Why is Apple Watch failing?

July 13 news, according to the latest research report released by a third-party analysis agency, compared with the official release, Apple Watch sales have dropped 90% - this is a big deal, because it means that the device is not well received by its early users - not to mention that competitor Fitbit has higher sales than Apple in the field of wearable devices . Although Apple may be enough to crush some small smart watch companies like Pebble, its smart watch products are not enough to subvert the larger wearable device market.

Millions of sales sound good, but it didn't deliver the surprise that was hoped for. Imagine if the iPad was outselling some Windows tablets a few months after its release - it's true that sales dropped sharply a few months later, which is not a good sign.

Will Apple Watch sales rebound and reach 100 million in two years like the iPad, or catch up with the iPhone in three years ? There is time, but it is not certain to reach these numbers. Even with a generous margin of error, Apple's device is nothing in the wearable device field.

So why is this happening?

1. It just doesn’t work that well

Early reviews were filled with probing criticism and complicated arguments about why users would want to own an Apple Watch. Some media outlets pointed out that the Apple Watch's technical performance was poor and that it lacked meaningful applications. Many reviews even pointed out that it was not for everyone.

Before the release of Apple Watch, many developers complained that Apple was too eager to achieve success in the function settings of the watch. Probably to protect the limited life of the watch battery, the application runs on the iPhone, and the sensors and touch response Taptic Engine are disabled... Apple has released a new SDK to make up for these shortcomings and improve the application experience, but it doesn't do much.

From a user experience perspective, Apple hasn’t figured out what users really want when interacting with the device. Imagine a device with four types of notifications: a “glance,” a short-read notification, a long-read notification, and a number that just pops up on the watch face. Some of them are information the user needs, and some of them are notifications that prompt the user to open an app on the iPhone. None of this shows that Apple has figured out the perfect way for users to use its invention. Despite having three different types of touch interfaces—basic touchscreen interaction, pressure-sensitive touch, and the Digital Crown—the smartwatch relies heavily on its voice recognition assistant, Siri.

2. Not as fashionable as imagined

Although at least Beyoncé made headlines by wearing a gold Apple Watch, this may also be sponsored secretly.

The fading celebrity factor may be a factor in the slowdown in sales. Not because there’s anything wrong with the watch, but because Apple is not immune to fashion — which moves faster than your iPhone’s two-year upgrade cycle. Maybe the Apple Watch had its moment, but now it’s a waste of energy, if not tacky.

However, Apple Watch is not a piece of jewelry, so how can it serve as a foil? If you don't wear a Rolex every day, that's fine. But if you don't wear an Apple Watch every day, how will you access emails, prove your identity, or complete mobile payments? Since Apple Watch has replaced some of the functions of mobile phones, to some extent, it must be worn every day.

3. Apple is not concerned about user experience

The root of all these flaws is this: this is a masterpiece of short-sighted industrial design. The microchips are placed under the curved glass like Velcro to help fix it, but such superficial treatment leads to the neglect of the software experience. And in the end, the irony is that Apple claims that its software experience can help solve the disappointing experience of daily wear.

Looking at the Apple Watch, you'll see the pornographic image of the digital crown knob, and that's not all, the hardware of the Apple Watch you buy only has one model, and the software appearance is almost aesthetic. Apple hasn't even opened this electronic watch to third parties, and even if it does, Apple will still make the Apple Watch look broken in order to save the poor battery.

The decline of Apple Watch is because its sales execution has improved, but its design has not kept up. As for practicality, it is inconvenient to use and does not solve substantive problems. As for fashion, it is a technological product, and its essence is eternal, but it has not kept up with the fast-paced fashion. In fact, as Chanel's motto says: fashion is fleeting, but style is forever.

Regardless of whether Apple needs to improve all of the above problems to win a victory, it should at least solve one of them. But by then, it still seems that it is "not suitable for everyone" and cannot change its "useless" image.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.