First Apple Watches With Link Bracelets Begin Shipping to Customers

[MacRumors]

Though the Apple Watch officially launched on April 24, several of the stainless steel Apple Watch configurations have been unavailable to ship for weeks due to supply shortages. Customers who ordered Apple Watches with Link Bracelets, Modern Buckles, and Leather Loops right after pre-orders began are still without their devices.

As of today, the first orders of these rarer watches appear to be shipping out. Several customers on the MacRumors forums who ordered the Apple Watch with Stainless Steel Link Bracelets are seeing their credit cards charged and have begun receiving shipping information from Apple. The first orders should be arriving to customers tomorrow.

There are many customers who are still waiting for their Link Bracelet Apple Watch orders to ship, but it appears the wait may not be much longer now that the first shipments are going out. Customers who ordered the Space Black Apple Watch with Link Bracelet have unfortunately not yet seen order movement, and it also looks like Modern Buckle and Leather Loop purchases are not yet shipping out.

When Apple started accepting pre-orders on April 10, Apple Watch orders with Link Bracelets in Stainless Steel saw shipping estimates ranging from four to six weeks, while the Link Bracelet in Space Black had June shipping estimates. Apple Watches with Modern Buckle and Leather Loop bands also had four to six week shipping estimates right when pre-orders began, suggesting those models may ship out soon.

Standalone Link Bracelet and Leather Loop bands ordered separately have already begun shipping out to customers. The Modern Buckle band remains unavailable for purchase.

It is not clear why the Link Bracelet, Leather Loop, and Modern Buckle have been in significantly shorter supply than the Classic Buckle, Milanese Loop, and Sport Band, but manufacturing processes may be a factor. According to Apple's site, the Link Bracelet is crafted from 100 components, including links that take more than nine hours to cut, while the Modern Buckle and Leather Loop are made from leather sourced from small tanneries in France and Italy.

(Thanks, Warren!)

Article Link: First Apple Watches With Link Bracelets Begin Shipping to Customers

 

[poppe]

I really wish they would just answer why the separate bands got sent out first...

 

[joshwenke]

Under-promise, under-deliver.

 

[mmartinezs]

Still waiting on my 42 mm sg

 

[donkey0]

Still waiting on my 42 mm sg

what time was your confirmation?

 

[The Doctor11]

Well that took a while...

 

[Spankey]

Wow. What a mess. Not even sure what the use of preordering was.

 

[Rob198612]

I really wish they would just answer why the separate bands got sent out first...

i agree, here we are waiting and waiting and apple is shipping out the links

i ordered my watch silver link 42 april 11 and its still stuck in processing hell for june.

i am really hoping that it arrives this month tired of waiting

 

[Iconoclysm]

Under-promise, under-deliver.

Which is the same thing as "promise, deliver" FYI

 

[sammich]

I had called up Apple to organise a swap of my classic buckle for a black leather loop last Wednesday Australia-time. It, as I expected, had a ship time of June but it was just delivered yesterday to my work.

My condolences for those who have been waiting so long.

 

[untg]

Which is the same thing as "promise, deliver" FYI

Hehe, owned.

 

[Benjamin Frost]

Which is the same thing as "promise, deliver" FYI

It would be exactly the same thing if it was, but it isn't, so it's not.

 

[applepizzaz4u]

Unboxing

didn't understand audio but does show some details on the contents

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-5kcvJ04Dc

 

[davidgeek]

worse shipment ever....

I have oder my AW leather loops model, and the expect delivery date is 5/12, but great, i'm still waiting and not getting any further information for what the hell am i waiting for...I pre-odered as soon as apple open the gate, but most of my friends who was orderd even late than me, they already got it on their hands, wtf?!

 

[0098386]

It would be exactly the same thing if it was, but it isn't, so it's not.

Yeah, I see that as delivering something worse than an "under-promise". Because the "under promise" is the benchmark in this little play, it's worse than what we were told.

 

[Tjwardach]

42mm SG black sport band, I'm one of 3 people I know who ordered on 4/10, all with "processing items" order status. Unreal.

 

[Colinwoods84]

still waiting on my 42mm SG that i ordered at 3:10 EST and wife 38mm SG delivers tomorrow.

 

[leepalisoc]

Wow. What a mess. Not even sure what the use of preordering was.

I was upset when my boyfriend got his watch on the "launch day" and I got mine 5 days after. My order was placed before his on April 10th. But when my watch came, all the hate suddenly disappeared. For sure, these people who are getting their watches on May 12 will be happy. They will forget the fact that their order was delayed for 2 weeks.

 

[2457282]

i agree, here we are waiting and waiting and apple is shipping out the links

i ordered my watch silver link 42 april 11 and its still stuck in processing hell for june.

i am really hoping that it arrives this month tired of waiting

my link watch still taunts me with an expected delivery date of may 14-28. Checking every day and nothing but disapointment.

 

[Joe HS]

I was upset when my boyfriend got his watch on the "launch day" and I got mine 5 days after. My order was placed before his on April 10th. But when my watch came, all the hate suddenly disappeared. For sure, these people who are getting their watches on May 12 will be happy. They will forget the fact that their order was delayed for 2 weeks.

I have oder my AW leather loops model, and the expect delivery date is 5/12, but great, i'm still waiting and not getting any further information for what the hell am i waiting for...I pre-odered as soon as apple open the gate, but most of my friends who was orderd even late than me, they already got it on their hands, wtf?!

You each ordered different models to your friends I presume?

 

[JeffyTheQuik]

Apple, here's a thought:
(crazy as it seems...)

Ship out the ones with the nicer bands ordered with the fluoroelastomer (or, as the kids say, "plastic") bands, and then the nice bands are ready, ship those to the customers.

This isn't 1848, and the delivery from Montgomery Wards has to come over the prairie to get to the farm.

They had an extra 14 days to meet up with demand, and while I'm sure the people at Apple are working their behinds off to meet demand, the logistics of this are kind of staggering.

A 1 day wait builds excitement
A 1 week wait builds anticipation.
A 1 month wait builds people looking for other options
A 1 month - 2 month wait (shipping: June) builds people asking questions, and reconsidering their order.
A 2 month+ wait, with no explanation, except, "isn't it great?" builds resentment.
A 7 year wait makes people question whether her father is going to make you marry your girlfriend Rachel's sister first.

 

[rhodesy22]

Ordered the SS band separately...arrived yesterday.

 

[ozziegn]

I love Apple to death but this has to be their worse new product launch ever. I wonder if things would have still played out the way they have if Jobs were still alive?

 

[MaulRx]

42mm leather shipped today, 42mm sport still says July.

 

[Omartinezvar]

I hope to get mine soon