The Apple Watch will launch with a whisper rather than a bang on Friday, an unusual start for the company that may reflect early uncertainty about demand for Apple Inc boss Tim Cook’s first new product.
The company has not revealed how many orders it has received in the run-up to the April 24 launch, a contrast to previous launches of iPhones and iPads.
And Apple stores will not have any watches to sell on Friday, even though some luxury shops around the world will. Apple was unsure whether the watch would create the lines snaking around stores that the company has historically seen with its iPhones, said Gene Munster, an analyst at Piper Jaffray.
“The smaller launch can allow them to see how it goes and it does remove some of the line expectation and risk,” Munster said. “If they did it the old way and the lines weren’t good, that’s a bit of a problem.” Demand turned out better than expected, according to Munster, who predicts more than 2 million watches will be sold in the quarter ending in June.
FBR Capital Markets senior analyst Daniel Ives raised his 2015 estimate to 20 million from 17 million, based in part on online order backlogs.
“There was a question over whether the trajectory and demand for wearables in the Apple ecosystem was there and real,” said Ives. “But it’s a resounding yes.” Now Apple faces the question of whether confused consumers will swamp Apple Stores on Friday. -
http://indianexpress.com/article/technology/gadgets/in-a-rare-first-apple-watch-will-have-a-rather-quiet-launch/
The company has not revealed how many orders it has received in the run-up to the April 24 launch, a contrast to previous launches of iPhones and iPads.
And Apple stores will not have any watches to sell on Friday, even though some luxury shops around the world will. Apple was unsure whether the watch would create the lines snaking around stores that the company has historically seen with its iPhones, said Gene Munster, an analyst at Piper Jaffray.
“The smaller launch can allow them to see how it goes and it does remove some of the line expectation and risk,” Munster said. “If they did it the old way and the lines weren’t good, that’s a bit of a problem.” Demand turned out better than expected, according to Munster, who predicts more than 2 million watches will be sold in the quarter ending in June.
FBR Capital Markets senior analyst Daniel Ives raised his 2015 estimate to 20 million from 17 million, based in part on online order backlogs.
“There was a question over whether the trajectory and demand for wearables in the Apple ecosystem was there and real,” said Ives. “But it’s a resounding yes.” Now Apple faces the question of whether confused consumers will swamp Apple Stores on Friday. -
http://indianexpress.com/article/technology/gadgets/in-a-rare-first-apple-watch-will-have-a-rather-quiet-launch/