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Apple Watch Could Be Accessory to Profits

The Apple Watch will help create more stickiness in the iOS ecosystem and help drive repeat sales of high-margin iPhones, writes Morningstar’s Brian Colello.

Given our view of the Apple Watch as an accessory, rather than a stand-alone device, for the foreseeable future, we’re encouraged by the firm’s previously announced pricing on the Watch Sport at $349 for the 38-millimeter version ($49 more for the 42-millimeter device). Pricing of the regular Watch, with a steel case and sapphire screen, of $549 (38-millimeter) and an effective price of $699 and up for any non-Sport band, could still be palatable to early adopters (versus the gold Watch Edition starting at $10,000) while being lucrative for Apple as the various bands appear to be high-margin add-ons to the device. Apple touted several new apps that will be available for the device, and we anticipate robust innovation and developer support in the years ahead in order to appeal to a broad audience.

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