When we hear people talk about the Apple Watch, it’s frequently in the context of how it’s just an expensive device for tracking steps.
While it’s true that Apple Watches are expensive, they come with other features that justify the price. Here’s what I found!
Why Are Apple Watches So Expensive?
Apple Watches are expensive because they are designed and produced by Apple, a brand known for its high-priced product offerings. Additionally, high demand, innovative health features, and expensive components play a role in the Apple Watch’s pricing. Finally, collaborations with other luxury brands drive up the price of these smartwatches.
Keep reading to learn more about the Apple Watch, from branding to the newer features!
1. Apple Watches Are In-Demand
According to research, the Apple Watch is the most popular smartwatch on the market today.
Further, with a 13% growth in market share for the first quarter of 2022, it can’t be denied that demand for the Apple Watch is at an all-time high.
Therefore, when demand is high for a particular product, the company producing it can charge more money.
That said, this can be seen with Apple’s products and results in the Apple Watch being expensive.
2. Apple’s Reputation Affects Apple Watch Pricing
Since Apple is a brand well-known for its expensive product offerings, consumers expect that they will pay a fair bit more than buying equivalent products from Apple’s competitors.
Because of this, the Apple Watch is priced such that it’s more expensive than smartwatches from other brands.
For example, the newest model of the Apple Watch, the Series 7, retails for $399, while the more affordable model, the Apple Watch SE, is priced at $279.
3. Larger Screen Display Area
One of the things that Apple improved on with the latest iteration of the Apple Watch is a larger screen display area.
That said, the larger surface area has now made it so that a full QWERTY keyboard can be used for typing on the Apple Watch.
Moreover, this larger screen display requires more parts to transmit the display and therefore contributes to the high price of the Apple Watch.
4. The Apple Watch Design Makes It Expensive
Related to my point above, the design plays a part in the pricing of an Apple Watch.
For example, the sleek and lightweight design of the Apple Watch body results from teams of product developers and engineers.
Thus, this contributes to the price of an Apple Watch because it takes time and other resources to create a product that meets Apple’s high standards.
5. Durability Factors Into Apple Watch Pricing
One key component of the Apple Watch’s design is its durability.
For instance, the Apple Watch’s face is made of crystal twice as thick as previous models to ensure that it’s more durable and less likely to crack.
Moreover, Apple has acquired certifications guaranteeing the durability of the Apple Watch.
For example, the Apple Watch Series 7 is certified water-resistant up to 50 meters under ISO standard 22810:2010. Additionally, it has a dust resistance rating of IP6X.
Further, these certifications are expensive to acquire and add to the already high price of the Apple Watch.
All in all, these features factor into the price of Apple Watches.
6. Monitoring Your Health Is One Tap Away
Aside from design and durability, the Apple Watch also emphasizes its health features.
Among these, the ECG app produces a reading comparable to that of a single-lead electrocardiogram.
Additionally, in-depth tracking capabilities for sleep and mindfulness are available on the smartwatch.
Furthermore, Fall Detection is a feature that checks to see if you’re okay or need medical assistance before contacting your chosen emergency contact.
Moreover, these features use sensors on the back of the Apple Watch, which are expensive and add to the price.
7. Better Fitness Tracking With Apple Fitness
On a similar note, Apple Fitness is one feature that makes the Apple Watch more unique and expensive.
With the Apple Watch Series 7, calorie calculation is improved for specific exercises.
At the same time, many recognized exercise types all employ their methods of calculating calories burned.
Additionally, Apple Fitness data can be shared with friends to remain motivated to stay active.
Overall, these features make calculations and software that enable collaboration among other Apple Fitness users, which is why Apple Watches are expensive.
8. Cellular Data Support Available
Aside from the standard GPS version of the Apple Watch, cellular support is available.
That said, this makes it such that the Apple Watch can use cellular data in cases where a WiFi connection isn’t available.
Essentially, this allows you to use the Apple Watch like you would your iPhone, where you can send messages via text or make emergency calls.
Also, cellular data capability has been available on the Apple Watch for a while, with the latest model supporting LTE connectivity.
So, while LTE is no longer a new technology these days, cellular data support requires more components than the GPS version of the Apple Watch and contributes to the hefty price tag.
9. Family Setup Keeps Everyone Connected
Related to cellular data support, you can now extend Family Sharing to family members that don’t own an iPhone.
Basically, utilizing Family Setup allows the user to send messages, make calls, and share their location with their family.
Also, if cellular data isn’t supported, WiFi calling may be used to perform the same functions.
Therefore, this makes Apple Watches more expensive because it uses the cellular data components on the device.
10. Partnership With Hermes
Aside from the regular and sports models of the Apple Watch, Apple also produces Apple Watches in collaboration with the luxury fashion house Hermes.
That said, Apple created a special edition of the Apple Watch and various straps that can be purchased in both Apple Stores and Hermes boutiques.
As a result, the Hermes Apple Watch costs between $1,229 to $1,759, far more than the cost of a regular or sports Apple Watch.
11. Higher Duties & Taxes
Depending on where you live, the Apple watch may be more expensive than the prices listed on Apple’s website.
That said, this is due to shipping items across the globe, which may incur import taxes that bring up the price of the Apple Watch.
Additionally, governments may impose other regional taxes that can make Apple Watches more expensive.
To learn more, you can also read our posts on why the Apple Watch is a waste of money, why Apple Pencils are so expensive, and why Apple monitors are so expensive.
Conclusion
There are several reasons why Apple Watches are expensive, and these are related to Apple’s brand image and features of the Apple Watch.
Additionally, demand for Apple Watches is high, and trends indicate an increase annually. Therefore, it follows that Apple Watches are priced as such.