I bought an Apple Watch immediately, but after a month I'm done
I put my white sport edition Apple Watch up for sale on Craigslist with a high price tag - $5oo. Nobody bit at that price, so I lowered the price to $450. Still no takers, so now I am willing to take $400.
Arguably, $400 is still high for a used gadget, but my view: It's in perfect condition and you can't walk into an Apple Store and buy one right now.
I don't want to be the sort of person that makes a big dramatic statement about selling my watch, especially since I probably won't end up selling it. It feels like a cliche to make a big deal of something like this. But after I announced my plan to sell it on Twitter, people were asking. So, here we are.
Why am I ready to move on?
For one, the value of the watch is about to fall off a cliff as Apple increases supply, so I figure I should try to sell now.
But if I really loved it, I wouldn't be thinking like that.
While I am bailing on the watch, I don't think it's bad. For people in the market for a fitness tracker, I think it's worth spending the extra money to get an Apple Watch over a Fitbit.
I've worn the watch every day since I bought it. It's helpful for telling the time, getting a quick look at the weather, and tracking how much I'm exercising for the day. I also like getting emails and texts pushed to my wrist, especially during non-work hours when I'm not sitting in front of a computer.
However, apps on the watch are slow to respond. The email apps are disappointing. Overall, it just feels a bit clunky. When people ask me for my review of the watch, I tell them that I think the watch is still two years away from being a great product.
The fitness tracking is better, but the iPhone already counts steps, which works well enough for me.
Also, I have two nice watches that are now sitting on my bureau collecting dust. I'd like to start wearing them again.
And, so, I am looking to ditch my Apple Watch.
Arguably this is a bad sign since it's the first post-Steve Jobs product in a new category. If this is the future of Apple, the future is a tad cloudy. But, Apple is still the iPhone company and iPhones are more popular than ever.
As presently constructed, the Apple Watch is unlikely to be a smash hit. It's a $400+ accessory for the iPhone. Disappointingly, it's not a $400+ enhancement to the phone.
And, by the way, price a big part of this. It feels weird paying $400+ for something that does a fraction of what a $650+ iPhone can do. Yes, a Rolex costs thousands of dollars, and it only tells time. But, that's just the nature of things. Apple can try to position itself as a luxury brand all it wants. It's not a luxury brand, and the Apple Watch is not a luxury watch. Sorry!