The retail availability of Apple Watch has been gradually expanding since its initial release back in April and now it looks like another avenue for purchasing the device will soon emerge. According to images of an internal Sprint stock screen obtained by 9to5Mac, Sprint will begin to sell Apple Watch in its retail locations on Friday, September 25th.
According to the stock screens, Sprint will offer the 38mm and 42mm Apple Watch in the Sport variant and Stainless Steel. The pricing is in line with what Apple and Best Buy offer the variants for. For $349.99, the carrier will offer Apple Watch Sport in 38mm, while the 42mm model will run $399.99. For $549.99, Sprint will sell the 38mm Apple Watch in either Stainless Steel or the recently announced Space Black Stainless Steel model with a black Sport band. The 42mm model of both of those variants will cost $599.99 from Sprint.
Sprint will also sell a variety of accessories and standalone bands for Apple Watch, although they all appear to be third-party and not made by Apple. The carrier will offer watchbands made by CaseMate, as well as accessories from Mophie and various other manufacturers.
A September 25th Apple Watch rollout to more retailers makes perfect sense. The iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, of course, launch the same day from carriers, Apple, and other retailers. At this point, it’s unclear if any other carriers besides Sprint will begin offering Apple Watch on September 25th. Although, T-Mobile CEO John Legere tweeted that his carrier will offer Apple Watch, but didn’t specifiy a date. It seems likely that other carriers will also take on selling Apple Watch, as well, seeing that they sell competing smartwatches from companies like Samsung. We’re hearing similarly that AT&T will likely begin selling Apple Watch around the same time.
The retail presence of Apple Watch has been growing gradually recently. The device recently went on sale in stores and online from Best Buy in the U.S. and Canada. The device is also now available through Australian retailers such as FNAC and MYER. Apple CEO Tim Cook has said that the company will continue to expand the device’s retail availability as the holiday season nears.
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Very interesting…
I think Apple rolling out the Apple Watch to more resellers will help sales, and I think that’s partly why the sales have slowed down. I know some people don’t like going to Apple Stores solely because they are cram packed with people or they don’t have one close enough to where they live.
Think Apple should start doing bundles. Maybe iPhone and iPad or iPhone and Apple watch for a certain price. Even monthly instalments.
Good idea. That would be neat.
If anyone from Apple ever reads that. Its my idea and i now have patented it lol (joke) but definitely would be good. Especially with the prices of the macbooks and now iPad pro. Expensive for average consumers. Would help Apple gain more on its market even further.
I could see how placing the Apple Watch in a mobile phone store may backfire on the branding of the Apple Watch as a high end , hybrid peice of technology/jewelry.
How? Having these devices available in more stores will hurt the sales? Especially when the consumer can get the two devices that need each other too work at the same time? So by having a 399 plus watch could hurt when people already pay 499 plus for an iPhone.