“Microsoft is ramping up production and distribution of its Band smartwatch — capitalizing on the popularity of the device before Apple has shipped a single watch, the company announced Tuesday,” Matt Krantz “reports” for USA Today.
MacDailyNews Take: Proof of “popularity,” please?
Krantz continues, “Production of the Microsoft Band, a $200 fitness wearable that also functions as a streamlined smartwatch, will be boosted as the device will now be sold at retailers Best Buy, Amazon.com and Target. Previously, the Band was available only at Microsoft’s stores and at Microsoft.com in limited quantities. The Band will also be sold in the United Kingdom.”
MacDailyNews Take: Proof of “popularity,” pretty please?
So far, we’ve got bupkis. “Limited quantities” could mean 100K units. Availability in just two countries simply does not support the “popularity” characterization.
Krantz continues, “The aggressive expansion of the Band comes a month before the Apple Watch is expected to be shipped. And while consumers don’t appear to be excited about the Apple Watch, the Band has been an unexpected hit for Microsoft.”
MacDailyNews Take: “Aggressive expansion?” As opposed to launching in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, the UK and the US, all at once, like Apple Watch.
The link Krantz has applied to “don’t appear to be excited about the Apple Watch” shows that, even before launch, some 31% of U.S. consumers polled are interested in buying the Apple Watch (that’s 60 million people) and that 13% of respondents said they would consider purchasing an iPhone in order to use Apple Watch to its full capabilities.
Again, this is even before launch, before anyone has seen an Apple Watch in person, tried one on, or used one. These are astronomical numbers that show the massive potential of Apple Watch. That is what Krantz ludicrously describes as consumers not appearing to be excited. That he hides the actual information behind a link is rather telling.
Krantz continues, “Microsoft hasn’t disclosed sales numbers, but the product has been constantly out of stock in Microsoft Stores and available only for consumers who put their names on wait lists.”
MacDailyNews Take: “Microsoft hasn’t disclosed sales numbers,” but, according to this little yellow journalist Matt Krantz, Microsoft Band is “popular” and “an unexpected hit.” Puleeze.
Krantz continues, “Apple’s stock faltered after showing its watch last week.”
MacDailyNews Take: Meaningless and beyond desperate, but let’s check out a bit of history for grins:
On January 27, 2010, Steve Jobs unveiled the iPad. The next day, January 28th, AAPL closed down $1.16 (-4.14%) at a split-adjusted $26.85. On April 5th, after iPad’s launch weekend, AAPL closed at $32.14 (+19.70%). AAPL currently stands at $127.00 (+295.15%).
Krantz continues, “This time, it’s Microsoft that has announced a product, made it immediately available and then boosted production and availability. The ramp-up in distribution of the Band comes five months after Microsoft launched the wearable last October — beating the Apple Watch to market. The Apple Watch, shown months ago, won’t ship until April. How time flies.”
Full article – safely behind donotlink in order to not improve its search engine positioning – here.
MacDailyNews Take: Krantz offers nothing, no proof, to back up his characterizations. What little he does offer actually proves quite the opposite. You’re an inept propagandist, Matty. It’s no wonder you’re stuck pecking out crap to stain USA Birdcage Liner.
So, how much did Microsoft pay USA Today for this disinformation ad masquerading as “news?”
[Thanks to MacDailyNews readers too numerous to mention individually for the heads up.]
Ahh, the glorious smell of claim chowder in the morning.
Funny how a hot steaming bowl of Schadenfreude never goes bad or gets cold.
“Schadenfreude never goes bad or gets cold”
So… You’re saying that Schadenfreude (unlike revenge) is a dish best served warm?
(͡° ͜ʖ°)
As it never gets cold, apparently you have no choice but to serve it warm. 😉
Despite the unintentionally humorous “journalism,” I really don’t mind this product being out there. It’s not really in the same category as Apple Watch. Microsoft Band is more like a glorified Nike Fuel Band. It does work with iPhone. It does have a GPS for fitness tracking. And Microsoft is not trying to blatantly copy Apple.
Are there any worthy news sites and journalists nowdays? I mean seriously, most of the stuff is just content to garner hits/revenue than report the news and have any grounding in facts and unbiased information. I’ve grown seriously disillusioned with NYT, WSJ, CNN, USA Today, etc, etc over the years.
I despair over Homo Sapiens.
Welcome to the modern world of journalism.
No, there are no reporters anymore, only analysts offering opinions.
“It’s like we’ve forgotten who we are….”
from Interstellar
Certainly applies to today’s ‘journalists.’
As Jim Rome put it: USA Today —> The Multi-Color Fishwrap
Dear Microsoft:
Check please.
