Earlier this month, a leaked Apple memo revealed that Apple Watch sales would only take place online during the device’s “initial launch period.” It was unclear at the time exactly how long that launch period would be, but today we’ve got a bit more information.
A newly-leaked memo from Angela Ahrendts, Apple’s SVP of Retail and Online Stores, says that Apple expects the Watch’s online-only availability to continue through May. Apple made this decision due to high interest from around the globe as well as its initial supply of watches. However, Ahrendts says that she’ll share more info on in-store availability of the Apple Watch as those store launches get closer, so it’s still not known exactly when you’ll be able to just walk into an Apple Store to buy a watch.
Ahrendts’ memo also aims to assuage fears that this online-only Apple Watch launch means that there will be no blowout Apple product launches with long lines outside of stores. “Are we going to launch every product this way from now on? No. We all love those blockbuster Apple product launch days - and there will be many more to come,” says Ahrendts.
It’s also worth noting that Apple appears to have scrubbed all mentions of the Apple Watch’s April 24 launch date from its website and online store. That’s not entirely surprising considering that most new pre-orders won’t ship until June and there won’t be any in-store sales on April 24. The good news is that Ahrendts’ leaked memo says that pre-orders will indeed start getting delivered on April 24, so if you were able to get your pre-order in early, you could have an Apple Watch on your wrist in one week’s time.
Did you pre-order an Apple Watch? If so, what’d you get and when is your unit expected to arrive?
