Is that worth $250? It absolutely is to me, and I wear it on a daily basis. The extra features are nice to have, I use Apple Pay on my watch quite a bit, and the notifications are nice to remind me of meetings.
However, I think you might want to do some calculations on the weight loss.
Consider that running for 30 minutes is about the same number of calories as one big mac(300 Cals), depending on a lot of things.
Apple watch was released ~1.5 years ago. To lose 40 lbs in say 80 weeks that's 0.5 lbs/wk. If apple watch was, in fact, the cause it would have to induce about the equivalent a 30 minute minute run every day. So if you miss a day the next you have to do a crushing 60 mins.
Maybe I'm projecting but even if the device gave me an extreme shock for not running I expect i'd miss a lot of days.
My guess is that likely your wt loss is due mostly to changes in diet. Maybe the watch made you more concious of meal choices?
. See some numbers here: http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/lose-1-kg-weight-per-week-74...
Beginning to realize success toward a goal with a single behavior change (changes due to an increase in exercise) will having reinforcing effects on other behaviors (such as dietary choices).
By gamifying a key factor that likely led to a cascade of behavior changes, the watch played a critical role in improving his chance of success toward a goal.
Whether accurate or not, your point does not negate nor diminish the value of the watch as the critical factor.
. gym memberships
. fitness products
. supplements
. etc?
Because all those could fit into your gamification argument. How well in general do those work? My points are:
1 Again congrats to that person on the wt loss.
2 Likely it was their focus on changing their behaviour that was responsibile and not the watch. Probably a journal would suffice.
Also your statement "...the watch as the critical factor" is surprising, emphasis mine. I think only if I knew that person really well and had witnessed the transformation personally could I make that statement.
That's why I mentioned the pant sizes, because changing clothe sizing is a better indicator of things moving the right direction.
I haven't change my meal choices much at all, but getting the 30 minute work-out ring closed means I walk an average of 4 miles a day, every day (little over an hour). This also burns a bunch of calories, gets my aerobic exercise in, raises my heart rate, and gets me moving.
I keep a food log, and looking at the calories consumed before the Apple Watch and after they are very similar, the only real change has been the Apple Watch. Now that I get much more exercise in (it was simpler to ignore when I didn't have a watch with a watch face that shows me my rings), my nutritionist actually upped the amount of calories I need to eat a day.
Side note: Also, I have to keep my weight loss to a minimum due to losing weight too fast exacerbating other medical conditions. My doctor is happy with my progress, and that is what matters way more than some back of the envelope calculation you've done here.