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THE APPLE WATCH will officially go on sale in Ireland this Friday, five months after it first started shipping to customers in the US and UK.
The California-based tech giant has priced its new smartwatch from €429 for the cheapest model, the Watch Sport with a 38mm case. The going rate for the 42mm model will begin at €479.
Pricing for the standard model, which has the same technical specs but is made from stainless steel rather than aluminium, starts at €679.
And for those who would rather buy a fancy digital watch than, for example, a new car, the going rate for Apple’s Watch Editions, which feature 18-carat gold cases, will stretch up to €18,500.
Apple has been keeping sales figures for the new device very close to its chest since the April launch of the watch in the first nine territories, including France, Germany and the UK in Europe.
While there was speculation the Apple Watch had flopped, company CEO Tim Cook told investors in late July that sales had already “exceeded expectations” and were ahead of early iPad or even iPhone sales.
Analysts IDC has put total sales of the Apple Watch at 3.6 million in the second quarter of the year, behind only Fitbit in the wearables market.
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A new 42 inch television or a watch that tells me my phone is ringing, let me think………..
Or 200 chicken fillet rolls and a few bottles of lucosade
An LG Urbane would cost half the price and you can get the new Sony model for under 200. Both are terrific pieces of tech.
I know for some a smart watch seems unnecessary (it is a luxury purchase) but I can honestly say that since I got a Samsung Gear fit for 100 quid extra with my phone, if I forget to put it on I really notice it’s absence now. I hardly ever need to take my phone out of my pocket and also, it was 100 quid for a watch, that’s not unreasonable. Also, the battery lasts 4 days. Basically, 450 quid for an apple watch is silly, but it’s silly because there are equally good tech options for half the price.
would rather ask someone the time then pay that
Ciarán, without sounding like an advertisement if at all possible ;-), where did you get said deal?! I’m in the market for a new phone and a fitness tracker would be nice!
I got a Samsung galaxy s5 just over a year ago with Three on a 2 year contract – 100 extra up front and they threw in the gear fit, it’s a slightly dated model now, but have a look on ebay or done deal, you’ll pick one up for less than 100 at this point and it’ll sync with blue tooth on any phone. Great value for money.
Also it has a heart rate sensor, can’t say I use it for exercise but it’s great fun putting it on mates wrists in the pub to see who has the highest heart rate.
you would be stupid to buy one of these..waste of money
If it was €100 to €150 I’d think about buying one. Ridiculously over priced.
they could stick the apple logo on a bag of dog sh**e and they’d queue up to buy it..
They cost less than $100 to make in Asian Sweat Shops. Apple’s Greed is staggering.
Plenty out there would buy them.
I agree a watch to me is a piece of jewellery. I like my gadgets but I draw the line there.
Where can I get one?
Any word on the court case that might see them owe us 19 billion?
Free watch for each person on the island and we call it quits?
I think we’d be better off with the money, they can keep their gimmicky tat.
That €18,000 apple watch looks like a really ugly 1970s digital watch
Which is now seen as a classic period of design of digital watches. They will look the same in 100 years like traditional watch faces are now
How about you give me all your moneys and I will give you this bag of Magic beans?
curse you, magic beans!
the state of them, only a complete idiot would by one
*buy
Do explain.
They’re just not there yet with these watches. one day of use before charging? forget it. It’s just another device you have to remember to plug in and for any business traveller that’s a pain in the bum. I have a Citizen eco drive that’s powered via the good old Sun and a charge will last 6 months if it never saw sunlight again. And I don’t have to wiggle my wrist around or raise it just to turn it on to see what time it is….
I have a Casio digital watch that has a 10 year battery. It’s accurate to about 5 seconds a week and it’s currently on sale for around €35.
Casio and Citizen are great. Citizen actually make the watch parts for many of the luxurious brands.
I have a Citizen Skyhawk Eco Drive….bought it in 1994, they said it would never need a new battery….still going strong 21 years later.
As silly a concept they are and stupidly expensive I’m sure the apple zombies will be queuing up for them
I don’t get the whole apple fan boy thing. The iPhone is crap and hard to use via iTunes. I will give them their dues for the ipod but they are obsolete nowdays. Plus the cost of their tech is way over priced for what it is.
They look hideous. I’d rather tie a used condom around my wrist.
