Fitbit CEO: Apple Watch 'Probably Does Too Much'

Fitbit CEO, Jams Park, has more than his fare share of experience with wearables. The company has been trying to increase its sales despite the negative sentiment that other products, such as the Apple Watch, will likely hurt its sales.

Speaking to the Telegraph, Park made some interesting comments about the Apple Watch saying that it does a bit too much.

I think it’s a great product and Apple’s a great company, but it’s a product that probably does too much. Really our research has shown that people who search for an interest in the Apple Watch do not overlap with people who search for and are interested in Fitbit.

That’s an interesting research point, if true. But if that’s the case, why make the Fitbit Blaze? Isn’t that a watch that has a Fitness focus?

Park continues:

I think the biggest problem with the category today is they do so many things and it hasn’t been really clearly communicated to people why they should need one of these devices.

I completely agree. You still can’t give anyone a concrete reason as to why they should buy an Apple Watch. That doesn’t mean it’s a failure though. Can you give someone a concrete reason to buy an iPhone? Not really. It depends on the the individual.

Still, Park’s point are fair and show the challenges that Apple has to face with the Watch. In order for Apple to sell more of these, not only do they have to pack in more technology, make it faster, and decouple it from the iPhone. They also need to make using it way simpler to use. Fitness is certainly one reason to own it, but other factors like Digital Touch seem to have failed as a reason to buy it.

Hopefully watchOS 3 addresses some of these concerns.