Slice Intelligence, a shopping research firm in the United States has estimated nearly 1 million pre-orders for the Apple Watch on the first day it was available, with most going for the cheapest model. The shopping research firm further said that e-receipt data from 9,080 online shoppers indicate 957,000 people in the U.S. pre-ordered the Apple Watch on Friday. On average, people ordered more than 1 watch (1.3), spending an average $503.83 a watch. An estimated 62% purchased the less-expensive Sport model. Customers buying the sport version spent $382.83 a watch; others spent $707.04 for a mid-tier Apple Watch.
Such news is really surprising since the Apple Watch has received mixed early reviews recently from the critics. Apple Co-founder Steve Wozniak also appeared sceptical of the new device in a recent interview. Unlike the past iPhone and iPad launches, Apple did not make the first-generation device available for purchase in its stores. Instead, interested customers were able to start placing pre-orders from Friday itself and try it in the stores. Shipments start April 24 and, for some models, stretch into the summer.
Analysts have been largely optimistic about demand for the Watch, the first major device introduced with CEO Tim Cook as the captain- and a potential game-changer in the wearable market. Analysts have also banked on the Apple effect which leads to huge swaths of people lining up outside Apple stores to purchase Apple devices.
Prices for the Watches start at $349 and can stretch up to $17,000, plus the price of a relatively new iPhone, which is necessary to use the watch. There are numerous ways to personalize each of the three models: the Watch Sport, the standard Apple Watch and the higher-priced Apple Watch Edition. Also, Apple is displaying the high end gold watches inside “The Vault” which is a section in the Apple Stores.
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