Why it’s not the right time for the Apple Watch

APPLE released the much-anticipated and much-hyped Apple Watch last week. Unfortunately, Apple forgot one key feature on its latest hi-tech gadget.

APPLE released the much-anticipated — and much-hyped — Apple Watch last week, with CEO Tim Cook putting its best face forward.

Unfortunately for Cook, he never gave us a reason to want or need the gee-whiz gadgetry.

When Steve Jobs debuted the iPod, it too was not the first to turn MP3 music into gold — but he made you want that device.

“The coolest thing about the iPod is that your whole music library fits in your pocket,” he said.

Boom! Sold!

Last Monday, I didn’t hear that. What came to mind was another much-ballyhooed gadget.

Cook is trying to reinvent the watch, but Google didn’t have much luck trying to re-imagine eyeglasses.

Google put a video camera with e-mail and telephony capabilities on a pair of glasses. They released the narcissist’s dream on April 15, 2013, to 8,000 hand-picked “Glass Explorers” at a price of $US1,500 ($A1,970) … plus $US225 ($A300) for prescription lenses.

Remember this?

On May 15, 2014, Google Glass was released to the public. And on Jan. 15, 2015, Google announced that it had stopped production but remained “committed to the development” of the glasses (“never admit defeat,” the Silicon Valley motto).

Here are a few reasons not to buy this timeless gadget.

For starters, the pricing model is flawed. The opening commitment if you do not have an iPhone is just under $US1,000 ($A1,300) to replace your Timex.

To operate the Apple Watch, you need an iPhone, which offers many of the functions of the watch, including the time.

A watch that can run up to $US17,000 ($A22,300) and is not called Rolex, Breitling or Patek Philippe is not a bit much, but a whole lot much. Those high-end watches tend to be good investments over time.

The Apple Watch is certain to be relegated to a drawer in a year or two when it’s replaced by the Apple Watch 2, with more bells and whistles.

Because it’s “cool” or super-functional doesn’t mean it’s practical.

Just remember, Google Glass was heralded as one of the best inventions of 2012.

This article originally appeared on New York Post.

Originally published as Why it’s not the right time for the Apple Watch