These Apple Watches ripe for faster shipping
Apple Watches are already back- ordered for weeks — some versions more than others.
For those who didn’t place online orders early enough to get a delivery on Friday, the device’s release date, there will be a wait. But if they favor versions with a smaller face, the wait likely won’t be so long.
Watches with the fastest shipping dates on Apple’s website tend to have smaller, 38- millimeter cases, with some models shipping in four to six weeks. For instance, a 38millimeter Apple Watch with a stainless steel case and white sports band could ship as early as May. The same model with a 42- millimeter case won’t be shipped until June, according to Apple’s website.
Apple started taking advanced orders for the watch on April 10. More than 1 million people bought 1.4 million Apple Watches in the first week, according to Slice Intelligence, a market research firm that tracks electronic receipts.
Not all models were must- haves. Pink was not a popular wristband color in the first week of advanced sales, according to Slice Intelligence. Fewer than 2 percent of Apple Watch orders were for the soft pink modern buckle and only 4 percent of Apple Watch Sport orders had a pink sport band, the firm said.
That data point, coupled with fewer people buying smaller watch faces, has caused some analysts to believe the early buyers are male. In general, early adopters of Apple devices tend to be affluent men in their 30s, said Jaimee Minney, Slice Intelligence’s spokeswoman.
“Those trends would hold true for the watch,” Minney said.
It’s unclear if the delays mean certain watches are more popular or less popular. Shorter shipping times could mean fewer purchases — or they could mean Apple predicted their popularity and manufactured a surplus.
Apple hasn’t released sales data for the watches and declined to say which models are the most or least popular. The company has told some customers their watches might arrive sooner than expected.
On Thursday, Apple made available for download Apple Watch apps, including ones from Instagram, Twitter and Target. Some developers said it was challenging to create apps for the watch because they had limited access to the device prior to its launch.
Customers who don’t want to order a watch online can pick one up in select boutiques worldwide on Friday. The only U. S. boutique listed in Apple’s announcement is in Los Angeles.