Apple Watch accessories are reportedly raking in a pretty penny, as many smartwatch buyers reportedly spend extra for spare bands.
The much-touted Apple Watch initially made its debut back in September 2014, but only hit the market in April 2015. As wearable gadgets are increasingly gaining momentum, the Apple Watch comes the first new product category the company launched in years and is expected to be widely successful and profitable. Apple offers its smartwatch in three collections, and it also sells various bands separately so users can customize their gadget. As it turns out, the Apple-made Watch bands are generating some nice profits too.
According to new market research data Reuters exclusively obtained from Slice Intelligence, nearly 20 percent of Apple Watch customers spent some extra cash on a spare band as well, in addition to the money spent on the smartwatch itself.
Apple has yet to reveal just how many Apple Watch units it sold so far, or how much profits it raked in, but Slice Intelligence analyzed email receipts from two million people to offer a glimpse into the revenue potential of Apple's first smartwatch. More than 20,000 customers reportedly bought an Apple Watch, and Slice estimates that Apple sold around 2.79 million units since the device's launch in April until mid-June.
Roughly 17 percent of Apple Watch shoppers reportedly purchased more than one extra band for the gadget, which means the accessories are arguably profitable for Apple. The entry-level sports band, for instance, retails for $49, and it seems it has been the most popular choice so far. The second-most popular band, according to Slice, was the Milanese Loop, which retails for $149. A more premium stainless steel link band, meanwhile, goes all the way up to $449.
Added to the cost of the smartwatch itself, the investment is not negligible. As a reminder, the cheapest Apple Watch model starts at $349 for the entry-level sport version. Buying a $349 Apple Watch sport along with a $149 quilted leather loop, for instance, amounts to a total of $498, and it's among the more affordable combinations on offer. Even the cheapest Watch model with the cheapest band still amounts to $398, but such accessories do tend to make a device more versatile.
Lastly, it's worth pointing out that Slice took into account only bands made and sold by Apple, not accessories from other third-party band makers.
