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Swatch Co-Inventor Predicts Apple Will Bring an 'Ice Age' To Swiss Watch Market

MojoKid writes It seems that these days everything Apple touches turns to gold, hence why the company was able to post an $18 billion profit for its fiscal first quarter of 2015. Be that as it may, can Apple popularize the smartwatch market as others have been unable to do so far? Not only is that the expectation, but according to Swatch watch co-inventor Elmar Mock, Apple is going to bring about an "Ice Age" to the Swiss watch market. Elmar noted that he expects the Apple Watch to quickly reach sales of 20 million to 30 million units per year. For the sake of comparison, Switzerland exported 28.6 million watches in 2014, none of them with smart capabilities. "Apple will succeed quickly. It will put a lot of pressure on the traditional watch industry and jobs in Switzerland...I do expect an Ice Age coming toward us," Elmar said. Analysts for Barclays noted to investors that the Apple Watch launch could result in a 6 percent annual decline in Swatch Group AG's revenue. To keep up with the times and fend off Apple, there are at least three Swiss watch companies planning to make smartwatches, including Swatch Group, which will unveil a smart model sometime this year.

6 of 389 comments (clear)

  1. Steampunked by Tablizer · · Score: 5, Funny

    That's okay, traditional watch makers can just switch to making mechanical smart-phones, a wide open niche.

  2. What's the saying again? by Nemyst · · Score: 3, Funny

    Oh yes! A fool and his money are soon parted. The guy may not even be wrong, but quite frankly if Apple sells so many watches each year all it tells me is that there's an awful lot of suckers on the watch market. Still, I don't think Apple has the same prestige as Swiss watch brands, and perhaps far more importantly your Swiss watch won't become outdated within a year, with all support for it probably ceasing within five at most.

  3. Re:Well, I wouldn't buy one by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    How can you tell someone owns a Mac?

    Oh, don't worry. They'll tell *you*.

  4. Re:$30 Timex by msobkow · · Score: 4, Funny

    Oh, like "wow, man."

    He dug up my public Facebook pic.

    Scary shit, eh? Next thing you know he'll look up my Linked In profile and tell you where I worked... :P :P :P

    --
    I do not fail; I succeed at finding out what does not work.
  5. Re:Well, I wouldn't buy one by MightyYar · · Score: 4, Funny

    I have a Mac.

    --
    W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
  6. Re:$30 Timex by farble1670 · · Score: 1, Funny

    My $30 Timex tells me the time just fine.

    you're sooooo interesting! tell us more about your thoughts, concerns, and so on.