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Apple Watch launch expected in March, retail training set for mid-February

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Apple is finishing up work on the Apple Watch’s software, and sources familiar with the product’s development say that the device is currently on track to ship in the United States by the end of March. Apple previously said that the wearable product will ship in “early 2015,” while Senior Vice President of Retail Angela Ahrendts got a bit more specific by telling employees that the launch will occur in the “spring,” after the Chinese New Year…

Several sources tell us that Apple is planning an extensive testing program to familiarize Apple Retail Store employees with the new product category. One or two representatives from many Apple Stores in the United States, depending on store and market size, will be sent to Apple offices in either Cupertino, California or Austin, Texas to learn first-hand about the Watch. These training programs will take place between February 9th and February 16th.

In the couple of days preceding the official Apple Watch release date, these employees will then train other employees in their respective stores. In the months following the device’s introduction in September, Apple has been polishing up the Watch OS and putting the device’s battery through more extensive testing. Apple has also been working overtime to improve the inductive charging mechanism necessary for charging up the device each night.

Of course, unexpected delays in software development and manufacturing could push the Watch back further in the year, but March is the current plan. The Apple Watch will come in three collections, standard, Sport, and Edition, and several distinct wristband designs will be sold. While Apple has only revealed pricing for the metal and glass sport model ($349), rumors indicate that Apple will price the stainless steel and sapphire crystal standard model around $500, while the gold version will be priced in the thousands of dollars range.

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Comments

  1. robertsm76 - 9 years ago

    So when will the special event be? Two weeks before it goes on sale? Safe to assume the 12 inch Mac air will be unveiled with it?

    • joelwrose (@joelwrose) - 9 years ago

      They may not have one since they already announced it at a keynote. When Apple unveiled the original iPad and iPhone, they did so months prior to release as well, and did not do a new event 2 weeks before the release date.

      • robertsm76 - 9 years ago

        True but I think Apple has to much riding on this watch. The keynote last fall, didn’t go in depth on the apple watch. I’d be shocked if there wasn’t one

      • They revealed a lot more about the iPad and iPhone in their introductory keynotes than they did about the Apple Watch. It will be really strange if they start selling something without any kind of world-captivating announcement that shows the thing off in a much more detailed way.

      • mikhailt - 9 years ago

        While they may have announced it, they really didn’t go into details. For an example, we still don’t know what the battery life is like, what the prices will be for all models, when iOS 8.2 will be released with the support for Apple Watch and so on.

    • acslater017 - 9 years ago

      I feel like the first keynote did a poor job, by Apple standards, of justifying why the thing exists, what problem it solves, how its superior to other options, or how it might fit into your life. . Execs following the media coverage might think it’s justified to hold a second keynote to dive into the details.

      • Ryan Gorey (@Rgorey0) - 9 years ago

        I feel Apple did not have the full development of the watch to present at the keynote. Thats why when people got a chance to try on the watch, Apple employees showed them how to use it. Only a few features were available.

  2. verizon2828 - 9 years ago

    Wahoo!!! Can’t wait to order one!!!

  3. I may have missed this somewhere but why does everyone assume the sport is the cheapest model? I understand it probably will be but Apple’s statement at the keynote just said starts @ $349, they did not specify which model that was. Right?

    • verizon2828 - 9 years ago

      I think the sport is noted as being the cheapest because of the polycarbonate (or whatever it is) kind of band and also because it doesn’t have a sapphire screen cover. Better bands and the sapphire screen will be upgrades.

    • i think the sport model is assumed to be at $350 due to the cheaper components used in assembly. Ion-x glass and aluminum will be much cheaper than sapphire and 300 series stainless.

      • Lakeesha Gobeatcha - 9 years ago

        Yup! In China the difference in cost will be about $3 … multiply that by 3 to get the add-on to the retail price, and that upgraded watch SHOULD sell for about $360, but let’s not confuse reality with profit … that $500 price will really put a smile on the faces of the Apple execs.

    • acslater017 - 9 years ago

      Tim Cook never said $349 refers to the Sport, by it’s pretty obvious based on the materials: Ion-X glass, rather than sapphire. “Composite” rather than ceramic back. Fluoroelastomer (rubber) with pin closure rather than leather, metal, or magnetic closure.

    • Starting at $349 for that super basic strap (the rubber Watch Sport edition one). I’d say the ones with the metal straps will start at $600+ and I couldn’t possibly guess how expensive the Watch Edition will be. Well over a few thousand, I’d say.

      • Ronald LaCross Jr - 9 years ago

        For that cost. Look at the pebble steel $200 with sapphire face and water proof

  4. Zach Saville - 9 years ago

    Dang, I was hoping it would be out by the end of february

  5. Rob Latino - 9 years ago

    don’t know why but not very excited about this. maybe because the design isn’t very innovative compared to some of the watches that are already out and some that are coming out soon. hopefully v2 is better (give us a round dial like moto 360!) and no crown. but given that the crown is heavily implemented into interface, I doubt that’ll go away any time soon.

