Apple is expected to launch its highly-anticipated smartwatch this year, but overall interest in the product does not appear to be very high according to one study.
New survey shows low interest in Apple Watch
Quartz recently conducted a poll of 811 smartphone owners in the United States. Everyone knows the first Apple Watch will require the iPhone to operate. Half of the group surveyed already owns an iPhone. Out of that group, 2% claimed they were extremely likely to purchase the Apple Watch within the upcoming year. Another 3% said they were very likely to make the purchase. Surprisingly, 20% of those surveyed claimed they were somewhat likely to purchase the device, and 80% claimed they were not likely to buy it. Unsurprisingly, the percentage of non-iPhone owners who were unlikely to buy the wearable was greater.
Price is a concern for many tech consumers
Price is an important factor in the Quartz poll. The Apple Watch is set to start at $350, but the majority polled (60.1%) want to spend less than $200 on the watch. Another 25.7% would be willing to spend $200-$299 on the device, and 8.6 would not mind spending $300 to $399. The study suggested 2.8% would be willing to spend $400 to $499, and another 2.8% would be willing to spend over $500.
Most of the current wearables on the market are less than $200, so this could be a concern for Apple. Popular wearables in this price range include Jawbone’s Up 24, the Pebble Steel, the Fitbit Flex, and the Nike+ FuelBand SE. Apple may have to find a way to show consumers why its first wearable is worth the price.
Another thing Apple will need is good reviews. The poll showed 40% of those surveyed admitted their friends’ opinions could influence them to purchase the watch. Another 29% say reviews could influence their decision.
Apple has yet to confirm the launch date for the watch, but it will likely make a debut soon.
