CALIFORNIA: Apple has announced that it will launch its Watch in September at iPhone 6 and 6 Plus launch event in California for $10,000. The Watch will be available in three models: the Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport and Apple Watch Edition, and all models will be sold in either 1.4-inch (38mm) or 1.7-inch (42mm) versions.
Apple Watch is made of stainless steel, Watch Sport is made of 7000 Series Silver Aluminum and the premium Edition has a similar build to the Apple Watch but comes in 18-Karat Rose Gold and Yellow Gold.
The company isn’t talking about plans for marketing the Apple Watch in advance of it’s much-touted “Spring Forward” event on Monday, but it clearly intends to keep a tight grip on initial sales and distribution, leaving many retailers guessing about when — or if — they’ll be able to sell it.
Sources with direct knowledge of the matter said that Best Buy Co Inc, one of the largest sellers of Apple products, may not get the watch at launch time, though the company wouldn’t comment on the situation.
Other large retailers, including Macy’s, Saks 5th Avenue, Bloomingdales and Barney’s said they had no immediate plans to carry the watch. Target and Nordstrom,along with all the major phone carriers, declined to comment on their plans, though a source with knowledge of the situation said Nordstrom has engaged in discussions with Apple.
“Apple is being cautious. There are too many unknowns around how this product will perform,” said Van Baker, research vice-president, technology research firm Gartner Inc.
That might mean restricting initial sales to company stores, where Apple has complete control over the experience and staff can be specially trained to sell the watch, Baker said.
Apple’s Cook seems very aware of the challenge. The Telegraph, which sent a reporter with the CEO to the company’s Covent Garden store, reported that he explained to the staff that selling the watch might require “tweaking the experience in the store.”
In the absence of hard information about what the tweaks might look like, speculation has been intense. The Washington Post last week suggested that Apple might add carpeting and mirrors and change store lighting to enhance the watch-buying experience.
Media outlets and Websites have also posited that the watch will be offered at special pop-up stores installed at luxury retailers such as Selfridges in London and Colette in Paris.
