iWatch Delay May Be Bad For Apple Competitors

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It’s believed that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) will unveil the iWatch on Sept. 9 along with the iPhone 6. However, there have been rumors that the wearable device won’t be available until early next year. Some would think that this would be bad because Apple is getting in months after competitors’ latest models and more than a year after their first models. Others think there’s a benefit in such a long delay between the unveiling and launch.

On the other hand though, the price tag might give some consumers pause when it comes to buying the iWatch. So does Apple have the recipe for the device’s success in place? We’ll just have to wait and see.

Why a delay may be good for the iWatch

Slash Gear proposes some suggestions for why a months-long gap between the unveiling and the launch of the iWatch could be good for Apple. In fact, they suggest that the gap could be intentional rather than forced by supply chain issues.

For one thing, Apple doesn’t have to worry about hurting its current generation if the device because this would be the first iWatch. As a result, the company isn’t hurting its own sales, but rather, the sales of its competitors. Consumers who know there really is a smartwatch coming from Apple may hold off on buying devices made by Apple’s competitors right now.

In addition, the company will have some extra time to work out any potential bugs in the iWatch. Before the launch of the first iPhone, Apple locked down testing very tightly, but this time, Slash Gear suggests that things might be different. The iWatch won’t be one of the first smartwatches because there are many already on the market. Instead, the company could be working on honing features its competitors haven’t already included.

How much is too much for the iWatch?

But then there’s the issue of the price. Apple could release the price for the iWatch along with the unveiling. If that price is too high, people probably won’t wait for the device. A research firm recently suggested to ValueWalk that consumers may be unwilling to pay more than $200 for the iWatch. However, with Apple, there are other things to consider.

For example, whetting people’s appetite by showing it off early could give them time to save up the extra cash for the new iDevice. They might not feel like they’re emptying their wallets to get all of Apple’s new devices at the same time, as the iPhone 6 is expected to go on sale in September. Also if Apple does integrate all of the various smartwatch features into just one device, consumers could see a value there that makes the extra money seem worthwhile.

And then there’s the Apple logo, which is simply enough to make some fanboys dole out the dough no matter how much it costs. After all, there is a very good reason that Apple’s brand is one of the most valuable brands in the world.

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