Quote:
Originally Posted by BMW F22
The only way I can see how a smart watch could threaten the mechanical watches would be for the smart watch to also have a mechanical, automatic movement. In other words, it would have the movement for time and the digital portion for everything else that a smart watch is suppose to have/do.
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I think smart watches will threaten the watch industry when they offer enough functionality that "watch people" are willing to give up their jewelry for the increased practicality.
Before that we'll have a first gen where just early adopters use it. Then we'll have a period where non "watch people" use it. Then eventually only die hard watch people will abstain from it, and even they may end up using it normally and keeping their mechanical watches for special occasions. Then they'll miss it when they take it off for special occasions.
This is Apple Watch 1.0. It's only going to get much, MUCH better from here. Mechanical watches are about as good as they're ever going to get. Thinking smart watches, including but not limited to Apple Watch, aren't a threat to the watch industry is foolishness.
"nobody is going to want a smart phone without a keyboard"
20 years from now, I think we'll see as many mechanical wrist watches as we see pocket watches now. Present, but not prevalent.