Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple Starts Selling Third-Party Apple Watch Accessories in Retail Stores

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
63,560
30,891



As of today, Apple has begun selling third-party Apple Watch accessories in its retail stores. The first third-party Apple Watch product Apple is offering on store shelves is ElevationLab's NightStand for Apple Watch.

Priced at $29.95, the NightStand is a simple, affordable Apple Watch stand that was one of the first Apple Watch stands on the market. The NightStand was originally offered only in blue, black, and red, but it appears the company partnered with Apple to offer stands that match each of the Apple Watch Sport bands. Apple is selling the NightStand in pink, blue, green, black, and white.

nightstand-800x600.jpg

We visited an Apple Store in North Carolina, where the NightStands are on display next to the Apple Watch Sport bands, Apple Watch chargers, and matching Beats headphones.

The NightStand is one of the few Apple Watch stands available for purchase that supports watchOS 2's upcoming Nightstand Mode, which may be one of the reasons why Apple chose it for retail stores. With Nightstand Mode in watchOS 2, the Apple Watch is able to serve as an alarm clock while charging.

nightstand1-800x582.jpg

According to a source that spoke to MacRumors, the NightStand from ElevationLab is the only Apple Watch accessory Apple is offering for now, but additional accessories might start appearing in stores in September. ElevationLab's NightStand is currently only available in retail stores and is not yet being offered online.

Apple's decision to begin offering third-party Apple Watch accessories comes amid a major revamp of its retail stores. As of today, Apple retail stores no longer have iPad "smart signs" that display pricing information and product details next to each product for sale.

applestorepricingapp-800x499.jpg

Instead, Apple's display products, such as iPhones, iPads, and Macs, now include a dedicated "Pricing" app that users can open up to get pricing information.

pricing2-800x600.jpg

In recent months, Apple Stores have been undergoing some significant transformations. Along with the removal of the smart signs to reduce clutter and confusion, Apple has also slimmed down on the number of accessories for a more refined look. In the future, many accessories will also feature Apple-designed packaging.

Article Link: Apple Starts Selling Third-Party Apple Watch Accessories in Retail Stores
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2015/08/26/apple-third-party-apple-watch-accessory/
J

JohnApples

macrumors 68000
Mar 7, 2014
1,634
2,776
$30? Not bad for being sold in the Apple Store. Doesn't beat my much sleeker Spigen aluminum one for $20 though.

Also, it looks like Apple may just continue to stick with contract subsidized pricing despite the carriers phasing them out.
 
E

eNetro

macrumors newbie
Sep 10, 2014
9
5
United States
Cool! ElevationLabs did a great job in terms of the nightstand's design. (I think the article meant watchOS 2 for nightstand). I'm all for the idea of a pricing app on every demo unit; it cleans up the space. (I didn't expect the Mac app to be ~2.2 GB).
 
  • Like
Reactions: flur
Icaras

Icaras

macrumors 603
Mar 18, 2008
6,344
3,393
I'm getting a couple of the white night stands. Nice packaging. I like Apple's idea to partner up with elevation labs because now they are able to exactly match colors perfectly. But too bad they aren't selling online yet.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AppleWes
rdlink

rdlink

macrumors 68040
Nov 10, 2007
3,226
2,435
Out of the Reach of the FBI
Akzel said:
Ugh, so instead of easily accessible information we have to click/tap away to find about prices? I think it's bad for the consumer. :\
Click to expand...

I liked the iPad 2 consoles better, also. But there are a couple of things about that. First, I liked them because they were a cool use of tech, and I appreciated the fact that they were able to do it. Second, I read about them on MacRumors when they were first put into play, so I knew what they were. Thus, I was "in the know" when I was at the store, and they didn't confuse me. However, in watching people who were far less technical in the store, and accompanying friends and family to the store I noticed that others didn't often seem completely at ease with them, and either ignored them totally, or started to play with them as if they were a display device. So I could see why Apple would remove them for that reason. I assume they had better research/metrics on it than my anecdotal observations.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Keane16, Ulysses164, darkknight14 and 3 others
J

JohnApples

macrumors 68000
Mar 7, 2014
1,634
2,776
mxmgodin said:
I got a Spigen case for my iPhone 5S, and I gotta say I really like their products!
Click to expand...

