Apple employees get 50% off select Apple Watch models, over 1,000 apps submitted

Posted:
in Apple Watch edited May 2015
In a note sent out to Apple employees on Monday, CEO Tim Cook revealed a bit more about the upcoming Apple Watch launch slated for April 24, offering workers deep discounts on Apple Watch and Apple Watch sport models.




The letter sent via email conveys building anticipation for Apple Watch, helped along by keynotes and Apple's Guided Tours videos, and notifies employees that they can purchase an Apple Watch or Apple Watch Sport at a 50 percent discount, or nab $500 off a solid gold version. Cook also mentions that more than 1,000 Apple Watch apps were submitted over a period of four days last week. A copy of the email was obtained by MacRumors earlier today.

"I know that many of you have been looking forward to choosing an Apple Watch for yourselves, and we want to make it easy for you," Cook writes. "Starting Friday, in countries where the watch is available for pre-order, a special Employee Purchase Plan will offer a 50% discount on any Apple Watch or Apple Watch Sport for your personal use."

Employee discounts go live on April 10, the first day of preorders, and last for 90 days after availability. Cook adds that the deal applies to employees in all launch locations and will become accessible to those in other countries as the rollout broadens.

Finally, Cook congratulates everyone who worked to create Apple Watch and offers thanks to Apple Store workers who will handle customer try-ons this Friday.

Apple Watch preorders start on Friday, with units expected to reach buyers' hands two weeks later. In a recent update to its Online Apple Store webpage, Apple announced April 10 preorders are eligible for launch day pickup at brick-and-mortar stores.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 42
    chadbagchadbag Posts: 1,999member
    Good for them!
  • Reply 2 of 42
    boredumbboredumb Posts: 1,418member

     I don't recall Apple doing this with previous product introductions...

    It's especially interesting given the rumors of constrained availability on some models.

     

    I can't wait to hear the spin that will be put on this, and I wish I had a "spin" of my own to kick it off!

  • Reply 3 of 42
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    This is very cool. Amazing how some clowns elsewhere are claiming this proves the watch is way overpriced. :rolleyes:
  • Reply 4 of 42
    moreckmoreck Posts: 187member
    I think it's safe to say that Apple is making more than a 50% margin on the watches.
  • Reply 5 of 42
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    boredumb wrote: »
     I don't recall Apple doing this with previous product introductions...
    It's especially interesting given the rumors of constrained availability on some models.

    I can't wait to hear the spin that will be put on this, and I wish I had a "spin" of my own to kick it off!

    When the iPhone launched some employees got one for free.
  • Reply 6 of 42
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member

    With preorder coming up I wanted to mention you should be prepared with your wrist info so you know which size band fits. I thought I heard some guys mention they thought the smaller 38mm looked better because the 42mm was too big. The thing is that the 38mm only fits up to 200mm wrist. I don't have particularly large wrists these days and I measure 205mm. The 38mm watch only goes up to 200mm on their largest band, the Sport, which is not going to work for many men.

     

    https://store.apple.com/Catalog/regional/amr/pdf/static/pdf/content/Watch_Sizing_Guide.pdf

  • Reply 7 of 42
    boredumb wrote: »
     I don't recall Apple doing this with previous product introductions...
    It's especially interesting given the rumors of constrained availability on some models.

    I can't wait to hear the spin that will be put on this, and I wish I had a "spin" of my own to kick it off!

    Since AI won't provide context for their story, I will: a 50% is not unusual for employee discounts at Apple.
    http://www.ifoapplestore.com/2012/06/22/apple-improves-employee-discount-program/

    Boom. Arm yourselves with knowledge. (The trolls won't)
  • Reply 8 of 42
    boredumbboredumb Posts: 1,418member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Rogifan View Post

     
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by boredumb View Post



     I don't recall Apple doing this with previous product introductions...

    It's especially interesting given the rumors of constrained availability on some models.



    I can't wait to hear the spin that will be put on this, and I wish I had a "spin" of my own to kick it off!




    When the iPhone launched some employees got one for free.

    Did they?  I thought it was a week wait to get 15% off or something like that...

    Unless you're talking about Ive, Cook, et al.  They might be expected to get free ones prior to release

    for dry run purposes.

  • Reply 9 of 42
    paulmjohnsonpaulmjohnson Posts: 1,380member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by boredumb View Post

     

     I don't recall Apple doing this with previous product introductions...

    It's especially interesting given the rumors of constrained availability on some models.

     

    I can't wait to hear the spin that will be put on this, and I wish I had a "spin" of my own to kick it off!




    Apple employees tend not to be able to get the discounts until supply constraints are gone.

  • Reply 10 of 42
    boredumbboredumb Posts: 1,418member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton View Post

     
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by boredumb View Post



     I don't recall Apple doing this with previous product introductions...

    It's especially interesting given the rumors of constrained availability on some models.



    I can't wait to hear the spin that will be put on this, and I wish I had a "spin" of my own to kick it off!