Yours truly,
Matt Krantz
cheque or check
He has one point: I am certain that Microsoft Band sales, as well as Samsung Wear, etc., will increase once Watch starts selling. The world needs to be shown what a good device is, then a large group goes to buy junk. Of this, I know whence I speak: I am in IT, and work with a bunch of techies who would cut off their arms before buying Watch, but will flock to Microsoft or Android to buy watches regardless of how little they do! I don’t get it; I believe in buying the best.
These people are always trying to turn everything into a competition. The Microsoft Band seems to be more like a higher end fitness band and I honestly don’t see how it competes directly with AppleWatch. Not even close. The Microsoft Band isn’t a fashionable device at all. Sure, Microsoft is gearing up to sell more of them and that’s perfectly fine, but it will never sell in the sort of numbers AppleWatch will.
AppleWatch has three models to the Band’s one. AppleWatch will cover a wider range of users but even the least expensive AppleWatch is $150 more than Microsoft’s Band. If Microsoft gets more developers behind the Band I think it could be quite useful for Windows users. At least Microsoft isn’t going around bragging about the Band blowing away AppleWatch. Let Apple sell AppleWatch and Microsoft sell the Band and let the consumer decide their respective fates.
Thanks Krantz!
Whew, I needed a good laugh today.
This ‘reporter’ is of the Baghdad Bob school of reporting. 😀
Link: http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/jokes/bljoke-iraqinfominister.htm
Saw this article yesterday and literally laughed out loud reading it. Had to check I wasn’t on The Onion.
Lines like “…while consumers don’t appear to be excited about the Apple Watch, the Band has been an unexpected hit for Microsoft” are comedy gold. Pure gold!!
Well,there’s a kernel of truth embedded in that log, and that is the statement that any “hit” product for Microsoft is indeed unexpected.
Actually, given the write downs on Win RT devices and the fact that I’ve never seen a Surface Pro “in the wild” (as the buzz phrase du jour has it) despite three iterations (with only the third getting half-decent reviews), anything north of 200K units is probably a breakout HW intro for MS….
The sad part is that based on some of the reviews, Microsoft appears to have actually created a good product. It even works well with iOS.
But then this bonehead “reporter” makes up a story that the Band is a serious competitor to the Apple Watch. They are not even the same type of product other then you wear them both on your wrist.
Krantz should start writing novels because he seems pretty good at writing fiction.
CHEAP PLOY: Compare to Apple.
“Donotlink” or not, I still think you should “Think Before You Click”. I’m not giving this schmuck ad revenue.
——RM
Set your predictions low enough an everything can be unexpected, way beyond this or that. MS needs a new launch theme based on the hit song with the phrase “True colors…”
Really should check out the MS Band. I’ve had one since Xmas and its good. Its a fitness tracker with HR and meessage forwarding (from phone) device. I get haptic feedback for txt, messages, email and calendar reminder from my iPh6+ without any issues.
The functionality is simple and without all the fashion aspect. I do not use it as a watch (I prefer analogue face), but its much more than FitBit Charge HR.
The Band, and MS Office, are the only two things I own that’s Microsoft. Our house is all Apple everything else…
Strangely I’m dealing with Microsoft more and more these days.
If you haven’t ever tried it, try figuring out how to subscribe to online office for the Mac. Then figure out how to log in again. There are so many websites office 365 this, office online that, office live this, live 365 that, I can never get back to the site that recognizes my logon.
It is a morass of crap to sort through. If you call for support and say you’re a business customer, they business support people on office live or office online or whatever the fuck it is will tell you that they don’t support the Macintosh. They will transfer you to the Macintosh people.
The Mac people will tell you they don’t support office 365, that’s for business.
How can any company that can’t build one login with one username and ID and one support number for all products be trusted by anyone I don’t know.
I personally don’t like office but my business requires the use to be compatible with the PC world.
I’m still using Office 2011, and not 365. Just didn’t sound good when it came out and based on your post, it really is not…
The login site you want is xbob360live95.com or just typing ‘rented bloatware’ on google should also get you there.
I miss Steve Ballmer. I can almost hear him. “Right now we’re selling thousands and thousands and thousands of bands a year, Apple is selling zero. I like our strategy. I like it a lot.”
Stevie B is still selling as many M$ products now as owner of the Clippers, as he did when he was M$ CEO. 😀
Microsoft is ramping up production and distribution of its Band smartwatch…
ExCeLLeNt! Another opportunity for Microsoft to blow their cash horde. Spend Microsoft. Spend SPEND SPEND! Bwahahaha.
And easier on the landfills, bands take up less room than Surface notebooks. 😀
Hopefully, components of both are being recycled after people toss them in the trash in disgust. Maybe every town and city should have a public recycling box for dropping off MS junk. /sarcasm, in case you hadn’t guessed.