Apple Watch News, Update: Apple Expecting to Retail 'More Than 5 Million' Units for Opening
Apple has ordered a "combined five to six million" units of the three Apple Watch variants to be manufactured by its suppliers in time for the April release date, according to reports.
"Half of the first-quarter production order is earmarked for the entry-level Apple Watch Sport model," the Wall Street Journal indicated. Meanwhile, the mid-tier model of the smartwatch "is expected to account for one-third" of the production.
As for its high-end variant which is reported to feature an 18-karat gold casing, the orders are "relatively small in the first quarter."
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However, their informant from the inside said that the Cupertino-based tech giant plans to produce "more than one million units per month" by the start of the second quarter. The numbers are perhaps intended to meet the strong demands of the expensive version of the smartwatch in China.
Although it hasn't been revealed yet how much Apple will price the golden variant, Phone Arena mentioned that it could exceed the $4000 marked price of its Mac Pro computer line. 9To5Mac even went on to stipulate that it could sell up to $10,000.
These watches will be stored in special safes recently installed at select Apple Stores. The safes are said to be equipped with MagSafe charging system which will keep the units fully-powered and ready for the customers to see.
For its relatively affordable versions, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus maker will sell the Apple Watch Sport model at $349. The smartwatch should be ready for release in April.
