Apple offers limited number of developers expedited Apple Watch shipping

Posted:
in Apple Watch edited May 2015
Apple on Tuesday began sending emails out to members of its development community, offering them the opportunity to have a 42-millimeter Apple Watch Sport shipped no later than April 28.


Email screenshot via Amro Mousa


The Apple Watch model being offered to developers comes with the silver aluminum case and with a Blue Sport Band. The offer was first noted by Twitter user Amro Mousa on Tuesday.

Developers will be selected for the offer at random, and they must register between now and April 23 and 10 a.m. Pacific. Those selected will be notified this Thursday.

A day later, the Apple Watch will officially become available and begin arriving on the wrists of consumers. Availability at launch has been extremely limited, and sold out in a matter of minutes when preorders began earlier this month.

Currently, new Apple Watch orders for most models are scheduled to arrive in June. The limited offer from Apple will help to ensure that some developers will have the hardware, and will be able to test their apps, before most consumers get the opportunity to try the wearable device.

Those selected will receiver their Apple Watch no later than four days after the device becomes available. Apple is currently preparing initial Apple Watch orders for shipment, and began charging some customers for their preorders on Friday.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 46
    Great - the one version I don't want. If only they made the offer for the 42mm Stainless with black sport band, I'd be all over it. But I'll just wait a few months to see how the first group of owners likes them, before buying one (or two, so the wife can have one) in-store.
  • Reply 2 of 46
    mac_128mac_128 Posts: 3,454member

    So clearly they are holding back some stock. I'm wondering how soon iFix it and others will have theirs so they can start the tear down process, and drop tests so we can start getting some real answers ...

  • Reply 3 of 46
    anderkhanderkh Posts: 23member
    Clearly, pre-orders for this model were below expectations :)
  • Reply 4 of 46

    Interesting... I think this marks a new respect for developers.  Something Apple has struggled with in the past.

  • Reply 5 of 46
    richlrichl Posts: 2,213member

    No e-mail for me yet. :(

  • Reply 6 of 46
    Very nice
  • Reply 7 of 46
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    mac_128 wrote: »
    So clearly they are holding back some stock. I'm wondering how soon iFix it and others will have theirs so they can start the tear down process, and drop tests so we can start getting some real answers ...

    Real answers to what?
  • Reply 8 of 46
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by anderkh View Post



    Clearly, pre-orders for this model were below expectations image



    My thought as well. I'm sure the major developers received watches months ago so they would have apps available by launch day.

  • Reply 9 of 46
    auxioauxio Posts: 2,717member

    Makes sense (though too bad I didn't get it).  Since supply seems to be very constrained, if developers can't get ahold of them, then it'll take longer for the app ecosystem to develop.

  • Reply 10 of 46
    matrix07matrix07 Posts: 1,993member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by anderkh View Post



    Clearly, pre-orders for this model were below expectations image



    When I read the headline this is exactly what I thought I would find people posted in this thread and Voila!

  • Reply 11 of 46
    auxioauxio Posts: 2,717member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by mstone View Post

     

    My thought as well. I'm sure the major developers received watches months ago so they would have apps available by launch day.


     

    And why wouldn't they want to try and get watches in the hands of smaller app developers as well?  Who knows where the next killer app will come from.

  • Reply 12 of 46
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    anderkh wrote: »
    Clearly, pre-orders for this model were below expectations :)

    If Apple was trying to dump stock why wouldn't they give them away or at least offer at a steep discount?
  • Reply 13 of 46
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by auxio View Post

     

     

    And why wouldn't they want to try and get watches in the hands of smaller app developers as well?  Who knows where the next killer app will come from.




    Exactly! I received the email minutes ago. I am debating how to proceed since I pre-ordered the aforementioned Apple Watch Sport with a white band on April 10th. I do not want two watches at this time.

  • Reply 14 of 46
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by auxio View Post

     

     

    And why wouldn't they want to try and get watches in the hands of smaller app developers as well?  Who knows where the next killer app will come from.




    I'm sure they do. Apple knows if a developer has used TestFlight with a watch app and those are probably the people getting the opportunity. Eventually an app developer will need a 42mm and a 38mm for provisioning. Makes sense that you wouldn't need any of the expensive models.

  • Reply 15 of 46
    mac_128 wrote: »
    So clearly they are holding back some stock....and drop tests so we can start getting some real answers ...

    I'm quite interested in knowing how durable my Stainless Apple Watch is when it falls off my wrist while I'm walking down the street. :rolleyes:
  • Reply 16 of 46
    anderkhanderkh Posts: 23member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Rogifan View Post





    If Apple was trying to dump stock why wouldn't they give them away or at least offer at a steep discount?



    Sorry - I don't think they're trying to dump stock.  I was hoping/expecting them to do something like this, and they did!  I think there are plenty of takers for watches, and they probably built enough to have *something* to offer developers - they just didn't know what.

  • Reply 17 of 46
    anderkhanderkh Posts: 23member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by leavingthebigG View Post

     



    Exactly! I received the email minutes ago. I am debating how to proceed since I pre-ordered the aforementioned Apple Watch Sport with a white band on April 10th. I do not want two watches at this time.




    I have the same problem, but I ordered a stainless steel model.  I could cancel that one, but I don't think I will... not crazy about the blue band.

  • Reply 18 of 46
    anderkhanderkh Posts: 23member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by mstone View Post

     



    My thought as well. I'm sure the major developers received watches months ago so they would have apps available by launch day.




    Actually, that didn't happen.  What *did* happen is Apple allowed developers to visit Cupertino and test their apps in a very well secured lab.  I don't believe anyone (outside of Beyonce and company) had access to anything early.

  • Reply 19 of 46
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member

    Exactly! I received the email minutes ago. I am debating how to proceed since I pre-ordered the aforementioned Apple Watch Sport with a white band on April 10th. I do not want two watches at this time.

    anderkh wrote: »

    I have the same problem, but I ordered a stainless steel model.  I could cancel that one, but I don't think I will... not crazy about the blue band.

    Buy it, then sell it. List it as 'rare dev edition'.
  • Reply 20 of 46
    konqerrorkonqerror Posts: 685member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jmgregory1 View Post



    Great - the one version I don't want. 

     

    That's exactly what Apple wants. These are intended to go to people who use them as real development tools, not to have as a way to get a new toy early.

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