were too good. By the time of Apple’s fall Apple Watch announcement, I didn’t even care about the iPhone. I just wanted the new Apple Watch. I ordered it as soon as I could, along with my iPhone XS, but I didn’t really care for it and never would.
The Apple Watch Series 6 is coming this year. We haven’t heard much about it. A new oxygen sensor and perhaps panic attack detection were all we heard about. This week we heard it may have fast charging. But perhaps the most intriguing aspect was the idea of a new color.
Now, one new color isn’t that special, especially if it’s just one dark blue color to match the upcoming iPhone 12 Pro’s dark blue shade. But imagine a splash of color. The iPhone 11 of Apple Watches. That would be something to break out the wallet for.
Splash of Color
I won’t lie, I’ve become obsessed with these simple yet vibrant Swatch Watches
A long time ago, people would collect watches. They’d have different watches for different occasions. Maybe they’d keep them in a nice box with a collection of spare parts, different bands, and plenty of watches. These days, many people just have one watch, their Apple Watch.
The Apple Watch really only comes in one style: elegant. The design of the Apple Watch, whether it’s in black, white, stainless steel, rose gold, or gold, is really just the same shape, with the same sense of elegance. The difference between Apple’s cheapest Apple Watch and Apple’s most expensive Apple Watch is minimal, at best. I wear the same watch out skateboarding that I do to a wedding or job interview. I wear it with a dress, I wear it with an old hoodie. With sleep tracking, some people are even wearing them with pajamas.
Some Product Differentiation, Please!
Believe it or not, the plain white one on the left is worth $1,299 new. The one on the right is the first Apple Watch Sport, worth $399 when released.
But what if you could actually have different Apple Watches for different occasions? What if you could match more than just the bands to your outfit or activity? What if there were some slimmer Apple Watches, or circular ones? What if some had a splash of color?
Imagine a bright and vibrant sky blue or vibrant red Apple Watch on someone’s wrist. It’s far more attention grabbing than the drab rounded squares, right? Imagine a thinner one without heart rate sensors, or WiFi. Maybe one that ditches the Digital Crown? Maybe one with nothing but pressure sensitive sides, like the AirPods Pro.
The Apple Watch looks largely the same as its original counterpart, 6 generations ago. The Apple Watch Series 6 will also look just like the Series 0. In fact, the Series 7 might as well, as we haven’t heard anything about redesigns yet. It’s still a beautiful watch, but anyone would get tired of wearing the same thing every day for six years.
I’ve heard of timeless designs, but that’s a bit ironic for a watch, don’t you think?