When it comes to any new technology, the first and most important question is this: Is it fulfilling a need?
Let’s face it, there are plenty of geeks who will get excited about new technology whether it it is actually useful or not. However, a new technology will only reach critical mass if it fulfills a widespread need that had not been previously met. This is something to keep in mind when considering the long-term prospects of the Apple Watch. Does it bring enough utility to people’s lives to justify its purchase?
It turns out that the answer to that question will in part be determined by where you live. A study by the German research firm GfK has concluded that there is less interest in the Apple Watch in Europe than there is in the U.S. and China, and this is because two of the Apple Watch’s highly touted functions — mobile payment and secure identification — are already available in Europe through other means.
When it comes to using the Apple Watch to make point of sale payments through the Apple Pay system, the study found that 54% of Chinese consumers responded favourably, compared to 40% of Americans, 27% in the U.K. and 20% in Germany. European consumers have had mobile payment capabilities for years. They don’t need the Apple Watch for this.
Similarly, using the Apple Watch for identification purposes held little interest for Europeans, since many European nations already have smart ID cards that contain radio chips and biometric data. 51% of Chinese and 41% of Americans expressed interest in this function, compared to 28% and 20% of Britons and Germans respectively.
The study showed a similar geographical breakdown of interest regarding the healthcare and travel functions of the Apple Watch. Now just because the Apple Watch is not as anticipated in Europe as it is in the U.S. and China, it doesn’t mean that the Apple Watch won’t be another huge hit success for Apple. But it is another reminder that the device’s perceived functionality, particularly in terms of its apps, will be the make-or-break issue.