Tag Heuer CEO Jean-Claude Biver comes both to bury Apple watch and to praise it. Maybe it’s that English isn’t his first language or maybe it’s that he still not sure exactly how to respond Apple watch he does seem to truly get what a big deal Apple watch is now on some level though only to some level.
Speaking to CNBC on Monday be they spoke of Apple watch saying how successful is Apple watchmen we don’t know in the beginning they were speaking about 10 to 20,000,000 pieces and sometimes we say they only sold 5 million.
Nevertheless to sell 5 million watches when you’re not been a watchmaker is genius it’s phenomenal now how would act on the Swiss traditional watch industry certainly a big competition huge it will be a tsunami for me and the price segment between say $200 and up to eventually 2000 why does he stop there?
Well it is worth noting that be they was talking to CNBC about the $1800 android powered connected watch Tag Heuer plans to introduce early next month. That’s more than Apple’s midrange watch which the piece points out tops out at $1099
About that price point though Biver doesn’t see much use for a smart watch quoting the exact again about $2000 the connected watch has a huge problem.
There is no eternity it means it will become obsolete and wants to buy a $10,000 and $20,000 watch that becomes obsolete after five or 10 years? It’s a decent question and one with which Apple watch edition owners may have to struggle in 5 or 10 years assuming, people who can afford an Apple watch edition, actually struggle with such things.
Now it’s here that Biver hit on interesting idea for his own business and also where he seemed to get lost in the weeds. While brands like his carry a great deal of tradition with them it must also be creative and innovative quoting Biver
To repeat tradition you must know, you must understand and you must respect tradition but on top of this you must innovate. If you don’t innovate and you just repeat, you are ending up in a museum and people want to be connected innovation and creativity.
I don’t say we want to compete with Apple because were not in the same business but we can compete any technological product. So this means we believe in Smart watches but we also believe in our traditional product. We believe in both in fact.
Well you have to hand it to him. Something about that says… something.
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