To reach majority adoption levels, the Apple Watch will need to ingrain a number of key benefits into the behavioral norms of smart phone users.  But technology has a way of simplifying certain tasks while compounding complexity overall. 

Don’t ask Andy Richter what time it is:

This comedy piece demonstrates the irony of new technology.  Powerful tools, capable of innumerable tasks, can fall short with simple tasks less advanced tools used to do exclusively.

And no joke, it appears there are issues with the time display on the Apple Watch, as noted more seriously in Bloomberg Business review:

So how anecdotal is this?

Josh Topolsky’s report casts some doubt on whether or not the Apple Watch will move from innovators to majority adoption.  His take is that this watch is not a game changer, not a life changer.  He doesn’t key-in on any benefits of the watch that foreshadow majority adoption.

It is, in fact, interesting to contrast his take on how you can access updates with Apple’s view.  Part of their push towards majority adoption of this product is that it makes communicating more convenient.  Apple itself notes how the watch adds a physical dimension to alerts and notifications, the gentle tap of each incoming message.

But given our already overwhelming connectivity, it’s easy to see the problem with this, which is noted in the Bloomberg review.  Topolsky talks about how often he found himself checking his watch, with a rudeness factor that seemed worse than pulling out your phone.  His solution was to cull his messages so only the most important would ping his watch.

Still, like the oddity of how such an advanced watch can have trouble displaying the time, the features of this device have an inherent, uncertain complexity to them.  It begs the question:  does the majority want to adopt a product with complicated, “nice to have” features?  Are there features that the majority will feel that they can’t do without?

Or will the complexities of this device remain a kind of joke, as users fumble between phone and watch to find out what kind of coffee a friend wants, or to see what Kim Kardashian is wearing today?

The Apple Watch has a multitude of features.  But in sales, we know it’s the benefits of those features that motivate buyers.

The benefits of this device – that will lead to majority adoption – are not yet clear.