SAN FRANCISCO
Apple Watch went on sale in stores Friday in several countries around the globe but the launch was not greeted by long lines of customers stretching for blocks like most Apple releases.
This subdued release was by design. Apple is selling the smartwatch through high-end boutiques in fashion-forward cities like Paris, Tokyo and New York, but not it’s official Apple Stores. This choice is meant to illustrate Apple Watch’s potential as a piece of jewelry, not as a gadget.
The Apple Watch was introduced to the world last September by the company’s chief executive Tim Cook, who called it the California company’s “most personal device.” It marks the first groundbreaking new product line released since Cook’s successor, Silicon Valley guru and company co-founder Steve Jobs, passed away in 2011.
The device, which has received mostly positive reviews from tech experts, is worn on the wrist and syncs with a paired iPhone. Users can then check email, send texts and even monitor their heartrates on the smartwatch.
With this gadget, Apple is also launching itself as a true luxury brand. The Apple Watch Edition is made with 18-karat gold and can cost as much as $12,000—the most expensive product Apple has ever sold.
On the same day as the Apple Watch’s launch, long-time Apple competitor, Samsung, teased images of a new version of its Gear smartwatch.
The South Korean company sent invitations to software developers to help build applications for the wearable, the Gear SDK, ahead of a launch. The SDK version will be the first Samsung smartwatch with a round face.
While Samsung didn’t reveal a launch date, it named several companies it has already partnered with, including CNN and Yelp.
More than 19 million Apple Watches will be shipped globally this year, according to analysis firm IHS Technology. This number dwarfs the 4.6 million smartwatches sold by all companies in 2014 as estimated by analysts at Canalys Research.
