this post was submitted on 03 Oct 2023
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Apple will no longer fix the $17,000 gold Apple Watch::The original Apple Watch models, including the $10,000-plus 18-karat gold Edition that Beyoncé wore, are now officially obsolete and won’t get parts, repair, or replacement services.

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[–] [email protected] 144 points 1 year ago (23 children)

Even before they were unsupported, how have they not been “obsolete” for some time. Cannot imagine how slow a gen 1 watch would be. I can see the appeal of a timeless heirloom watch, but this is such a brain dead purchase.

[–] [email protected] 130 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Well, it’s not a brain dead purchase when $20k doesn’t even register for you.

Got $500,000,000 in the bank? Who cares?

You family has billions and you just have an unlimited alllowance. Who cares.

That’s who this is for.

With that being said, Apple did it for one year and I think it was just a marketing stunt. Everyone talked about it and now people know what an Apple Watch is.

[–] [email protected] 31 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Apple did it for one year and I think it was just a marketing stunt

That's exactly what it was. They never expected to sell many, just get the headlines for making a "luxury" watch that could "compete" with the likes of Rolex. That some ultra-wealthy people went out and bought one was just a bonus.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago

And now its built-in obsolescence is being paraded around pointing out why no one should buy such a thing ever again.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

They didn’t even carry them at all of their stores.

I did get to wear one once, and only did so I could say I wore a watch that cost more than my car.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago (2 children)

It is for those with more money than sense, 100%. No matter how much money you have, it’s not going to solve the problem of it being incompatible with a newer iPhone. And that makes anyone who bought this a clown.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The point is that for them, it doesn't matter if the watch is obsolete and ends up in a drawer after a few years. They'll just buy a new one.

For them 20k is like $20 for you.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

You’re actually off by a lot more than you realize.

Average US income is about $31.2k, Beyoncé (who bought one) has an income of about $90m.

Meaning $20k to her is around $0.64 in relative wealth to the average person.

Literally pennies.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

It’s all relative.

If I spend £1 of my last £5 on a bottle of water, I’m equally as dumb.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

That’s accurate I think but the departure point here is where Apple was making noises about delivering ‘premium jewellery’ or some such spiel.

Rolex, Omega, etc. all support their products for life and beyond. I’m still able to get my dads Speedmaster from the 60s serviced, heck my daily driver Seiko Pepsi from the 80s still has parts available.

Apple can easily afford this level of support which makes it kind of iffy that they don’t.

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