An Atypical Watch

I don’t wear a watch and don’t want to. If I was ignorant enough, I’d consider the Apple Watch just another Apple product launch. It would sell out and be very popular and all of my nerd friends would get it on launch day. I don’t think it’s going to be typical. I think it’s going to be huge.1

I’ve never seen so many non-tech people so excited about a piece of electronics. This is the first time my wife has requested, far in advance, that I purchase one for her on launch day.2 She’s talking to her friends about the Apple Watch. Her friends, who also have healthy relationships with inanimate objects, are eagerly waiting to buy their own Apple Watch.

I have Apple-friends and normal friends. My Apple friends email me before a new iPhone launch and ask which model I’ll get. They tell me about their plans for a Space Grey 32GB iPhone 6, their latest apps and bemoan the lack of a Retina Thunderbolt Display. My normal friends email me birthday invitations. But, this time around it’s flipped. I’ve received emails about the Apple Watch from the most unlikely places. And, they seem genuinely surprised that I don’t want one.

Certainly, my view of the world is not indicative of a trend. But, I think it’s an indicator that this is something new. This watch is desired by people outside of the usual demographic for chamfers and bezels. Maybe it’s the dream of the Dick Tracy communicator. Maybe it’s a new kind of halo-effect. Or maybe, some people just want a good watch and they just want a phone that makes phone calls.3

  1. I own Apple stock. Probably not enough to pay for all of the Apple hardware I buy but maybe enough for four years at your safety college. ↩︎

  2. My wife is amazing but has little interest in technology beyond what it does for her. Can she watch Game of Thrones on the Roku? Cool. She likes the Roku. This is a healthy relationship with an inanimate object. ↩︎

  3. Yeah. Not a huge revelation. I never claimed to be a pundit. If I do, please up my medication. ↩︎