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The Meaning of Headlines: 'sleeper' - technology




The Tech section of USA Today published an article on March 17, 2016, with the headline: ‘Apple Watch isn’t a smash hit, but it could be a sleeper.’ What does ‘a sleeper’ mean?

Oxford Dictionaries defines ‘sleeper’ as ‘a person who is asleep’ or ‘a thing used for or connected with sleeping’ or ‘a film, book, play, etc. that eventually achieves unexpected success after initially attracting very little attention.’ The latter is the definition used in this article. In this case, the subject is technology – the Apple Watch.

The article commences by stating that the ‘Nearly a year ago, Apple Watch was released to great fanfare, with many in the tech press expecting the digital smartwatch to become the next must-have gadget’ – which means that it, indeed, the watch was expected to sell well. However, this seems to contradict the definition, which states that initially the item attracts little attention.

But, the article states that ‘the sea-change in public behaviour—say everyone tethered to their wrist rather than bending over their phone—just hasn’t happened.’ The article provided a quote from technology analyst with Piper Jaffray, Gene Munster, saying that ‘it’s taken time for people to understand how to get the most of it.’ This confirms the definition – the watch has attracted little attention initially.

After it was released in April 2015, the Apple Watch still hasn’t gained much interest. Apple has not released sales figures, which is an indicator that it hasn’t sold as well as its iPhone, iPad, and computers (Apple regularly publishes these sales figures).

The article continues by stating that Gene Munster thinks ‘over time, it will be a sleeper.’ The author concludes with: ‘Just like the iPad and iPhone, which grew substantially in the years after its launch, analysts say the watch will see pickup in the coming years.’

Scorecard for the USA Today headline is 100%. The author reinforces the word ‘sleeper’ in the article – and interestingly adds that the watch will ‘take time’ to gain sales. It’s all about give and take. Of course, all watches give time, but this one will take time.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2016/03/17/apple-watch-isnt-smash-hit-but-could-sleeper/81832694/


MARTINA NICOLLS is the author of:- The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).
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