While some of us may not want a smart watch yet, there are others who will line up for days to get one—especially if it’s made by Apple. It’s a fact of life that fans will line up outside Apple stores days before their products go on sale. It’s not going to be any different now with Apple Watch coming out in a few days. But Apple is changing all that: you can get an Apple Watch only if you order online.
Yes, online. Apple doesn’t want you stinking up their stores any more.
The company just sent out a press release saying that pre-orders for the smart watch will begin at 12.01 AM PT Friday morning. Deliveries are expected to begin on April 24.
You can still try out the device in Apple stores starting tomorrow. However, you’ll need to book an appointment online well ahead of time since there will be a lot of demand. Also, you will be trying the $350 to $17,000 timepieces out with the cheery company of a specialist.
Since when did Apple care about the suffering of its customers? Well, the answer lies in economics: supply & demand. Apple Watch is said to be in short supply, so the company is taking extra care of distributing its initial stock. Another answer lies in Apple’s attempt to reimagine itself as a high-end fashion brand. Surely, having campers outside of your store isn’t fashionable at all.
Whatever the case may be, ready your browser and credit card for tomorrow morning, for it’s going to be one hell of a rush on Apple’s servers.