Yesterday Apple unveiled a new MacBook and released more details about the Apple Watch. The new MacBook certainly qualifies as a fantastic feat of personal electronics manufacturing. However having only a single port on the entire device makes it useless to me. One USB Type-C port that also doubles as the charging port means attaching accessories to the laptop will be impossible. I think Apple really missed the mark by not having the power adapter integrate a USB Type-C hub. None of this matters though since I’m not the intended audience for the laptop.
The Apple Watch appeared to be the star of the show even though I found it underwhelming when compared to the new MacBook. Apple announced that its watch would have a paltry 18 hour battery life based on estimations of average usage (but we have no idea what it estimates to be average usage so the measure is meaningless). However pricing was announced and if you have $17,000 burning a hole in your pocket Apple is here to help.
People have been comparing the luxury Watch Edition of the Apple Watch to high end watch manufacturers such as Rolex, Jaeger-Le Coultre, and Patek Phillipe. I feel that there’s a major difference that people making the comparison are leaving out. When you drop ten grand or more on, say, a Rolex you have a timepiece for life. Hell, you have a timepiece for the life of your children and their children. There is also resale value. Dropping ten grand or more on the Apple Watch will net you an electronic device that will be outdated next year and that will pretty much eliminate its resale value. I also have my doubts that the Apple Watch will be as serviceable as watches from well known watchmakers (there are skilled watchmakers that still service decades old Submariners, for example). Even if you do pass down an Apple Watch it’s unlikely getting a replacement battery in 30 years will be feasible. So I don’t think comparing the Apple Watch to established watchmakers is a terribly good idea.
In the end I don’t see the Apple Watch selling terribly well but few people have made money betting against Apple since Steve Jobs took the reigns back. That new MacBook will probably sell like hotcakes though. People want thin laptops and the new MacBook is certainly thin.