    Since AI won't provide context for their story, I will: a 50% is not unusual for employee discounts at Apple.

    http://www.ifoapplestore.com/2012/06/22/apple-improves-employee-discount-program/



    Boom. Arm yourselves with knowledge. (The trolls won't)

    Thank you for the link, although, since this happened in 2012,

    it wouldn't apply to the initial product release of either iPhone or iPad.

    I was thinking of that specifically but probably wasn't explicit.

    (The implication being that they are trying to improve the category send-off.)

     

    Still, it's good to know 'the troops' are well-cared-for!

  • Reply 11 of 42

    Apple employees tend not to be able to get the discounts until supply constraints are gone.

    Yeah, this is definitely a change in that policy. New Macs were one thing, but the latest iPads and iPhones generally had a delay.
  • Reply 12 of 42
    mac_128mac_128 Posts: 3,454member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by PaulMJohnson View Post

     

    Originally Posted by boredumb View Post

     

    I don't recall Apple doing this with previous product introductions...

    It's especially interesting given the rumors of constrained availability on some models.

     

    I can't wait to hear the spin that will be put on this, and I wish I had a "spin" of my own to kick it off!

     

    Apple employees tend not to be able to get the discounts until supply constraints are gone.


    Well, the obvious "spin" one could put on this is that Apple doesn't believe demand will outstrip their initial supply, and also possibly that they want their employees to serve as in-store ?Watch models to help drive interest from customers who otherwise will not have made an appointment to see one.

     

    I think the positive take on this is that considering Apple has changed the way ?Watch is sold, i.e. reserved appointments, vs. hands on, having watches on the employees only helps market the watch to customers. And, since initial customers have to pre-order anyway, delaying a potential customer a few days to get more on employee wrists may be a good marketing tradeoff.

  • Reply 13 of 42
    jbdragonjbdragon Posts: 2,305member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by boredumb View Post

     

     I don't recall Apple doing this with previous product introductions...

    It's especially interesting given the rumors of constrained availability on some models.

     

    I can't wait to hear the spin that will be put on this, and I wish I had a "spin" of my own to kick it off!


     

    I think it's a great idea for Apple to do.  it get's more watches into employee's hands and happy employee's are good employees!!!  If this was Microsoft, they'd be giving things away!!!!  They have so many times in the past.  1000 people really doesn't put a dent into the supply of watches.  Apple expects to sell 5 million a quarter.   The watches still get sold to people.  I'd buy one for half off!!!  

  • Reply 14 of 42
    jbdragonjbdragon Posts: 2,305member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton View Post





    Since AI won't provide context for their story, I will: a 50% is not unusual for employee discounts at Apple.

    http://www.ifoapplestore.com/2012/06/22/apple-improves-employee-discount-program/



    Boom. Arm yourselves with knowledge. (The trolls won't)

     

    Back many years ago as a kid in high school, I worked at Jack in the Box, and we could buy whatever we wanted at the employee 50% off rate.  This is not unusual.   Apple getting more Apple watches on Employee's faster is a good thing.   I'm pretty sure Apple gives discounts to employee's on other hardware also.    1000 watches hardly puts a tiny dent is supplies.

  • Reply 15 of 42
    milkmagemilkmage Posts: 152member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by boredumb View Post

     

     I don't recall Apple doing this with previous product introductions...

    It's especially interesting given the rumors of constrained availability on some models.

     

    I can't wait to hear the spin that will be put on this, and I wish I had a "spin" of my own to kick it off!


     

     

    http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/28/apple-employees-to-get-iphones/

  • Reply 16 of 42
    paulmjohnsonpaulmjohnson Posts: 1,380member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by JBDragon View Post

     

     

    Back many years ago as a kid in high school, I worked at Jack in the Box, and we could buy whatever we wanted at the employee 50% off rate.  This is not unusual.   Apple getting more Apple watches on Employee's faster is a good thing.   I'm pretty sure Apple gives discounts to employee's on other hardware also.    1000 watches hardly puts a tiny dent is supplies.




    Yeah, I think what's different here though is that Apple from memory tend to give their employees 25% off one item per year, 20% off another, and 15% off everything.

     

    50% is more than they normally give.

     

    Not a bad move though.  My experience is giving your employees electronics has a disproportionate impact on their happiness.  Giving all my software guys two Thunderbolt monitors has given far more happiness than increasing their pay by $2k would have!

  • Reply 17 of 42
    nolamacguynolamacguy Posts: 4,758member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Moreck View Post



    I think it's safe to say that Apple is making more than a 50% margin on the watches.

     

    edition model aside, no, theres no data from which to safely conclude that. that would be higher than their normal margins.

  • Reply 18 of 42
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by boredumb View Post

     

    Did they?  I thought it was a week wait to get 15% off or something like that...

    Unless you're talking about Ive, Cook, et al.  They might be expected to get free ones prior to release

    for dry run purposes.




    All employees at the time got a free iPhone when the very first model was introduced. (Source: my friend who worked at Apple back then.)

  • Reply 19 of 42
    chadmaticchadmatic Posts: 285member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Moreck View Post



    I think it's safe to say that Apple is making more than a 50% margin on the watches.

     

    Hmmm...

  • Reply 20 of 42
    captain jcaptain j Posts: 313member
    I guess they're not worried about selling out supply any time soon.
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