Apple Watch Orders Will Remain Exclusively Online Through May, Deliveries Begin April 24

[ArtOfWarfare]

The "try-on" watches are not actual functional watches.

My understanding is the most constrained parts are the taptic engine and screen. Whether the try-on watches are full Watches or not, they do take up those resources.

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You must not be in the 24/4-8/5 Club (translation: 4/24-5/8 Club).

Meanwhile, I'm eagerly awaiting my watch next Friday.

You are correct. I haven't bought an Watch at all because I haven't been able to justify the price yet. I suspect it'll take a few generations before it has enough features for it to justify its cost to me.

 

[diegogaja]

Went and tried one on last night. Not sure what you are talking about.

On a side note....it's like a freaking slice of butter on your wrist and even more impressive in person. Can't wait to get mine in the 24th...

I can understand that they want people to order online for a new product, since they want the product to feel speciel, in that no one can get it right away. Annoying, but I get it.

But not even have it available to see it live in stores, like they did with the Macbook? That is just low.

 

[chumpy34]

Not sure if it's the influence from Angela or just this Watch product launch, but I have noticed an unusual "we knew nothing" look from Apple employees on the Watch. The employees I have talked to said they were not given any details on the Watch until April 9 and even then very little and most don't even know how it works. Add this to the "not available on the 24th" in stores, it doesn't seem very "Apple-like" to me and I hope this isn't Angela messing things up from her role.

 

[ginkobiloba]

In a business where the executive was 80% female, if someone said, 'get this guy out of here, he's over his head.' that would be sexist. Vice versa also true.

This is silly. It's "get this guy out of here" because...uh...he IS a guy, not a girl, not a chair or a fish. Or maybe he shouldn't be fired just because he is the minority in a 80% female executive team ?
Vice versa also true.

 

[tkermit]

In a business where the executive was 80% female, if someone said, 'get this guy out of here, he's over his head.' that would be sexist.

I'm looking at the dictionary definition right here:

prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination, typically against women, on the basis of sex.

I find it difficult to detect obvious discrimination on the basis of sex in your particular example. Not that it would be impossible that there's sexism involved, only that it isn't obvious at all from that sentence only. The person making that remark might have had all possible reasons in her mind besides the guy's gender for thinking and saying that he's in over his head, regardless of whether she's addressing him by his name or calling him 'this guy'. Not calling him by his name simply emphasizes the pejorative nature of the remark in this context and probably intends to offend, but is not to insinuate that he's in over his head on account of the fact that he's a guy or that that is the issue in the first place. At least that is what I would assume seeing this in writing without having been given any additional context information.

 

[Bryan Bowler]

Man, I can't believe all of the whining! There's nothing wrong with having a product delivered straight to your house. It would have been impossible for Apple to initially stock a product with this many variations in their stores. From an initial distribution standpoint, they've done everything correctly and now they're able to put as many watches on the wrists of their customers as they possibly can.

Be happy. If Apple didn't do it this way, over half of you would not be able to get an Apple Watch when you're currently scheduled to receive one.

 

[bbeagle]

How would 1,000 watches per store help anybody? Most people would be told "sorry, we are out of stock, you will have to order online." Again, not her fault that the production yield is low.

Then the launch date of 4/24 would mean something. Right now, it's meaningless.

It's her fault she didn't plan ahead - if production was so low, why even let people order online? Have it only sold at the store.

 

[gorkt]

This just wasn't a very good launch experience for a few reasons.

They should have put it in store for try ons on 4/10, but delayed the pre-order date until 4/17 or 4/24. This would reduce people buying several watches only to return them, adding more customers that would get the watch one they shipped.

Also, instead of saying "Available 4.24" they should have said "Available by online order only starting 4.17 or 4.24."

This got way more confusing than it needed to be and it is only going to get worse.

Remember, most people only have exposure to the watch from the commercial. They are going to see "Available 4.24", wander into the store and be told that their watch won't ship until July. That isn't a positive customer experience, and by the time July rolls around, the hype will have did down, and a fair few people will just decide to cancel their order or not bother. It definitely cuts down on the impulse buy factor.

 

[PhiLLoW]

This is silly. It's "get this guy out of here" because...uh...he IS a guy, not a girl, not a chair or a fish. Or maybe he shouldn't be fired just because he is the minority in a 80% female executive team ?
Vice versa also true.

Couldn't agree more.

The persons who are triggered because one guy said 'this women' are the real sexists here. She IS a woman and it's not an Insult.

