Reception[edit]

An Apple Store opens its doors on the first day of sales of the Apple Watch.

Following the announcement, initial impressions from technology and watch industry observers were
varied; the watch was praised by some for its "design, potential capabilities and eventual
usefulness",[92] while others offered criticism of these same aspects.[92] Venture capitalist Marc
Andreessen said he "can't wait" to try it,[93] and Steve Jobs' biographer Walter Isaacson described it
as "extremely cool" and an example of future technology that is "much more embedded into our
lives".[94] However, Evan Dashevsky of PC Magazine said it offered nothing new in terms of
functionality compared to the Moto 360, except the customizable vibration notifications.[95] In
November 2014, Apple Watch was listed by Time as one of the 25 Best Inventions of 2014.[96]
Initial reviews for the device have been generally positive with some caveats.[97] Reviewers praised
the watch's potential ability to integrate into everyday life and the overall design of the product, but
noted issues of speed and price. Many reviewers described the watch as functional and convenient,
while also noting failure to offer as much potential functionality as preceding smartphones. Farhad
Manjoo of The New York Times mentioned the device's steep learning curve, stating it took him
"three long, often confusing and frustrating days" to become accustomed to watchOS 1, but loved it
thereafter.[98] Some reviewers also compared it to competing products, such as Android
Weardevices, and claimed "The Smartwatch Finally Makes Sense".[99] Reviewers had mixed opinions
on battery life though, with Geoffrey Fowler of The Wall Street Journal saying "the battery lives up to
its all-day billing, but sometimes just barely,"[99] and others compared it to the Samsung Gear 2,
which "strolls through three days of moderate usage."[100] Tim Bradshaw of the Financial Times used
several applications over a period of days. He concluded that there is no "killer application" so far
besides telling the time, which is the basic function of a wristwatch anyhow.[101]
When using the Apple Watch, some users have reported issues using the heart monitoring feature
due to permanent skin conditions including tattoos. The Watch uses photoplethysmography
technology (PPG) which utilizes the green LED lights to measure heart rates.[102] To gauge a user's
heart rate, the watch flashes green light from the LEDs at the skin and records the amount of this
light that is absorbed by the red pigment of the blood.[103] However, under certain circumstances the
skin may not allow for the light absorption to be read properly and thus provide inaccurate results.[104]
Some users have complained that the logo and text on the back of the Apple Watch Sport model,
primarily the space gray version,[105] can be easily worn off.[106]

Sales[edit]
Financial analysts offered early sales estimates from a few million to as many as 34.7 million in the
first year.[107] Time's Tim Bajarin summarized the breadth of reactions, writing that "there is not
enough information yet to determine how this product will fare when it finally reaches the market next
year".[92]
Owing to the inadequacy of materials, the Apple Watch's delivery was delayed from its initial pre-
order release date of April 10, 2015.[108] As a result, only 22 percent of the pre-ordered Apple
Watches were dispatched in the United States during the weekend after the release date.[109] It is
estimated Apple received almost one million Apple Watch pre-orders in the United States during the
initial six hours of the pre-order period on April 10, 2015, after which it sold out and further orders
would start delivering in June.[110] A report later on by an analyst stated that Apple Watch was already
a $10 billion business during its first year.[111][112][113]
Apple has not disclosed any sales figures for the Apple Watch.[114] An estimate by IDC states Apple
shipped over 12 million units in 2015.[115] In late 2016, a veteran of the Swiss watch industry said
Apple sold about 20 million watches and had a market share of about 50 percent.[116]