The Apple Watch, which is expected to roll out either in February or March 2015, is the first brand new product of the American tech company under the era of CEO Tim Cook.
The device was announced during the launching of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in September 2014 at the company’s Flint Center in Cupertino, California.
The Business Insider notes that the Apple Watch is also the first new entry of Apple into a major product category after the iPad.
While Apple has been going great guns under the helm of Tim Cook, following the untimely demise of Steve Jobs three years ago, the Apple Watch is reportedly his test case as the main man of the American tech giant.
If the Apple Watch lives up to its billing and become successful, then Apple would be just fine breaking grounds into new product categories henceforth. But if not, then it would mean that Tim Cook has not yet reached the level and the legacy of Steve Jobs and a change in marketing and product development strategies for the company might be in order.
Apple may be in for a surprise
A venture capitalist believes that Apple may be in for a surprise, a disappointing surprise that is, if the company is hoping that its Apple Watch may be a smash hit the way its iPhones, iPods, and iPads have been.
Fred Wilson, a prominent venture capitalist, predicted to CNBC that the Apple Watch would be a bust for Apple, citing that the entry of the company into the wearable market, would not deliver favorable results.
Wilson thinks that the personal wearables market would not take off in 2015 just yet and Apple might be jumping into the market too soon with its Apple Watch.
He did say however that it would not just be Apple who shall feel the disappointment but all those other companies who are already or are planning to venture into the wearable market.
Positive opinion
Colin Gillis, a technology analyst at BGC, does not share Wilson’s belief that the Apple Watch would be a bust.
He projects that the company would be able to sell 30 million Apple Watches within the first four months from the time the product is officially launched.
Gillis is actually banking on the history of Apple products with his fearless projections. Apple has sold 19.4 million iPads and 11.6 million iPhones in the first four quarters after the devices were first launched.
Gillis’ figure for the first four months is quite lofty because from the projections of various analysts, the highest estimated shipment of Apple Watches for the entire 2015 is only 60 million and the lowest is 10 million.
Morgan Stanley gave it the highest shipment estimate at 60 million units but it’s for a period of between nine to 10 months depending on when Apple would officially roll out its Apple Watch.
But until Apple finally rolls out the Apple Watch, these estimates and projections are merely guesses at this point.