The person who can do the job best should do it. It doesn't matter whether it's a man, a woman, a robot or even fish. Minorities shouldn't be more protected because a company needs to fullfil a quota.

IMHO Angela did a good job. Apple has less watches than people want - online preorder + live demo in the stores is a great solution.... But they definitely should 've told everyone earlier. Available 24.4.15 is misleading.

 

[bjdraw]

Then the launch date of 4/24 would mean something. Right now, it's meaningless.

It's her fault she didn't plan ahead - if production was so low, why even let people order online? Have it only sold at the store.

So if a million people receive a watch on 4/24, but there aren't any in the store means the launch date is meaningless?

And those same million people should instead all have to wait a month so that Apple can ensure there are enough on hand for everyone who wants to be a day one owner can be?

 

[PhiLLoW]

one guy said

Mild sexism here

 

[tkermit]

Mild sexism here

That's funny.

 

[bbeagle]

So if a million people receive a watch on 4/24, but there aren't any in the store means the launch date is meaningless?

Yes it is... because you can't BUY one on 4/24 and get one on 4/24.

The launch date was actually 4/10 where you could BUY one.

 

[clcnyc]

Did you order online? Just curious

Ordered via the Apple Store app on my phone.

 

[diegogaja]

While the phrase may not be inherently sexist...who knows if there was sexism involved...

That was my first thought, BUT…..Had it been a guy, the post I’m sure would have read;
Get this guy out of Apple. He's in way over his head., and not;
Get this person out of Apple. They're in way over their head., so no sexism involved.

 

[TonyC28]

Yes it is... because you can't BUY one on 4/24 and get one on 4/24.

The launch date was actually 4/10 where you could BUY one.

This is actually a pretty good point. 4/24/15 has become more of a shipment date than a launch date. Semantics, I know. But the online only process changes things a little bit.

 

[diegogaja]

Where does it say "available in stores on the 24th"?

But Apple's commercials clearly stated 24 April and on the website. To the general public that is all they know- they have a chance possibly of getting one on the 24th and there after by walking into an Apple store and catching stock in hand just like iPhones etc.

Apple was not clear in their messaging. They messed up.

 

[greytmom]

"Given the high interest and initial supply at launch, we will be able to get customers the model they want earlier and faster by taking orders online."

Read more.

I just don't see anything wrong with this. I think it would have been impossible to determine how much stock to have in every Apple store, and what configurations walk-ins would want. And it would have deeply pissed off those who have to wait for their orders.

 

[TonyC28]

Where does it say "available in stores on the 24th"?

I am not asking this rhetorically because I am sure there is an answer, but when was the last time Apple gave a launch date for a product and that product was not available to be purchased in the store on that date? I'm not trying to make a point, I'm actually asking the question.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

The person who can do the job best should do it. It doesn't matter whether it's a man, a woman, a robot or even fish. Minorities shouldn't be more protected because a company needs to fullfil a quota.

"We can accept the men, women and robots... but we don't want those fish."

"hrrumph", "yea", "hrrumph", "yes", "hrrrumph"

"No deal"

"Ah prairie *****.... everybody!"

We shake hands with the men, women & robots, tap fists to fins with the fish and await the arrival of Hedy (that's Hedley) Larmarr and the villains.

 

[evites]

Side note, when I was looking at one of the display cases there were a couple watches missing. They said they were still waiting on a couple display models, so they're even short on those.

There wasn't a single modern buckle in the store I went to, not any to try on, not any to look at in the display case, nothing. And those are the watches that are delayed until June.

 

[AppleScruff1]

Then another half million people would've got a watch while 2 or 3 million waited another two weeks for theirs. Doubt it would make much of a difference to those who didn't get one on the first day others did.

The pre order would have to be a week later too.

 

[rtr1985]

Almost 9-10 months later, it actually, finally launches.

 

[darkslide29]

Then the launch date of 4/24 would mean something. Right now, it's meaningless.

It's her fault she didn't plan ahead - if production was so low, why even let people order online? Have it only sold at the store.

Your comment reminded me of an iPhone launch that did not have preorders.. I *think* it was the iPhone 5? No preorder period. The day that it launched in stores was the day that you could order online at midnight. So I ordered right at midnight and wouldn't be delivered until the middle of next week. Meanwhile, a buddy of mine lined up extremely early and endured a ridiculous line, but he got his phone at the store on launch day.

Seems like the Watch plan is the complete opposite of that - yes to preorders, but no to in-store on 'launch day'.

 

[cmichaelb]

Where does it say "available in stores on the 24th"?

Seriously? What do you think the general public thinks when they see that date?