×
291
Fashion Jobs
DRONE HR SOLUTIONS
Production Manager - Tractor Parts Mfg (Urgently Required)
Permanent · Chandigarh
HENKEL ADHESIVE TECHNOLOGIES
Spec Customer Service Back Office IN
Permanent · NAVI MUMBAI
HENKEL ADHESIVE TECHNOLOGIES
Product Line Manager Packaging Imea
Permanent · NAVI MUMBAI
HENKEL CEO
Sap Fico Consultant
Permanent · BENGALURU
HENKEL CEO
Sap Production & Quality Management – Support Engineer - Gtc
Permanent · BENGALURU
HENKEL DX
Cloud Identity Consultant - Directory Services
Permanent · BENGALURU
HENKEL ADHESIVE TECHNOLOGIES
Supply Chain Analyst Imea
Permanent · NAVI MUMBAI
PUMA
Legal Counsel
Permanent · Bengaluru
HRD HOUSE
Area Sales Manager (1st Line)-Pharma - Cardio - Amritsar hq
Permanent · Amritsar
HRD HOUSE
Area Sales Manager (1st Line)-Pharma - Cardio - Amritsar hq
Permanent · Amritsar
POWER JOB CREATIONS
Area Sales Manager
Permanent · Mumbai
MAICO VENTILATION PVT LTD
Area Sales Manager - Hyderabad
Permanent · Hyderabad
EXTRAMARKS EDUCATION
Area Sales Manager - B2B Sales/School Sales
Permanent · Mangaluru
OASIS
Area Sales Manager For Food Processing Company - Pune
Permanent · Pune
OASIS
Area Sales Manager - Mumbai (Only From Fmgc)
Permanent · Thane
LEVI'S
IT Project Manager
Permanent · Bengaluru
VUCA CONSULTING
Area Sales Manager-Oem
Permanent · Bangarapet
CRESCENDO GLOBAL LEADERSHIP HIRING INDIA
Area Sales Manager | Personal/Hair Care | Chennai (2-5 Years)
Permanent · Chennai
MUTHOOT FINCORP (MFL)
Area Manager-Chirala
Permanent · Chirala
SCHEVARAN LABORATORIES
Area Sales Manager
Permanent · Pune
KONE
Vacancy For Production Manager-Chennai
Permanent · Chennai
KHS LG INNOVATION & ENGINEERING
Sales Manager
Permanent · Navi Mumbai
By
Reuters
Published
Apr 10, 2015
Reading time
3 minutes
Download
Download the article
Print
Click here to print
Text size
aA+ aA-

Strong turnout as shoppers get to try Apple Watch

By
Reuters
Published
Apr 10, 2015

Consumers flocked to Apple Inc's stores around the world on Friday to get the first close-up look at the tech giant's smartwatch, which the company expects will be its next runaway hit.

The Apple Watch, CEO Tim Cook's first new major product and the company's first foray into the personal luxury goods market, was available for pre-order online and to try out in stores -- but not to take home.

The Selridges homepage on Friday - Selfridges


On April 24, consumers will be able to buy it online or by appointment in shops including trendy fashion boutiques in Paris, London and Tokyo, part of Apple's strategy of positioning the wearable computer as a must-have accessory.

Testing Apple's mastery of consumer trends, the watch is an untried concept for the California-based company. It straddles a technology market accustomed to rapid obsolescence and luxury goods whose appeal lies in their enduring value.
Before the Paris Apple store opened at 0900 local time, about 100 people were queuing outside. Staff cheered and applauded the first customers, most of them men aged under 30.

"I have everything from Apple so now I need to get the watch," said 19-year-old Jeremy Dugue wearing an Armani leather jacket after ordering the stainless steel model at 1,149 euros.

The Apple Watch sport starts at $349 while the standard version comes in at $549 in the U.S. High-end "Edition" watches with 18-karat gold alloys are priced from $10,000 and go as high as $17,000.

Within the first hour in Paris, many customers had pre-ordered their watch, and several went for the entry-level model with a black plastic bracelet. High demand means some shoppers in Paris will have to wait 4-6 weeks before their watch arrives.
"It was comfortable, I didn't think it would be that comfortable. It's an easy way of managing your busy life," said 19-year old student Omar Alborno, one of the first to try on the watch at London's luxury Selfridges department store.


MIXED REVIEWS

Earlier on Friday, Apple's flagship store in Sydney's financial district was packed with those hoping to get the first peek at the device, although just around 20 die-hard fans queued out front, modest by the standards of a major Apple launch.

Based on recent customer interest at its stores, Apple expects demand for the watch, which allows users to check email, listen to music and make phone calls when paired with an iPhone, to exceed availability at launch.

A screenshot of the page dedicated to the Apple Smartwatch on the Selfridges website - Selfridges


Reviewers this week praised the watch, which also helps users monitor their health and exercise, as "beautiful" and "stylish" but gave it poor marks for relatively low battery life and slow-loading apps.

Sales estimates for 2015 vary widely. Piper Jaffray predicts 8 million units and Global Securities Research forecasts 40 million. By comparison, Apple sold nearly 200 million iPhones last year.

Apple's watch is widely expected to outsell those by Samsung, Sony Corp and Fitbit, that have attracted modest interest from consumers. It will likely account for 55 percent of global smartwatch shipments this year, according to Societe Generale.

"Apple will outsell its wearable rivals by a very wide margin but it will do this on the power of its brand and its design alone," independent technology analyst Richard Windsor said.

"Consequently, I am sticking to my 20 million forecast for the first 12 months and see the potential for some sogginess in the stock as reality sets in."

© Thomson Reuters 2023 All rights reserved.