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New Apple Store front display for Apple Watch, new gold model details revealed

Apple Store Render

Apple will begin dressing up the front of its stores with a new Apple Watch-themed promotion on April 10th to coincide with the beginning of in-store Apple Watch try-on appointments. The new, unique display will be shown at all Apple Stores with glass front windows and it is themed akin to the application icon arrays on the Apple Watch’s Home screen. According to the source who provided the above rendering, each circle is packed with Mac mini-powered LED lights that will show off different colors, patterns, and effects throughout the day. The new front of store visuals will continue to stay live after the Apple Watch launches on April 24th as Apple can simply remove the “Coming Soon” label shown on the above render…

We have also received additional information about the launch of the Apple Watch Edition in Apple Retail Stores. According to sources, Apple Watch Edition sales will perhaps be even more restricted than previously thought. For instance, separate sources in Canada and the United Kingdom report that only major flagship stores will carry the Edition, and this means that only a few stores at most in those countries will receive the priciest version of the watch. As for the United States, multiple sources say that only a couple of stores (at most) in major state markets will carry the Edition. For example, only a single store in Florida is currently planned to carry the Edition. Apple will also (yet again) roll out new shirts to employees to support the launch.

Besides a revamped display for the front of stores, Apple is said to be revamping the interiors of major Apple Stores with new try-on tables, try cases, and display tables. All Apple Stores with display tables will still have Apple Watch Editions for display and can order Editions to be shipped to a customer’s home or for pickup at a nearby store that carries the Edition. Apple Watch Edition customers will also receive VIP treatment with no lines, special try-on rooms, one hour personal setup appointments, an optional extra year of AppleCare+, and access to a 24/7 support hotline. Apple Watch try-ons begin on April 10th, which is the same day that customers can begin pre-ordering the Apple Watch for April 24th delivery to their homes or local Apple Store.

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Comments

  1. Rendering? Dang! i thought it was a real photo! hahaha. very nice rendering if thats the case.

  2. charismatron - 9 years ago

    Apple is doing everything it can to cater to the tastes and culture of Edition consumers. Of *course* you’d have to fly in to a specific city to buy the Edition, with a special time, special room, specially-trained staff, along with additional perks accompanying unique AppleCare coverage. We regular folk just don’t think this way.

    While Apple is definitely going after the narrow market interested in the Edition, it’s also sending out a fairly subversive message in how the Edition is marketed (subversive, because it’s so new/blatant/obvious): hey ‘the rest of you’, THIS is how those that think nothing of buying the Edition are treated everywhere they go. Sorry you don’t qualify.

    It’s all so bizarre!

    • Gazoo Bee - 9 years ago

      Agreed. I question also the sensibility of squeezing and manhandling everything into this “luxury buying experience” model, when in fact they aren’t even going to be selling the Edition model at most of their stores.

      Most folks just want to buy a regular Apple Watch or a Sport Watch and for those people, the whole luxury thing is irrelevant. Being so purposely “snooty” when you are selling a watch that’s just a block of steel like any other is a bit much IMO.

      What especially pisses me off is that supplies might be limited, and availability of the product for online orders will probably be hugely impacted by this reservation and try-on nonsense. If it turns out to be a popular device, a lot of people won’t be able to get one right away sole because of this “luxury buying experience” BS.

    • irelandjnr - 9 years ago

      If you are the type of person who spends $10,000 to $20,000 on a watch you expect $10,000 to $20,000 service. I think it could be argued it’s fair that Apple go the extra mile for someone willing to spend $20,000 on a watch. It’s what such customers are used to I’m other stores when they spect $20,000.

    • Why do you sound surprised that you get better treatment on a $17k purchase over at $349 purchase. If you ever find yourself in a position to pay $10K+ for a wrist-worn device you should expect to get better service… or take your business elsewhere.

      Also, if you are interested in WATCH Edition you can request to have the models you’re interested in sent to the store closest to you to try on.

    • Leif Paul Ashley - 9 years ago

      So if you walked in with about $15k of spare change to purchase a watch that you can get the next model down for $500, you don’t think you should get VIP treatment? I don’t think you understand the market that will buy this watch, but Apple certainly does.

      Personally, I’m getting the sport, because I want the lower weight, but I’m pretty excited about the Apple watch to say the least.

    • Your giving far too much credence to the Apple Watch Edition.

