Apple has improved the shipping time of its smartwatch in the U.S. to one day, even for rare versions like the diamond-like carbon (DLC)-coated space black stainless steel iteration, says a report from Apple Insider. After a constrained supply initially, the iPhone maker now, it seems, has built up stock for online and in-store sales.
Shipping timing reduced
In the U.S., the shipping time has gradually improved since the watch first went up for preorder in April. Within a couple minutes of the launch, the initial stock was sold out and buyers were given a timeline of over one month in many cases. In June, however, supply conditions improved, specifically for the aluminum Sports versions as the company prepared to make available the devices in Apple Stores.
It seems the Cupertino, Calif.-based firm may still be facing a shortage in supply for the solid gold Apple Watch Edition models. Shipping timing varies between three and five days to between five and seven days, depending on the gold color and band type.
The supply of watches has also improved internationally, but countries such as China and the U.K. are still facing shipping delays of between three and five days for popular combinations such as the 42mm Apple Watch with Milanese Loop.
Apple Watch available in more countries
The Apple Watch is set to launch in New Zealand on July 31, reveals an update to the product page in the Apple Store iOS app. As there are no Apple Stores in the country, New Zealanders will have to buy it online. Before New Zealand, on July 17, the watch will arrive in Sweden, Thailand and the Netherlands. By the end of June, the watch was made available in Italy, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland and Taiwan.
The Apple Watch was launched on April 24 and was initially available only in select markets, including Canada, China, Germany, the U.S. and the United Kingdom. Initially, only the online purchase option was available. Apple will continue to add new markets throughout the rest of this year, and by the fall, the company will also release watch OS 2 with new features such as native apps, a nightstand mode and third-party complications.
Last week, the Apple Watch was in the news with media outlets claiming a steep fall in sales since the launch. A report from Slice Intelligence suggested a drop of 90% in sales after going through the data of a sampling of e-shoppers. Many media outlets misunderstood the study and linked it to Apple Watch sales across all channels rather than just online purchases.