    • acslater017 - 9 years ago

      When it comes to something you wear, radical form factor or conspicuous techiness is undesirable. If it just looks like a high end watch from a distance, that’s the best thing possible.

      Based on that alone, the Apple Watch is by far the best option out there. Other distinguishing features IMO are the myriad bands/faces, subtle haptic feedback, Continuity, Apple Pay, Apple TV/iTunes and remote control ability. HealthKit, HomeKit, and likely greater 3rd party apps hold great potential for the future too.

  6. Chiming Liu - 9 years ago

    March? I am not so sure. People are still wearing long sleeves at the time, aren’t they? Since apple watch does so little( so are many watches nowadays ), the reason why people are wearing might be that they can show off their wealth by waving their wrists? So here is the problem: they cannot show their watches under long sleeves.

    • I don’t know about you, but I haven’t worn long sleeves in months.

    • i’m sorry, but couple hundred dollars is not wealth nor should there be any need to show it off….. i’d say entry level luxury watches start at about at least $1000 with brands like tag, and go up into ~$5000 range with omega, and up into infinity and beyond with patek and the like…

  7. For me it would definitely have to have many for me to buy one, so many ways to tell time now, on cell phones in the car etc unluss you just want to show it off does not seem very practical but just like the Iphone they have a following and many will be sold.

  8. Randy Bobandy - 9 years ago

    Crapple, the company that does not innovate, only litigates. And the iSheep go Bahhhhhhhhh.

  9. lgvenable - 9 years ago

    I’ll stick with my Tag Heuer… so seriously 4000 to 5000 for a gold iWatch – they have rocks in their heads in Cupertino..half the price of a really nice Rolex; or the price off a nice Tag or an Omega…seriously..rocks in their heads. And to top it off, you have to take it off and charge it. LOL

    • Sean O'Neil (@Beccabmx) - 9 years ago

      Does your Tag let you know when you have a text message? Or remind you of appointments? Talk about rocks in your head; who pay thousands of dollars for time-only watch? (fyi, I have a Tag in my sock drawer from when they used to be cool).

    • Lakeesha Gobeatcha - 9 years ago

      Why spend all that money when you can get an equally fine and beautiful Tissot for $200? Here’s a beauty: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000HDG518/ref=cm_wl_huc_continue

      • that’s like saying why shop anywhere else other than old navy….. or even better, why get that tissot when you can get a timex weekender for $30

    • Dan (@danmdan) - 9 years ago

      You will pay a lot more than $4k to 5K USD for a Swiss gold watch – have you seen the price of a Patek Philippe lately ? The price is in the gold content, not in the electronics.

      But frankly, and for a short term life item, all models are probably too expensive.

  10. John Larson - 9 years ago

    If this sells, it will set a new level of stupidity for Apple Fans. I suspect it will be a huge seller.

  11. Michele Lloyd - 9 years ago

    Hopefully it will have an upgraded OS; the current OS has all the characteristics found in Windows OS: crashes unexpectedly; locksup the computer; requires many reboots etc.,

  12. Jeffrey Hendershot - 9 years ago

    I’m an “iSheep” (as the fine gentleman below put it) but I’m going to wait for version #2. Apple does version #2 much better than #2 (e.g. iPad, iPhone). Although I have an iPhone, this product needs to operate independently for me. The “teathering” requirement just won’t do it for me. I’m waiting….

  13. Todd C (@Skippytc) - 9 years ago

    So what? There are at least a couple of dozen wearables out there already, some like the Samsung’s in their 3rd iterations. Some out-spec the not even released Apple by large margins in features and performance, where are the articles about them. More iZombie rhetoric.

  14. Matt Stevens - 9 years ago

    A watch that is outdated as soon as you buy it. Meanwhile my grandfather’s WW2 era Bulova is still a usable watch today, three quarters of a century later. My late 80’s Omega Seamaster Pro will be wearable and usable a hundred years from now.

    • Or a watch that you can update with new features. Can your Bulova do that. Wait, no.

    • Bradlee TheDawg - 9 years ago

      Two ways to look at this – in theory, an Apple watch should NEVER be “outdated” because it can be transformed digitally at any time by flashing the OS/Firmware/etc. That said – we all know sooner or later there will be some new standard(s) potentially making the whole thing totally obsolete. Can you even find a way to read a 5.25″ floppy these days? Is there anything that still supports 1st gen WiFi, Bluetooth, or USB ? What devices in recent memory are chargeable/updateable/whatever-able 5 yrs after they’re built? I recently trashed a few hundred bucks worth of chargers/cables with the old 30-pin apple plug. – even cheap adapters stopped working in them. So yeah, you’re probably right.

