With the Apple Watch coming out on Friday, wearable gadget aficionados are getting excited for the device's release. Users will be able to pick up their own Apple Watch in an Apple Store if they've preordered the device.
However, it appears that the Apple Watch will be available in more than just Apple Stores. "...[W]hile the product may not be in Apple stores to purchase on its official release day of Friday, select destination fashion boutiques around the world have their own stock, and will be offering the watch for sale at the end of the week," reports the New York Times. These boutiques will include Dover Street Market in Tokyo and London, Maxfield in Los Angeles, Colette in Paris, the Corner in Berlin and 10 Corso Como in Milan.
The New York Times sees this as "further evidence of the smartwatch's positioning as a fashion accessory rather than a tech gadget." The stores were always supposed to receive the devices. However, events occurred so that Apple's press coverage would focus more on Apple Stores selling the device and less on third-party boutiques receiving access to the Apple Watch.
Dover Street Market chief exec Adrian Joffe told the New York Times that "the company would have approximately 350 Apple Watches in its Ginza store and 570 in London - though consumers in search of the gold Edition versions (with prices starting at $10,000) may be disappointed, as they are on back order." Joffe doesn't expect that the stock will stay in the store for very long.
Apple also recently announced that customers will be getting their watches sooner than predicted. Apple's spokeswoman said that "Our team is working to fill orders as quickly as possible based on the available supply and the order in which they were received.....We know many customers are still facing long lead times and we appreciate their patience."