On March 9, Tim Cook announced that the Apple Watch will be available for pre-order on April 10, 2015. What’s more, interested customers can visit an Apple Store to see the device in person, and even try one on. For many, getting hands-on time with the device will be as easy as strolling into the store on the 10th, as long as you don’t mind waiting a bit (and you’re in a country where the Watch is set to debut).
We’ve compiled the following information on how you can see an Apple Watch in person on April 10th. Ready your wrist! Here we go.
In an Apple Store
Where
As Cook said, you’ll be able to see an Apple Watch at Apple retail stores in the following locations:
- Australia
- Canada
- China
- France
- Germany
- Hong Kong
- Japan
- The UK
- The US
Cook made it sound like the Watch will be available in all retail stores, so that’s likely the case, but it’s probably a good idea to call ahead anyway.
How
You’ll be free to browse tables lined with precious Watches at participating Apple Stores. Employees will accommodate walk-in customers as well as those who make an appointment to try one on ahead of time. Note than it won’t be necessary to make an appointment, but it will likely save you some time, as we expect stores will be crowded with curious shoppers on the 10th.
When I spoke with a representative at the Derby Street store in Braintree, MA, she said that they do have plans to manage the lines and accomodate every customer. Again, she noted that appointments are not required but recommended if you want to avoid waiting.
If you schedule a try-on appointment ahead of time, it will work like this. You’ll be assgined an Apple Store employee who will present you with two Watch models of your choice to try on. The session will last 15 miuntes. When your time is up, you’ll have a chance to place your pre-order right then and there.
Apple will honor walk-in requests for a try-on appointment, but expect the line to be long. If you like, you can grab a spot in the queue and have the store text you when your time is approaching.
What
Note that the Apple Watch Edition will only be available in “…select Apple Stores,” according to Tim Cook. Count on flagship locations carrying the pricey big kahuna, like New York City’s 5th Avenue store or Regent Street in London. My local Apple Store, as nice as it is, probably won’t have any Edition models on hand. You can bank on seeing the Watch and Sport models, however.
Other retailers outside the US
Apple Watch will also be available to preview at three international, non-Apple retailers as of April 10th. Specifically, Galeries Lafayette in Paris, Isetan in Tokyo and Selfridges in London will all have retail space dedicated to Apple Watch.
Galeries Lafayette is an upscale retail store based in Paris. There are other locations worldwide, but the flagship store is in Paris itself. Recent photos suggest that the store will allot considerable space to displaying the Watch.
Isetan in Tokyo is a Japanese retail store with many locations throughout east Asia. As AppleInsider reports, construction has begun on the area that will display the Apple Watch.
Lastly, Selfridges in London will offer British shoppers a look at Apple’s latest creation. Selfridges has the second-largest retail space in the United Kingdom, second only to the mighty Harrods.
We don’t have information on how customers will be managed at these locations.
Finally, you can get a general idea of what the Watch will look like on your wrist with these printable mockups.