    • Bradlee TheDawg - 9 years ago

      And PS… there’s no law that says any consumer electronic product has to last forever like your granddad’s Bulova watch. We all blow recurring money on devices that become outdated in a few years. I also recently retired my last tube-TV set – and the 1080 widescreens will become junk as soon as the 4K standard becomes commonplace. If consumer and “durable” goods actually lasted forever there would be no economy beyond food because there would be no need to ever replace anything. That’s not good either.

  15. Sean O'Neil (@Beccabmx) - 9 years ago

    Cool, I’m getting one.

  16. Mr. Twitch (@twitchn) - 9 years ago

    Does it have hologram capability? Then who cares…(I’m sure a lot of nitwitz)

  17. Ron Langevin - 9 years ago

    Didn’t Dick Tracy and Mickey mouse have these 50 years ago? Nothing to see here.

  18. iambicpentamaster - 9 years ago

    Just in time to watch “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” with a jeweler’s loupe.

  19. David McIntyre - 9 years ago

    Even if it had holograms, washed your dishes and laundry, and gave BJs on demand, some of these commenters below wouldn’t buy it. It will do none of these, but I’d wear it proudly.

  20. Greg Pusczek - 9 years ago

    Too late Apple. Dick Tracey wore one in the 50’s

  21. Charles Chapman - 9 years ago

    I think this watch would be fun to have. I assume you’d have to find a wi-fi hotspot to use the little darlings? It sounds like you would have to live in a big city for them to be of much use. Unless you sell a router to plug into when you are, for example, out camping.

  22. KK - 9 years ago

    I use many health apps on my iphone. I hope that the watch will make it even easier for pulse apps, or to remind me to check my BG, and let me enter it quickly on the watch.

  23. perrymyk - 9 years ago

    Own a Moto 360 and love it.

    Apple is a day late and dollar short…………

  24. tomkay1012 - 9 years ago

    Exactly, what will make this hardware impressive besides it’s label?

  25. Since I left my tech job in ’08’ I’ve had no desire to advance further than my gaming desktop. When I leave the house, I use a regular cell phone. I have no need for much else, but this watch intrigues me. I’m sure I’m not the only one that feels this way.

  26. ȸƧƧƎƔ (@vess666) - 9 years ago

    Oh goody, cue in all the douchebags thinking they are all unique and special and yet all of them with the same apple phones and watches. Sheep

  27. Sissel Byington - 9 years ago

    And now we know exactly where you are 100 percent of the “time”.

  28. Cyndee Frere - 9 years ago

    DORKY looking……Apple I want a lovely piece for jewelry, bracelet, that connects to my iPhone….would have purchase intels bracelet, but that’s a phone with contract….already have iPhone ….come on, Apple….get with it

  29. Dan (@danmdan) - 9 years ago

    Will this Watch be still capable of working in 100 years time ? I have an ordinary U.S. Hamilton still running OK after near on 100 years (about 1918 with 0-size movement)

  30. Opinioni in corso - 9 years ago

    Price? It’s not a great move launch it in february and slip the chance to let the customers finance the purchase.

  31. Kevin O'Hara - 9 years ago

    The Apple watch will be out soon enough and Apple will make a formal presentation explaining all that the watch can do and its price points. I believe that Apple purposely said only enough to wet your tastebuds last year. I am sure that the watch can do a lot more – the may even knock your socks off.

    Besides, if you were another company, this company (Samsung, HTC or Tag Hauer) would like to know everything last year, so that they could build a competing product right on Apple watch annpoucement/delivery. Why would Apple want to do that?

    Not just a time peice, but a location finder, a communication device, a control deveice and a health management tool, plus a lot more. It may even alert your doctor that you are about to have an impending medical issue. Does Bulova or Tag Hauer do that? Is this the reason that Tag Hauer has jumped on board to develop its own smart???

    When Aplle annouced the iPad most other companies said it was an oversize iPhone, but here were are today and it’s still around and used for many different purposes. Even companies use it to conduct business and it is used in schools (instead of books). I don’t see it going away any time soon. In addition, the iPad capabilities and software have improved substantially, in the last 5 generations.

    The Apple watch will be upgradeable. Too expensive to buy a $500-$4,000 watch and not have it upgradeable. The S1 logic board should capable of being swapped out (more powerfull S2 with a smaller footprint) and the battery will be capable of being upgraded (larger battery with a higher density). The pressure to develop a more capable battery is on. Apple watch has demanded it. In addition, this watch will be sold by watch retailers that will have technicians able to upgrade your watch.

  32. Lipe Ramos - 9 years ago

    i’m gone get one four me in Luxembourg
    http://www.reparation-iphone-luxembourg.lu

  33. Bob Foster - 8 years ago

    My watch is always 4 minutes ahead of real time. As an accurate timepiece, my original Mickey keeps better time. The main point here is, if your local Verizon cell tower can’t get it right, the watch is piece of useless junk. Apple plays dumb when you try to get it corrected.