Apple Watch Orders Exclusively Online at Launch, Demand Expected to Exceed Supply - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Apple Watch Orders Exclusively Online at Launch, Demand Expected to Exceed Supply

Apple WatchApple issued a reminder on Thursday that Apple Watch pre-orders and try-on appointments begin April 10, with retail chief Angela Ahrendts stating that Apple Watch orders will be taken exclusively online at launch to ensure that customers have the best selection and experience possible.

Apple also believes that "tremendous interest" in the Apple Watch will result in demand exceeding supply at launch. Yesterday, it was reported that some Apple Watch models may be unavailable for April 24 delivery based on shipping times that briefly appeared on the Apple Online Store in the United Kingdom and Germany.

"We are excited to welcome customers tomorrow and introduce them to Apple Watch, our most personal device yet. Based on the tremendous interest from people visiting our stores, as well as the number of customers who have gone to the Apple Online Store to mark their favorite Apple Watch ahead of availability, we expect that strong customer demand will exceed our supply at launch,” said Angela Ahrendts, Apple’s senior vice president of Retail and Online Stores. “To provide the best experience and selection to as many customers as we can, we will be taking orders for Apple Watch exclusively online during the initial launch period.”

Apple Watch pre-orders begin on April 10 at 12:01 AM Pacific, or equivalent local times in other countries, in the United States, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan and United Kingdom. Apple Watch officially goes on sale April 24 in the aforementioned launch countries, although in-store pickup will not be accepted without a reservation.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 11
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)

Popular Stories

youtube iphone apple watch health ad 2026

New Apple Ad Sells the iPhone and Apple Watch Health Pairing

Thursday April 23, 2026 11:18 am PDT by
Apple has published a new ad to appeal to customers in the market for an iPhone and Apple Watch pairing, highlighting the insights it can offer for your health. Titled simply "Health with iPhone + Apple Watch," the half-minute ad focuses on a woman waiting in line at a cafe who begins receiving unsolicited health and fitness advice from other people in the queue, as well as local residents,...
watchos 26 gradient light

This New Apple Watch Face Is Coming in watchOS 26.5

Friday April 24, 2026 5:51 am PDT by
iOS 26.5 and watchOS 26.5 will have a new Pride Luminance wallpaper and Apple Watch face when the updates are released in the coming weeks, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a brief tweet, Gurman revealed that Pride Luminance will "Celebrate the vibrancy and individuality of the LGBTQ+ community and customize your watch face with colors from Pride flags." iOS 26.5 has been in...
modular ultra training load

watchOS 27 to Offer New Watch Faces, Including 'Modular Ultra' Variant

Monday May 4, 2026 5:58 am PDT by
For watchOS 27, Apple is testing new Apple Watch faces, and one of them is a simpler version of an existing Apple Watch Ultra watch face that could be coming to standard Series models. Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that Apple is testing multiple new faces for watchOS 27, code-named "Orchid." One of them is said to be a "simplified take" on the...

Top Rated Comments

145 months ago
Of course Apple is "expecting" this demand. But the markets, tech news sites, etc. appear not.

I wonder if this time Apple with withhold supply to make the appearance of demand, thereby creating a market of lemmings wanting to buy it because they cannot have it.

Also, FWIW, I'm 100% Apple, love Apple products, etc. But the iWatch is a solution to a non-existent problem.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacHiavelli Avatar
145 months ago
If everything is to be pushed online, what's the point of Angela?
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JonnyIreland Avatar
145 months ago
One thing that astounds me is that, on one hand, Apple/Angela Ahrendts talk like they are trying to make the Apple experience a more luxurious/higher end product, yet large portions of the purchasing public have to get out of bed at ridiculous times in the slim hopes of ordering a launch day product. Believe me, there is nothing classy about seeing me at 3am* sitting in front of my iMac in my boxers!

*No, nobody is FORCING me, I get it.... But it all seems rather contradictory to me, just my opinion.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
145 months ago
So much $pay, so little impact....

Translation from $overpaid Ahrends-speak to English: "To provide the best experience and selection to as many customers as we can, we will be taking orders for Apple Watch exclusively online during the initial launch period." = "I may personally be making $millions out of Apple but I still can't provide a satisfying retail experience". Google Translate really needs to have an additional option for translating Apple-speak.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
maflynn Avatar
145 months ago
In other news, research has shown rain is actually falling water :p

Of course demand will outstrip supply. We've already had reports of low yeilds from manufacturing and a lot of demand for for it.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
145 months ago
In other words, 'we screwed up, and we're not sorry'
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)