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

Qrispy

macrumors regular
Apr 14, 2015
231
7
Thanks Captain Obvious! I can see they are having manufacturing problems with the watches but why cant they produce bands at double the rate?

In this thread I learned some people think you can just flip a switch and make things twice as fast as they were being made before.
 

Modernboy

macrumors regular
Mar 5, 2015
212
264
Los Angeles, CA
Magic switches aside, surely the bands don't take nearly as much R&D and production time as the watches themselves. Maybe the Milanese or the link bracelet, but the sport bands and leather loops? I don't see it.

I completely understand everyone's frustration here. I have a 42mm Milanese and it is terrible for everyday wear. The metal is constantly scratching against my laptop while I type and quite honestly it is not comfortable to wear for long periods of time. I don't want to exchange it because it will look nice when dressed up, but I'd really like to be able to add a more daily use band to it sooner than a month from now.

This was definitely something that Apple could have planned for. Not a single extra band order has shipped yet. I know that we were all given delivery dates when we ordered, but those delivery dates are ridiculous for pieces of plastic and leather and Apple should be ashamed that they ever had to put them out there.
 

seatton

macrumors 6502a
Nov 7, 2013
789
1,219
Seattle, WA
Thanks Captain Obvious! I can see they are having manufacturing problems with the watches but why cant they produce bands at double the rate?

Agreed. Especially the sport band. Anyone can manufacture that. I do not understand why they do not have it. My excitement about changing to a different band every day when I go to work fades away :(
 

bunnicula

macrumors 68040
Jul 23, 2008
3,816
817
Agreed. Especially the sport band. Anyone can manufacture that. I do not understand why they do not have it. My excitement about changing to a different band every day when I go to work fades away :(

Yeah. I'd like our extra bands. They're BANDS. Sheesh.
 

frumpy16

macrumors 65816
Dec 8, 2008
1,309
1,461
In this thread I learned some people think you can just flip a switch and make things twice as fast as they were being made before.

That assumes that the band is the limiting factor which I don't think is true. You can only make as many watches as the least available component. However, that doesn't mean that they don't have more capacity for the band manufacture.
 

seatton

macrumors 6502a
Nov 7, 2013
789
1,219
Seattle, WA
That assumes that the band is the limiting factor which I don't think is true. You can only make as many watches as the least available component. However, that doesn't mean that they don't have more capacity for the band manufacture.

Agreed. Especially the sport bands. Any condom manufacturers can help produce those colorful bands :D
 

sam2428

macrumors 6502
Mar 8, 2011
404
141
Houston, TX
I love my black sport band, but honesty don't think its a great "all day" wearable band. I think its good for wearing to the gym/playing sports, but would love to pick up a leather loop for all day wear, etc. This has surely been a bizarre launch.

My theory is that no bands are available in store because it would look pretty bad if they only had a few sport bands available as these seem to be the ones that they are able to produce and ship watches ahead of scheduled delivery windows, etc. Executives are forced to make conscious business decisions that are best for the company in terms of finances, reputation, etc etc. The way things are panning out must have been the better choice overall obviously.

It would look pretty bad if out of all the available bands, only a couple were hanging on the shelves. Also, since they obviously are slow to ship out watches, I'm sure there would be a lot of upset customers who are still waiting for their watches while there are bands hanging in store (even sport bands).


For those with a watch (like me) wanting another band, just be happy you have your watch and be patient. At least we have a watch to play with while others are still waiting anxiously :cool:
 

Diginari

macrumors regular
Apr 10, 2015
101
2
Ok from this thread can I assume nobody has seen or gotten any extra bands up to this point?


Nope! I ordered a white sport strap separate to my watch on release day within 10 minutes of going on sale, I got 'May' delivery. The band still says delivered 'May' if I order now? Makes no sense, we are in May now and no updates yet.
 

frumpy16

macrumors 65816
Dec 8, 2008
1,309
1,461
Nope! I ordered a white sport strap separate to my watch on release day within 10 minutes of going on sale, I got 'May' delivery. The band still says delivered 'May' if I order now? Makes no sense, we are in May now and no updates yet.


