Wearables

Apple is all set to make the Apple Watch available for pre-order next week, having officially announced the times that they will be available in launch territories around the world. If you are planning on getting an Apple Watch on launch day - two weeks later - then you might want to put April 10th into your diary.

It is already known that Apple Watch will be eligible for being covered by the AppleCare+ program, but there is no real word from Apple on just how much it will cost, given the three types of watches that the company is throwing into the mix. There may not be any official word on the matter, but a leak of internal Apple screenshots do tell part of the story. Head over the jump to find out more.

The Apple Watch Sport, without beating around the bush, is the bog-standard, entry-level model that will arrive at the cheapest price when it debuts on April 24th. Given that it costs less than the rest of the pack - some of which comfortably reach the tens of thousands if you're looking at the Watch Edition range - it's likely to sell in the highest volume, but if you want to grab the Sport variant, you can always spice it with a nicer looking band. The image below illustrates how the Watch and Watch Sport will likely appear when changed up with various different band configurations.

As excitement builds around the ever approaching Apple Watch launch in less than a month, the date for pre-orders is even closer, with April 10th marking the day when people will be able to stake their claim for an Apple Watch both online and in-store. The experience of doing so in an Apple retail outlet will largely be the same as we might expect, but given the unique nature of the watch itself, there will be some key additions to the customer journey, with Apple seeking to make the experience as similar to buying a watch at a jewellers as possible.

Apple today made three new Apple Watch specific stores official, with new outlets in London, Paris and Tokyo on the way come April 10th.

When Apple first announced the Apple Watch back in September of last year, it didn't shy away from the fact that a paired iPhone would be required to make good use of it. However, following the second launch announcement at the Spring Forward media event earlier this month, it has become apparent that the wearable will offer a decent amount of functionality without needing to call upon a connected iPhone, and in good news for fitness fanatics, the device can accurately track your workout data irrespective of whether you're carrying your handset or not.

Apple Watch, as most of you will know by now, is set for release on April 24th, but Apple will begin stocking retail stores with demo units two weeks in advance of that date. The idea is to help consumers familiarize themselves with what is a brand-new product category, and while you don't need an appointment to check it out before it goes on general sale, it is something that Apple recommends doing to ensure a decent amount of unhindered, one-on-one time with the device. Before now, it was suspected that appointment bookings would begin prior to April 10th, when the try-on service starts, but now, as per a report, it seems that anybody looking to reserve a 15-minute slot will only be able to do so from the 10th.

The Apple Watch is currently one of the most talked-about upcoming products in the mobile industry, and one of the factors that will play a key role in the device's success is price. With costs starting from a few hundred bucks to well over $10,000 for the higher-end, Watch Edition versions, it's not going to be cheap, and even after you consider the outlay for the device itself, Apple is charging a fair whack for the numerous different bands as well. As with everything from iPhone cases to dock connectors, though, there are plenty of third parties on standby ready to capitalize on Apple Watch's launch, and one start-up is selling the idea of an adapter that allows you to use a traditional watchband with your gadget.