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The Apple Watch now generates more revenue than the entire Swiss watch industry combined. Apple is the largest watchmaker in the world both by revenue and by un
by Cookingboy 6y ago
The Apple Watch now generates more revenue than the entire Swiss watch industry combined. Apple is the largest watchmaker in the world both by revenue and by units sold.
- snypher 6y agoThings cost more, and markets are bigger now. It's like comparing wagon sales to automobiles.
- bobthepanda 6y agoPart of the argument here is that even with pre-existing technologies, the current players have essentially made markets. Smartphones and tablets existed, but consumers didn't buy them in today's numbers until Apple/Android came along.
- jethro_tell 6y agoMost entry level swiss watches watches cost more than an apple watch. So I'm not sure how this is relevant.
- dylan604 6y agoThe price of a Swiss watch means nothing if they don't sell them in quantity. If you build an app that costs $500k to only one user that is still less income than if you sell the app at $5 with 1 million users. That's how it is relevant.
- jethro_tell 6y agoYeah, that's true, but the swiss watch industry still sold 20 million + watches last year. So I still can't see how this applies. It would also probably be fair to say that the swiss watch industry was decimated as carrying a phone became ubiquitous. I think the comparison is relatively apt though. People have one left wrist, and even though the apple watch and a classic watch are different categories. You don't often see people wearing both. So there is competition there for a limited number of wrist slots. And apple is selling more units than team swiss watch. Now, if you wanted to have a conversation about total wrist market share, I'd still guess the swiss watch industry is winning. You don't have to buy a new mechanical watch every other year so units moved isn't as apt a comparison.
- baby 6y agoSource?
- Hypx 6y agoIn numbers, not in revenue. The Swiss watch industry is still far larger as a business.
- jethro_tell 6y agoThe swiss watch industry is also a small part of the total watch industry. Japanese watches sell way more than swiss watches as well. Think casio gshock (just the gshock is about 10mm/year), citizen echo drives (Citizen sells 200mm watches/ year), They are also usually the movement supplier for the junk fashion brands. If you wanted to count apples share of the watch industry, not just the swiss watch industry) it would be less than one percent. It's making a new market and gaining some ground but it's not the 'watch industry killer' that people like to make it out to be.