The
Apple Watch has finally landed, but anyone who didn't get in early with their online pre-orders may have to wait a while to get their device. Apple has even confirmed that customers will not be able to buy a Watch on "launch day" on 24 April.
Apple's online Store is now listing delivery dates as June across all Apple Watch models. On the first day of sales shipping dates varied according to buyers taking to Twitter and Facebook.
Some Sport models, such as the one Wareable ordered, stated a delivery of 24 April to 8 May, four to six weeks or as late as June. What's more, reports have surfaced that buyers might have to wait until August for the ludicrously expensive Apple Watch Edition. Apple has said that it doesn't know when we can expect in-store availability.
Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, seemed happy with the first wave of pre-orders telling CNBC that sales have been "great" at Apple's Palo Alto store.
As we previously reported, the company has departed from its traditional launch day hype by teasing the Watch in stores two weeks early, and is only allowing customers to buy in-store if they've booked an appointment.
In an insider email from Angela Ahrendts, the head of Apple's retail division said that "the days of waiting in line and crossing fingers for a product are over for our customers," and wanted the company to encourage online sales instead.
Early reports from around the world seemed to prove the company had succeeded, and reports from the first opening, at Apple's Sydney store, suggested a modest queue formed outside, although many of those were simply in a rush to buy other Apple gear.
It's unsurprising that Apple has kept stock of its more expensive Watch low, but for customers hungry for their shiny new purchase, two months is a very long time to wait.
You can order your Apple Watch from the Apple Store, or you can try out a device by booking an appointment using the Concierge service.
How we test
James is the co-founder of Wareable, and he has been a technology journalist for 15 years.
He started his career at Future Publishing, James became the features editor of T3 Magazine and T3.com and was a regular contributor to TechRadar – before leaving Future Publishing to found Wareable in 2014.
James has been at the helm of Wareable since 2014 and has become one of the leading experts in wearable technologies globally. He has reviewed, tested, and covered pretty much every wearable on the market, and is passionate about the evolving industry, and wearables helping people achieve healthier and happier lives.