The Apple Watch's arrival in stores on Friday failed to draw in the same crowds as the launch of the iPhone 6, but that may only be a sign that Apple fans don't just want to try, they want to buy. Online, the watch is now already sold out until June. For the next two weeks, visitors to the Apple Store can only look at the Apple Watch, or, if they make an appointment, can try them for 15 minutes.
They can also preorder the watch, which won't go on sale until the 24th. But since all preorder sales are done through Apple's online store, they can just as easily order from home.
It is not surprising that Apple is encouraging people to buy online rather than at their retail stores. With three models of the watch, each available in two different sizes, and a variety of bracelet options, the company has created a stock nightmare for themselves. On Apple's website alone, you can view 38 different models of the watch, and that doesn't even take into acount all the possible variations of case and strap color.
The Apple Watch did attract a few customers around the world who were patient enough to wait and give it a try. In Sweden, William Prutz was first in line. He says he has been a fan of watches for qutie some time and was sporting a $1,000 Certina on his wrist. Acquiring an Apple Watch could pose a dilemma for him: "I don't want to replace this one," he said.
For Prutz, its not about the watch's ability to keep time, he is most interested in the health related apps, as he's a cyclist and does other training as well.
Also in line was Sandeep, a 38 year old IT security specialist, who says he's been a fan of watches since his parents gave him his first watch when he was six or seven years old. If he buys the Watch, he says it will be the basic model, as for him it's "more about the technology" rather than fashion. And all of Apple's Watches contain the same electronics regardless of finish or style.
In China, the device was tested by Xie Yi Feng, who also was interested in the cheapest model, the Apple Watch Sport.
"It's very light, and has some pretty good features," he said. "The price for sports model is okay, but I don't think a lot of people will buy the gold one, because the features are all the same as the other models."
The Apple Watch was made available not just in China and Sweden today, but all around the world including: Australia, Japan, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, the U.K. and the U.S.
