We noted a couple of days ago that you didn’t have to look far at CES to find the Apple Watch knock-offs, but for those desperate enough to pretend they have one some two months before it’s even launched, they don’t have to dig very deep into their pockets. Mashable’s Karissa Bell was able to buy one for the grand sum of $27.
It even works, kind of. Bell reports that it did, after a few attempts, pair to her iPhone 6 and allow her to make phone calls and play music through the watch. She said that it looks almost like the real thing – “for about three seconds.” Looking at the photo, I think she’s exaggerating by about two-and-a-half seconds …
Digitimes is reporting that Samsung has received orders for the CPU for the real thing.
Samsung Electronics’ 28nm process technology has reportedly obtained orders for the Apple Watch set for launch in March 2015. The orders call for 3,000-4,000 12-inch wafers monthly.
As ever, the less than reliable source cites only vague “industry sources.” Each wafer would generate anything from tens to hundreds of chips, making it broadly in line with analyst estimates of year-one Apple Watch sales range from 10M to 37M units.
We reported a few days ago that Apple is planning an extensive familiarization program for retail store employees, with initial training set to take place between 9th and 16th February. Apple has so far only revealed the ‘from’ pricing of the new wearable, but it has been rumored that the steel model will sell for around $500 while the gold version will run into thousands of dollars.
Thanks to Simon Potts
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I’m amazed at Asia’s ability to take an idea and run away with it so quickly that they can bring the knock-off to market before the original gets there. http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/236x/79/2f/35/792f356b52c78bf34afb296f372ee4f1.jpg
That’s because there is no engineering, designing, or development involved in the process of creating a knock-off. Pull some parts off the shelf, create a die to stamp out the case and… Done! That takes very little time. Then, unfortunately, every moron in the world says, “If they can do it so cheap, how come Apple charges so much?” Not knowing or caring to know, that Apple probably spent years developing just the logic board.
OF COURSE there’s engineering, designing and development involved in the knock-off.You make it sound like they’ve got all the parts lying around their shop and that die-stamping is as easy as scrapbooking. Unless they’re stealing actual Apple parts, they’ve got to solve the same supply chain and manufacturing problems that Apple does. They might be satisfied with hardware that’s already available on the parts market, but they still have to make it all work. That’s not a bare metal watch case. They had to have it made and get the metal finished. The quality and workmanship won’t match Apple (nowhere close), but they took Apple’s idea and made a complex functional product in no-time.
The difference is painting an original work of art or painting by numbers. The logistics are the same; canvas, paint, brush… apply paint. Done. The amount that’s involved in one over the other is no where near the same. The latter the work is done, you just fill in the lines. Same thing here.
These companies didn’t just stand up from their chair and say, “Hey I want to make that! Now… what do I need?” No. This is an industry that has done this for a very long time and they’re very efficient at it, so yes… I do believe they have these parts within arms reach. There’s probably a shop across the street and several around the corner. These companies do this all the time. Devices this small have been around a long time. There’s probably several different size logic boards and displays. They probably even have a couple of operating systems to choose from. Hell, they’re probably made from dumped surplus Samsung watch parts.
R&D is expensive. Its easy to criticize or knock someone else’s efforts. Otherwise go create something better.
Knock OFF only ? NO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQF5bwDsPZA
Heres to many more reasonably priced items such as this, with the hope that the gross offenders with their grossly inflated pricing are seriously affected. Of course gullible lemmings will flock in droves to buy the apple watch but such is the force of maya, or illusion.
Ouch!
These companys can sell it at a “reasonable price” because they didnt spend the millions developing the product.
How did you determine that $30 was a reasonable price?
Getting so tired of these ignorant posts.
Do you know what “value” means? Do you know it’s an objective word based of an individual’s interests, satisfaction and appreciation. One person may find more value in a product than another for any number of reasons other than price; materials, craftsmanship, design, ease of use, specific features, etc.
One person might spend a hundred dollars on a single kitchen knife, while another person wouldn’t spend anymore than twenty. Why is this? Both knives are made of metal, have a handle, and both can cut food. But go into any kitchen of anyone who really enjoys cooking and see which they have. More often than not, they’ll have the hundred dollar knife. This is true for any type of product. How about sports? Someone who’s really into golf will probably spend a lot more on clubs than someone who’s just taking lessons. I can buy a ten dollar watch to tell me the time, why do some people spend thousands of dollars? You can’t be naive enough not to know this goes on in the world?
The difference between Apple and every other company is that Apple develops solutions while everyone else just makes products. I’m sure you wouldn’t understand the difference, but Apple doesn’t ask what you want, they ask what you want to do. There’s a huge difference in that thinking. Some people get that and those, like you, don’t.
Furthermore, Apple spends years developing something. And unlike most companies, their R&D runs all the way from the design to the manufacturing. Those costs have to be recouped. The company that produced that cheap knockoff did so without any development costs, they threw a bunch of crap components together and stamped out a case and it’s priced accordingly.
