Singapore Expats

What kind of slight is this ...........

There are no Apple stores in Singapore, that's why.

What the Apple Watch launch was REALLY about
'Among the glitz and glamor of the Apple Watch launch, one key element was overlooked: what the event signaled about the tech giant's ambitions in China.
It was no coincidence that the first messaging app demonstrated on the Apple Watch was WeChat, China's biggest messaging app, as opposed to WhatsApp, for example.

"It was no accident that WeChat was highlighted and the whole show opened with a video presentation of the latest Chinese store opening,"[...]

In addition to the lower-priced Apple Watch models, the company also unveiled the "Edition" – an 18 karat gold version that starts at $10,000, which could appeal to fans in China and the Middle East.

Apple focused heavily on China in 2014 and the bet paid off. It now has 21 stores in the country and is expected to open more[....]

The Apple Watch will be rolled out in China at the same time as the U.S., highlighting how key a market it is. To position the Watch as a luxury timepiece, Apple is selling it through its own stores but also major retailers such as Selfridges in London. Similar partnerships in China will be crucial, analysts said.

"The first strategy it has is to roll out more of its own stores, then partnerships with operators and subsidies for the Apple Watch will be the longer term goal," Neil Mawston, executive director at Strategy Analytics, told CNBC by phone.

"The key to their iPhone was heavy subsidies and if Apple can replicate that it should mean good sales in China for the Watch."
http://www.cnbc.com/id/102492198

Any normal watch people complain about having to change the battery every year or two. Who in the hell, in their right mind, would buy a watch for 10K that you have to recharge the battery every 18 hours! What were they thinking? Oh, right! There are people out there who are only buying a "perceived" name that today is highly overrated I can buy a citizen automatic that will keep time forever without battery. If I want to spend 10K on a watch I'd much rather buy a watch with the personal craftsmanship and cache that that kind of money will buy. Not something that will need to be charged 4 x every 3 days and will need continual software updates or won't work at all after an apocalypse when all the servers go down and the power goes off. Mechanical or automatic is the way to go. Nah, doesn't work for me.

sundaymorningstaple wrote:Who in the hell, in their right mind, would buy a watch for 10K that you have to recharge the battery every 18 hours!

* Gaudy rich people with more money than sense.
* Ridiculously rich powerful person who want to gift their latest wife/concubine/mistress/sexdoll a shiny toy.
* Rich people who want to annoy people who think paying 10k for a watch that will be obsolete 1.5 years from now.

While I don't think the $10k+ watches will be a big seller I reckon that the lower cost ones will do pretty well.

I don't think the battery life is a big deal - people adapt. My iPhone lasts about a day compared to the Nokia I had years back which would last a week. I still prefer the iPhone because it does much more. Much the same with this Apple watch, it does a lot more than just tell the time. It's not just a watch anymore. That's what people pay for.

I am not a watch wearer , but all the "smartwatches" just look shit, pardon my French

A proper watch looks far better

Barnsley wrote:I am not a watch wearer , but all the "smartwatches" just look shit, pardon my French

A proper watch looks far better

Actually, the android camp has come up with some actually good-looking smartwatches: http://www.gizmag.com/moto-360-vs-huawei-watch/36449/

I've also seen the LG Watch R in real life and wouldn't have realized it was it until I saw it glowing in the shade.

Still waiting for for prices to go even further down and battery life further up though; in the meantime, I'm pretty happy with my eco-drive.

But the 350 USD Apple Watch will sell like hotcakes no matter what we say.

The Apple watch wouldn't get this much flak if Apple didn't have the audacity to make a gold watch that will be obsolete in 2 years priced at 10,000 USD minimum.

If there are buyers for such stuff (gold watches) then why not? 10k is IMHO just low enough to get some people seriously tempted - after these 2y they would buy a newer model with not much regrets.

How about this one?


Apparently there are some people willing to pay £54,400.00
(exc. VAT) for it.
I believe I even have seen this sort of ugliness in Changi, terminal 1 or 2 in one of the jewelery/watches stores.

x9200 wrote:If there are buyers for such stuff (gold watches) then why not? 10k is IMHO just low enough to get some people seriously tempted - after these 2y they would buy a newer model with not much regrets.

How about this one?


Apparently there are some people willing to pay £54,400.00
(exc. VAT) for it.
I believe I even have seen this sort of ugliness in Changi, terminal 1 or 2 in one of the jewelery/watches stores.

You were possibly referring to Vertu Phones which used to be Nokia phones with an overhaul by Vertu to make a custom phone. They were often obscenely priced as well. Don't know anybody who ever had one but they used to have an outlet in town as well. Not sure if still around or if they switched innards or not.

Here you go...... http://www.vertu.com/sg/en/collections/

I am pretty sure it was a gold iPhone.

sundaymorningstaple wrote:

x9200 wrote:If there are buyers for such stuff (gold watches) then why not? 10k is IMHO just low enough to get some people seriously tempted - after these 2y they would buy a newer model with not much regrets.

How about this one?

Apparently there are some people willing to pay £54,400.00
(exc. VAT) for it.
I believe I even have seen this sort of ugliness in Changi, terminal 1 or 2 in one of the jewelery/watches stores.

You were possibly referring to Vertu Phones which used to be Nokia phones with an overhaul by Vertu to make a custom phone. They were often obscenely priced as well. Don't know anybody who ever had one but they used to have an outlet in town as well. Not sure if still around or if they switched innards or not.

Here you go...... http://www.vertu.com/sg/en/collections/

The Vertu smartphones actually used Android; Nokia's Symbian was deader as a door nail to use and we all know Apple won't allow a rebrand.

Anyway, someone in the tech press got to try to use one: http://www.wired.com/2014/06/vertu-signature-touch/

If you don't read the article, aside from a super-blinged up smartphone, Vertu at least includes a concierge/butler service with the phone. Like Siri/Google Now but your requests are not limited to doing things with your phone and an actual human being makes them happen--reservations at a restaurant, pick up your dry cleaning...things that a person who can afford ten grand on a phone would find too busy (or too pedestrian!) to do (and his phone can't because it's not sentient and can't coax Jarvis to book you for dinner on Friday). You get the idea. Also, IIRC, a Vertu phone is hand-assembled (or "crafted") but not by Chinese slaves.

Anyway, none of us think le gold Apple Watch would come with actual human being Siri and be signed by the person who assembled it.

If I wanted to burn 10 smackers on electronics but still have some sense, I'd go with the Vertu and it's concierge service (even for just the free first year).

x9200 wrote:I am pretty sure it was a gold iPhone.

It probably matches the owner's golden shirt.