Nahhhh think I’ll stick to me auld Casio , it’s waterproof you know
I’ll give you 500 euro!!
I wonder will every TD be issued with one to complement their IPads.
What’s wrong with TDs having iPads or would you rather all politics be conducted with ink and quill till the end of days ?
Did I say there was?
Total Rip
More bollocks!
Not one positive comment- Apple you got this one wrong
Apple are dead to me, Switched to Samsung and much happier and user friendly systems. Apple are cornering their customer Base into their products.
Cornering them how?
I like the line “Apple finally revealed exactly how much it will cost” The REAL Apple FANBOY/GIRL’s have already sold a kidney and are probably waiting in line bleeding out to get there next Apple fix.
I think they look cool and MAYBE could be useful…but that price is just outrageous especially when you know it’ll be slashed when Samsung, Nokia, HTC, et al. bring out their own models.
They already have and did it way before Apple. The Motorolo Moto 360 is a good one.
429 squids?
What does it do?
It makes people with shares in Apple rich….other than that…..not much.
Total the prices of all four watches and reduce to create the Number “17″
429+470+679+18500 = 20087 > 2+0+0+8+7 = 17
Frank??
Welcome back, we missed your craziness.
Just giving P.IE a little break.
19 letters in your name, there’s something amiss..
“Just giving P.IE a little break.”
Ha ha, nothing to do with your prediction the world was going to end in February Frank? That was around the time you were “giving P.IE a little break” :-)
little jim it gets worse than that:
There is 13 letters in the English version of my name.
I am also 5ft 8″ (5+8=13) and 13 stone.
Spelling as gaeilge is not a strong point!
Good to see you back Frank!
Truly useful wearables will be something like what Google are developing (sorry, ‘Alphabet’). Contact lenses with circuitry that can monitor glucose levels for diabetics or blood pressure for those with heart problems.
€18,500. Jaysus!, I could buy a car with that. no two cars, even three
I suppose that’s why you’re not there target market for it?
You can spend a lot more on a watch than €18,000, that only tells the time.
This is not for you.
It is very interesting technology but is still a gizmo and far too expensive.
I think I’ll stick with my Breitling and Patek Philippe for a little longer!
@Robert cousins, rolex source the raw material and manufacturer 100% of there watches along with the other Swiss brands. I got my info from a friend who is in the r&d department at rolex.
The latest android watches are compatible with the iPhone. A lot cheaper too
A lot crapper too
will these be sold in any retailers in Ireland or will it only be online? you can try them on in Apple Stores before purchasing but seen as Ireland doesn’t have Apple Stores will anyone carry them in bricks and mortar stores?
This will be my Christmas present from me :P
Nobody is buying them.
Who wants the things?
If you want to impress buy a genuine Rolex.
If they were selling well apple wud be shouting the figures out loud …
Hi, I thought you might be interested in this advert http://www.carzone.ie/search/Porsche/Boxster/2.7-AUTO/201814373340614590/advert?channel=CARS on Carzone.ie for less than the gold watch!!
I have lived so far without their over hyped stuff.
I can survive a while longer and spend my money on more things vital.
There is no way that common muck like Apple can compete with hand made Swiss watches.
Switzerland makes the best watches.
Your hand made Breitling watch tells the world that you are rich.
They’re not really trying to compete.
Christ sakes mate…
and you know what’s funny, despite overwhelming NO in the comments it’s sold out pretty much everywhere, my friend wanted get one and few resellers / shops said its all reserved / sold now :) these guys know how to make money don’t they :)
LG urbane is a superb piece of kit.messages, what’s app, maps podcasts, weather all come with it.It even tells the time.fcuk Apple.Android rules
The LG and Galaxy Alpha are the only smart watches on the market that don’t need to be tethered to a phone to make phone calls, send text messages and use GPS functionality.
The Alpha, BTW, is not an android watch. It runs on Tizen.
They can shove it up their collective holes like Christoher Walken in Pulp Fiction.
Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
*wipes tear from eye*
Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
*falls off chair*
Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
*picks self up*
Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Ah bless.
Whilst its good that we have atomic clocks in data centers and satellites, an actual “watch” is a worthless accessory in the real world. Time is a continuum. Whenever you look at a watch, the only thing required to be seen are 3 static letters, – never changing, – “NOW”
gold one looks like a Casio watch
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holy sh*t Steve jobs would be turning in his grave
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