Right on! I have a Spigen SlimArmor case for my 6, and it's been great! Protective, not-bulky, good quality, and complements the colors of the phone well. Been almost a year and the rubber material on it hasn't warped either unlike my previous Otterboxes. Can't beat that for the $15 I paid for it!
 
T

Tech198

Cancelled
Mar 21, 2011
15,915
2,151
third party Apple watch accessories are good start :D however if their gonna be plastic, then no way. (not the hardened type plastic apple uses in their own products.)
 
  • Like
Reactions: haruhiko
G

groovyf

macrumors 6502
Dec 15, 2010
410
145
Halifax, UK
I got a black NightStand delivered last week (from US to here in UK). It's a quality, solid bit of kit.
Very surprised how well it stays put with its air-suction flat base.
I expected it to slide/move easily if knocked... but it's solid as a rock.
 
  • Like
Reactions: flur
n8cousins

n8cousins

macrumors regular
Oct 15, 2013
108
103
Burlington, Vermont
Warbrain said:
Nice. I would grab one of those stands for my drawer. I keep my Watch in my nightstand as I don't trust my cats from knocking it off the top.
Click to expand...

You should try the Spiegen dock that looks similar to the one pictured above but is less expensive. It also has "nano suction" on the bottom so it sticks to any surface. Your cats will not be able to move it, it's extremely solid. I've had it for a week and am very pleased so far. I think I paid $35 including next day shipping from Amazon.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dilap
britabroad

britabroad

macrumors regular
Jul 16, 2007
105
86
Akzel said:
Ugh, so instead of easily accessible information we have to click/tap away to find about prices? I think it's bad for the consumer. :\
Click to expand...

One of the ideas is that the consumer is USING the product while learning about it. Also takes away some of the confusion about the Smart Signs: so many customers didn't understand that they were not iPads for sale. Plus the new system frees up table space for more products. It's a win all round.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ghost31
C

campingsk8er

macrumors 6502a
Feb 4, 2011
548
248
Elizabethtown, PA
MacRumors said:


The NightStand is one of the few Apple Watch stands available for purchase that supports iOS 9's upcoming Nightstand Mode, which may be one of the reasons why Apple chose it for retail stores. With Nightstand Mode in watchOS 2, the Apple Watch is able to serve as an alarm clock while charging.
​
Click to expand...

The only thing about these stands and WatchOS 2... Yeah the magnetic charger is strong enough to hold the watch when its on there, but will it be strong enough to hold the watch when I'm trying to press down the digital crown or the side button? Probably not...
 
  • Like
Reactions: BulkSlash
T

Thunderhawks

Suspended
Feb 17, 2009
4,057
2,118
Akzel said:
Ugh, so instead of easily accessible information we have to click/tap away to find about prices? I think it's bad for the consumer. :\
Click to expand...
The amount of energy it takes to lift my arm, flick out a finger to touch the display an dread what I see is just too much strain on my body.

I feel a class action suit coming on for tapping tunnel syndrome, eye strain and since I have to lift my arm, maybe Tommy John surgery will be needed.
Jeez.
 
  • Like
Reactions: vixenite, nortofthe13th, Jamalien and 2 others
Rogifan

Rogifan

macrumors Penryn
Nov 14, 2011
24,150
31,206
britabroad said:
One of the ideas is that the consumer is USING the product while learning about it. Also takes away some of the confusion about the Smart Signs: so many customers didn't understand that they were not iPads for sale. Plus the new system frees up table space for more products. It's a win all round.
Click to expand...
It would be nice to get people's opinions AFTER they've actually experienced this in store. If not having these signs allows Apple to have more product on the floor for people to play with that's a good thing IMO. It sounds like the Macs have a box floating on the screen that people can click on at any time. What's so difficult about that?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom