Cheaper Gold Apple Watch Coming Soon?
The recently released sales estimates on the Apple Watch reveal that the devices are not exactly flying off the shelves, especially in comparison to previous blockbuster successes like the iPhone and iPad. Most disappointing is the lack of interest in the $10,000+ Edition model which is estimated to have sold a mere 2,000 units so far. Apple has not yet released official sales figures on its smartwatch, which is rather suspicious since the company has had no hesitation about flaunting the number of iPhones sold in the first days of release.
Now there are rumors coming out of Taiwan that the company will be releasing a less expensive gold version of the Apple Watch in the fall. According to analyst Ming Chi-Kuo of KGI Securities, Apple will be adding a gold-plated version of the watch to the product line. Unlike the solid 18K gold Edition model, the new smartwatch will be an aluminum Apple Watch model plated with yellow or rose gold.
The release of the new Apple Watch models will coincide with the unveiling of the next incarnation of the iconic iPhone, expected to be named the 6S, and will give buyers the option of matching their smartwatch to their smartphone. Chi-Kuo did not hazard a guess at the price of the gold plated Apple Watch but a safe estimate would be around $449.
That’s certainly a more reasonable price than the $10,000 or more that Edition models are going for now. Still, the introduction of a much less expensive golden Apple Watch that looks like the Edition (at least from a distance) is likely to cut into the already meager sales of the 18K gold model. It’s also likely to steal business away from the companies that are currently gilding stainless steel Apple Watches in hopes of making them look like reasonable facsimiles of the pricey Edition.
