Expecting to get an Apple Watch when they go on sale on April 24th? You better have a reservation. Apple has confirmed that all sales for their new wearable piece of tech will be sold by appointment only. That means pre-ordering on April 10th and trying out a watch in-store just got much more important to your typical Apple junkie. From CNet:
[All] sales will be made through a reservation system, Apple confirmed Friday. And that’s true for the indefinite future. Apple has no plans at this time to allow you to stop into a store and walk out with an Apple Watch, even after the device officially hits the market.
You also can’t just walk up to a table and try out whatever Apple Watch you want. Instead, you have to meet with a store representative for a fitting, which you set up through an appointment or by being lucky enough to visit an Apple Store during a lull.
There’s a lot of speculation why Apple would want to do all sales like this and Tech Times throws a few of their own there:
There are a number of things that could have gone into Apple’s decision to only make the device available by reservation. The first is that Apple probably wants to ensure that it has the right inventory at each Apple Store, especially around launch time.
The other possible reason is that Apple could want to walk customers through the process of using the watch in-store. Users will be able to customize the device, selecting which band they want and whether they prefer the Sport version or the standard Apple Watch. Users will also be able to buy the Apple Watch Edition, though reports suggest it will only be available at select stores.
Of course, a byproduct of this decision is that it gives the Apple Watch an even greater aura of premium quality.
Personally, I think a lot of it might have to do with piracy and shady activity that we’ve seen with past Apple sales rushes. Seeing these immigrants and homeless people with huge wads of cash being forced to stand in line to buy two brand new iPhones to hand t0 some shadowy guy around the corner isn’t a good image to hold up.
Then again, do they actually care about such activity? They’re still making their money on the initial product and possibly more down the road depending on where those phones actually end up.
I can’t say for sure, but I do know that I wouldn’t stand in line or make an appointment for anything like an Apple Watch. If it was a machine that turned water into cocaine, then sure, I’d be right there in line. But this? No way. Hopefully you have to make an appointment with the person who is going to rob you too, so they know when to meet you in the alley down from the store.
(Via CNet / Tech Times)