By the way, I’ve been using Apple products for 30 years and I have absolutely no desire to buy an Apple Watch. Why? I’ve never worn a watch and never will. So believe it or not, we “lemmings” can actually think for ourselves and make decisions and not just run out and buy everything Apple produces.
Of course we all understand clearly what Apple’s game is; they create an apparent need that previously did not exist. Hence, the droves perceive, via Apple’s marketing, that they need iTunes, they need an iPod, they need an iPhone, an iPad etc. Previous to Apple telling them they needed it, they didn’t need it, but now they do. Likewise with the Apple Watch. And they will happily pay lots of money to Apple for fulfilling their apparent need. A direct analogy would be a child who sees an advertisement for a new toy in the run up to Christmas. And therein lies the real truth, the so-called knowledgeable fanbois are completely hypnotised by Apple and believe everything they say without question. They believe that they are actually making their own decisions and cannot for the life of them see how they are being enticed, just like the pied piper enticed all the rats from the city to their deaths simply by playing an attractive tune.
Actually it is becoming obvious what your “game” is. I can play too…
You obviously have a severe case of envy and loathe people who buy Apple products, because you’re too poor to afford any for yourself. So to make yourself feel better, you like to come on these message boards and rant about how we’re all mindless masses, brainwashed by Apple’s marketing. Convinced we need something we don’t really need and spend too much money for it.
Enjoy your life more.
Sorry to contradict but, no, I have no envy of nor do I loathe people who buy Apple products. I, too, have an Apple product, a mid-2011 27″ iMac. It’s the best computer I’ve ever had. Mac OS is the best OS I’ve ever used. For these 2 facts I paid the premium. Is it worth it? Yes, I believe so, it is extremely well made, both the hard- and software. I just think that people should be open minded, actually think for themselves, not get caught up in the hype. For instance, I like Mac OS but I’m not installing Yosemite with its GUI lifted directly from Fisher-Price toys. Nor do I need any other Apple product; I have an Asus Netbook that I managed to install Mac OS on, so that suits me fine. Also I am a firm believer that smartphones are detrimental to society, but that’s another essay for another day. Everybody has an opinion, but what are they worth? We are all lemmings, sucked in by the machine one way or another. Me included.
“The difference between Apple and every other company is that Apple develops solutions while everyone else just makes products.”
Not true, there are many developers out there who also develop solutions, e.g. Google, Microsoft, Adobe, to name three, not to mention the thousands of developer in the App Store.
“By the way, I’ve been using Apple products for 30 years and I have absolutely no desire to buy an Apple Watch. ”
Gee, that wasn’t obvious by the butt-hurt you are displaying over someone knocking Apple.
Geez, these posts are hysterical! Apple created the need for the iPod and iTunes? How about we look at the music companies that ripped us off for YEARS, selling us records, tapes and CD’s of music for $10 – $20 to get one song that we wanted, while the other 12 sucked. Apple took a bad deal and turned it into a good deal for the consumer, all while making it EASY. Are there other solutions? Sure, but think back to when iTunes and iPod came out… the solutions flat out sucked. Let’s move on to the iPhone. I know it hasn’t been out that long, but I’m willing to bet there aren’t many business people on here that remember the Blackberry or the Palm phones. Did those companies create a “need” for the technology, or was the business world in need of a better solution for mobile email than your 14.4k modem when you were on the road? What did Apple do, they took a sorry solution from Blackberry that required massive investments from corporations for back end systems and they made it SIMPLE! They made buying apps for $1 so commonplace, that now when you see $2.99 you actually contemplate the purchase while standing in line to get your $6 coffee. And now the smartwatch comes out. Did Apple rush out to make the first one? Now, they stood back to decide if the need was there. Did Apple create the demand for on-demand information? No, the consumer did. We’ve all come to realize that taking our phone out every time it beeps gets a little cumbersome. Apple watched what the “competition” did and realized that once again they were all doing it wrong. This is coming from someone that had the Note 3 and the Wear watch. Again, it sucked. A camera on a watch??? What am I, Dick Tracy? And talking from my watch!!! Unless I’m in a library, I couldn’t hear out of the dang thing. All gimmicks, and why they all went back before the return period was up. Apple watches how people use technology, finds what’s frustrating about it, makes it simple and then provides solutions. To do that costs a TON of money. For companies to come out with a crap knockoff and then people bash Apple for why theirs is so expensive, have no clue how much it costs to create a product. That watch probably has about 30 cents of material and was produced in a factory where 12 year old kids are working for 12 cents an hour. So the editor that bought this POS and this website for publishing it are just perpetuating counterfeiting and supplying the funds these companies need to continue operating.
“At 30 dollars I could buy 10 of them!” and you’ll have to, because they will keep breaking. You’re the reason Dollar Store’s exist.
Speaking of Apple Watch…did Apple ever state (or were they even asked) how they developed the custom alloys for the watch? LQMT? Seems like an obvious question but one I don’t believe was asked.
It’s as awful and useless than the original. But at least is costs 10-20 times less :D
(and could also have better battery)