Apple Watch fails to get channel hearts racing

'Office 365 on your wristwatch? I don't think so,' says analyst, which claims there is no business use case for the device

The lack of B2B use cases for the Apple Watch has led resellers and channel onlookers to pour cold water on the vendor's upcoming launch event this afternoon.

Later on today, Apple is set to unveil more information about its first foray into wearable technology – including its battery life, price and availability – but channel players claim they won't be looking to the product to rake in extra cash.

"From a business perspective, I can't really see it," said Apple reseller Trams' managing director Warren Peel. "I can't see how there will be a business application we can make any money out of. [It will mean] we are more contactable than ever – if you leave your phone behind, people will be able to get you on your watch.

"But it all adds to the Apple brand and we hope it will be successful."

Figures from Canalys last year showed that channel interest in wearable technology helped the wearable-band market grow eightfold in the first half of 2014.

But analyst Context's founder Jeremy Davies said Apple Watch in particular was not channel friendly.

"Apple Watch is a fashion product with some nice little bits of tech in it," he said. "As far as the watch being something that the channel can do – this is highly unlikely and I just don't see it. Office 365 on your wristwatch? I don't think so.

"As much as our distributors help out retails with logistics, [there is] potential, but not really."

He said wearable tech as a wider trend in the B2B security industry will be a big opportunity for the channel in the future, as well as in the healthcare space.

TechMarketView chairman Richard Holway agreed that wearables will transform the health industry but said that Apple's imminent launch may not be the catalyst.

"The genre of wearable technology will affect all of us and all of your businesses," he said on the HotViews blog.

"Healthcare – the really ill through to the fitness fanatics – will become huge users and it might well be the salvation of the NHS [by] enabling much cheaper remote monitoring and more old people being able to stay in their own homes for longer. Personally, I have my doubts about whether the wrist is the right place for such a monitor."

Ian Waring, managing director of reseller Software Enabled Services, was more optimistic about the device's non-consumer credentials and also pointed to healthcare as a good starting point.

"[Apple Watch] currently needs an iPhone to work close by, but has WiFi and Bluetooth on the watch, so in future it is likely to be in health markets as a sensor hub," he said.

"At some point, future versions will no longer need the iPhone to talk to servers, at which point hospitals may get interested."