      Do you really think extremely wealthy folk are going to fly to a city to visit an Apple store, to be there for an appointment that the store manager chooses, so that they can stand there with the great unwashed (who are looking at the $350 version) as they check to see if they like or should buy a $10k watch? Remember, $10k to these people is peanuts – and rich folk don’t go through all that rigmarole to spend peanuts.

      • Don’t forget the concessions in places likes Selfridges, Harrods, Galeries Lafayette etc. They will go there, which is why the store are there. Apple has already thought of that. (imho)

    • jedimindtrick99 - 9 years ago

      Do you think you get the same level of service when you purchase a Bentley versus a Chevy, hell no
      If you never purchased something really expensive you wouldn’t know these levels of service, not trying to be rude but it’s true

      • Your analogy is completely wrong I’m afraid because your comparing purchasing a Bentley to a Chevy – which are completely different brands.

        If you went into a Bentley Showroom, you would be treat in the same manner whether you bought their most expensive Bentley or their cheapest one – because they are all extremely expensive and have the marque associated with it.

        With the Apple watch it’s different. Whether you like it or not, the ONLY difference between the $10k watch and the $350 watch is the material used. The innards are EXACTLY the same. The functionality is exactly the same.

      • jedimindtrick99 - 9 years ago

        True enough but theirs a level of service between buying a chevy sonic & a z06 corvette, since you wanna compare apples to apples
        But I was really comparing on price difference with Bentley and Chevy
        But amongst any brand/company if the have a economy model and super luxury there is still a level of service, you still don’t get it

        obviously you want to troll

      • jedimindtrick99:

        I didn’t criticise you or get personal. I offered a different opinion to yours… And you call me a troll?

        Come back when you can handle others having a perfectly valid differing opinion to yourself son.

    • Mark Jenkins - 9 years ago

      Maybe the Edition is only going to be in certain stores because (a) it’s very expensive and proportionately fewer people are going to want it, and so (b) what’s the point in making enough of them to stock every Apple Store? The premium treatment – a separate room, more frills – is part of the luxury buying experience; not manufacturing hundreds of thousands of a model that you know is likely to be undersubscribed is just good supply chain management, surely?

  3. Alex Vizzini - 9 years ago

    Can’t wait to see someone with trypophobia walk by this store

  4. Donovan Ryan - 9 years ago

    I think what you guys fail to realise is that the 3 tier Apple Watch is just a marketing approach to force the majority into buying the SS model.

  5. Thomas Massengale - 9 years ago

    Most people want a sport watch or regular Apple watch? Hmmmm. I think we’ll find that most people don’t want an Apple watch at all.

    • Dan (@danmdan) - 9 years ago

      You could be surprised – a very famous person, once a CEO, said as much about the original iPhone years back. So where now is the iPhone and where now is the former CEO, and where is his once great Company ?

    • Steffen Jobbs - 9 years ago

      I think you’re right about MOST people in the world not wanting an AppleWatch, but I think enough people will. If Apple could sell an AppleWatch to just 1% of the world population (7 billion humans or so), Apple would make a hell of a lot of money and make AppleWatch the best-selling watch of all time.

      Of course, I’m thinking you mean not even .0001% of the consumer population will want an AppleWatch but I believe Apple knows more about selling products to consumers than you do. After all, Gary Dahl, the man behind the Pet Rock sold about 5 million of them within six months, so I think Apple has at least a good a chance of selling that many AppleWatches within that time. Never underestimate a good marketing strategy and sales pitch especially to already loyal consumers.

  6. kpom1 - 9 years ago

    I wouldn’t be surprised if China is the biggest market for the Edition, the yellow gold and red leather in particular.

  7. Editor - 9 years ago

    Reblogged this on The Stiel Report™ and commented:
    Some interesting insight into Apple’ merchandising strategies for the new #AppleWatch

  8. scumbolt2014 - 9 years ago

    Good thing for Apple they don’t employee any dolts from the internet for their marketing. If so they would have just startred advertising the watch this week, and make somone spending 10 large plus schlep into the Apple store with all the tourists and snot nosed kids playing with iPads.

  9. rob nienburg (@robogobo) - 9 years ago

    Try-on rooms? Maybe it’s just my idea of the type of person who’ll be buying Edition watches, but I just got the image of a dark back room with a stripper serving cocktails.