Seems like the bands should be easier to make a lot of than the electronic components nonetheless seem constrained. I think they're using the available inventory for fulfilling the watch orders. Until they clear that backlog, probably no specifics to be had on the delivery date.
 

w00tini

macrumors 6502a
Feb 28, 2008
661
62
most likely that Apple is using all the bands they can get to put on new watches. until they get a few more manufacturers of bands online, it might take a while to build beyond watch demand needs.
 

spikerules

macrumors regular
Jun 17, 2012
214
6
Nope! I ordered a white sport strap separate to my watch on release day within 10 minutes of going on sale, I got 'May' delivery. The band still says delivered 'May' if I order now? Makes no sense, we are in May now and no updates yet.

You do know we're only 5 days into May, right?
 

bunnicula

macrumors 68040
Jul 23, 2008
3,816
817
No ***** Sherlock, my issue is that if I go order now I get the same delivery range as what I got on the 24th April.

I ordered my white sport band on 4/16 and got May, too. I assume they'll fill them in order sometime this month.
 

alfonsog

Contributor
Jul 17, 2002
532
527
Cape Coral, FL
Obviously they are waiting for every band to be available and then reconfigure the sales wall for the bands. Every store I've been to recently has 2 iPad cover wall sections so one of those will probably switch overnight to a watch band section at every store on the same day as thats how retail usually works. I was just walking by the Lincoln Road Store's backside entrance last Friday near closing time and saw a whole rack of sports bands in packaging when someone was coming out of the separate delivery door with a cart for restocking.

Also I think that checking store availability was just added to the bands on the online store, with all bands showing unavailable for pickup currently, I think that is a new thing? I swear it didn't say it before today because I would have checked it.
 
Last edited:

spikerules

macrumors regular
Jun 17, 2012
214
6
No ***** Sherlock, my issue is that if I go order now I get the same delivery range as what I got on the 24th April.

Then being "Sherlock" in your estimation I will conclude, as anybody with half a brain would, that they are making the bands to ship in May and are going by how many orders they have. They must have known that their stock would be ready for May. Obvious really. Don't really need "Sherlock" for this one.
 

Qrispy

macrumors regular
Apr 14, 2015
231
7
Then being "Sherlock" in your estimation I will conclude, as anybody with half a brain would, that they are making the bands to ship in May and are going by how many orders they have. They must have known that their stock would be ready for May. Obvious really. Don't really need "Sherlock" for this one.


I have honestly never seen anyone on the internet get destroyed so hard.
 

ckiggins

macrumors 6502
Mar 15, 2012
369
67
St. Louis, MO
Also I think that checking store availability was just added to the bands on the online store, with all bands showing unavailable for pickup currently, I think that is a new thing? I swear it didn't say it before today because I would have checked it.

You are correct - today is the first day I have seen this, as well.
 

Diginari

macrumors regular
Apr 10, 2015
101
2
You can't call it destroying as he made it too easy, but thank you anyways;)

Destroyed? How old are you 12?

My point was, personally I don't think my delivery date should be the same as someone ordering 4 weeks after me, irrespective of any constraints.

Things changed today actually, I am due to receive the strap on the 1st of June, I didn't even have a delivery date before, just a ship by date. However on the website the delivery date est. for the strap I ordered is still 'May' if you order now. Go figure.
 

alfonsog

Contributor
Jul 17, 2002
532
527
Cape Coral, FL
What's going to happen is the retail store will have them all soon for display but the online store is still backed up with orders. Same thing always happens, I remember buying a dock in store and online it was still 2-4 weeks. Bumpers for iPhone 4 were the same thing. There is a difference between retail and online stores.
 

Diginari

macrumors regular
Apr 10, 2015
101
2
Says the person who busted out the "no **** sherlock" a few posts ago.


It was in response to the bloke being pedantic, the 'destroyed' comment was something a 12 year old, pre-pubescent teenager would come out with, he basically jumped on the bandwagon of the other fella.

No big deal, all *****s and giggles with me, this is the internet after all.
 

jbachandouris

macrumors 603
Aug 18, 2009
5,778
2,904
Upstate NY
I received a 38mm SS with classic buckle. Although it's an ok band (not 'premium' by any means), I'd like to switch to a sport band. With no idea what the ship date will be, that makes the decision harder.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.