Apple today shifted its messaging concerning Apple Watch try-on appointments, which were required in the early days following the wearable's launch to be able to interact with and size the various models of the Watch. The messaging of try-on appointments has now largely vanished from the Apple Watch's online storefront, with a notification encouraging customers to visit their local Apple Watch store for workshops on the device or "just walk in to try Apple Watch on."
In reality, walk-in customers have generally been able to arrange immediate try-on sessions for some time now as the crowds have significantly lessened following the initial surge. With Apple gearing up to begin in-store sales of the Apple Watch in just a few weeks, however, the company is already changing its customer guidance to omit the recommendation of making an appointment.
Even though the messaging is pivoting away from scheduled appointments, it should be noted that retail stores are still accepting try-on appointments for customers wanting to ensure their time with the Apple Watch. Try-on sessions may become a bit busier once in-store sales begin, so at that point appointments may become more advisable.
Saturday March 1, 2025 11:00 am PST by Joe Rossignol
iOS 19 is still around three months away from being unveiled, but there are plenty of rumors about the upcoming update.
Below, we recap iOS 19 rumors so far.
Redesigned Camera App
A leak earlier this year allegedly revealed a redesigned Camera app coming with iOS 19.
On his YouTube channel Front Page Tech in January, Jon Prosser shared a video showing what the new Camera app will...
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In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 18.4 will be released in April.
From the Apple News+ Food announcement:Coming with iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 in April, Apple News+ subscribers will have access to Apple News+ Food, a new section that will feature tens of thousands of recipes — as well as stories about restaurants, healthy eating, kitchen essentials, and more — from the...
Friday February 28, 2025 2:51 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple is expected to embrace a new camera system design for some models in its upcoming iPhone 17 series, and the latest purported CAD images don't deviate from what we have been hearing lately about Apple's new lineup. If you do not like the sound of an iPhone with a Google Pixel-style camera bar, look away now.
Seasoned leaker Sonny Dickson shared the following images in a post on X...
Friday February 28, 2025 3:17 pm PST by Juli Clover
iOS 18.4 was supposed to bring new Apple Intelligence Siri features, but Apple ended up needing to pull those capabilities from the update to continue testing. There are fewer new Apple Intelligence additions now, but there are still some new features that will make the update worth installing when it comes out in April.
Priority Notifications
Apple introduced Priority Notifications back at ...
Friday February 28, 2025 4:39 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple has offered a reason why the iPhone 16e doesn't include MagSafe, one of the more notable omissions from its latest entry-level smartphone.
According to Apple representatives who spoke to Daring Fireball's John Gruber, MagSafe is not included in the iPhone 16e because "most people in the iPhone 16e's target audience exclusively charge their phones by plugging them into a charging...
With the iPhone 16e now in the hands of customers, Apple reportedly plans to move on to its next product announcement in the coming days.
Apple plans to announce new MacBook Air models with the M4 chip "as early as this week," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
"I expect the M4 MacBook Air to be introduced as early as this week," said Gurman, in a post shared on X today. "Inventory has ...
Saturday March 1, 2025 10:00 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, Apple offered a line of Wi-Fi routers that it referred to as AirPort base stations. There was a standard AirPort Express, a higher-end AirPort Extreme with more advanced networking features, and an AirPort Time Capsule that doubled as an external storage drive for backing up a Mac with Time Machine.
Apple discontinued the AirPort line in 2018, but the company...
Friday February 28, 2025 10:08 am PST by Joe Rossignol
iPhone 16e reviews are now out, and Apple's custom-designed C1 modem has been put to the test. The results so far are quite surprising, as the C1's speeds are not as slow compared to Qualcomm modems as originally expected.
While the C1 does not support ultra-fast mmWave 5G in the U.S., it appears to offer comparable 5G performance to Qualcomm's Snapdragon X71 modem found in the iPhone 16,...
Monday February 24, 2025 9:14 am PST by Joe Rossignol
According to a post on X today from a leaker known as Kosutami, Apple plans to launch AirPods Pro 3 in May or June this year.
The leaker also claimed that an AirTag 2 will launch around the same time.
Kosutami is best known as a collector of prototype Apple hardware, but they have occasionally shared accurate information about Apple's future product plans. For example, they accurately...
This was the most botched up launch ever done. I can't believe that Angela whatever her name is in charge of this has got away with no proper criticism of her handling. Absolute joke. She has no comprehension of the true apple customer. Making people come in to make an appointment to have to come back a second time to try it on and then buy. Everyone had already ordered the thing online. They didn't need extra staff on launch day as purchases were already made. She spoilt what could have been an exciting release and turned it into a confusing damp squid. And She's the highest paid whatever in the world. Joke ! She was brought in for her fashion connections but I doubt it would have been that hard to tap into the fashion world without her. Apple is a world renowned respected brand and would have played ball with or without her influence. Am so annoyed by the handling Of it all. Though I do respect tims ethos of bringing in new talent and expanding, however there is no question that this was a mistake.
I walked in on "launch day" and tried one on straight away. The employee I spoke to said "We've got to have lots of staff because it's a launch day, but we haven't had a crowd because you can't buy them in store."
Most of the staff were wondering around without much to do. People seemed as interested in the watch as any other product.
Which is why this launch was such a screwed up mess.
The people who were most excited about the Apple Watch and really wanted to try it on, were forced to order it online, as that was the only way to get one.
Therefore, most of those people had decided upon a watch, and didn't need to try it on.
The only people you got were people who only heard about the Apple Watch from media, walk-bys at the mall, and people who already purchased but were curious to see it in person.
There should have been a try-on period for 2 weeks before pre-orders started on April 24, with immediate shipping. THIS would have made sense.
It makes sense when you have people spending $17,000+ Edition wanting to buy a watch but then end up in the waiting line for someone to buy a $200 sports watch.
No it doesn't. When I walk into a Rolex boutique and want to look at a $20k watch I don't make an appointment. I walk in and that's that.
Appointments is not how the rest of high street operates.
I had the appointment for first thing on the non-launch date. I think Apple is still missing the whole point (or they are not and just simply trying to spin the story). People who walk in want to walk out with something in their hand (or on their wrist). I am very happy with my watch now that it has been delivered, but the whole experience of going in, only to be forced to order, only to be forced to wait over a month, seems like a complete failure no matter how much they try to spin.
How does someone just walk out with product when there isn't any in stock? Plus Apple said from day one it would initially be online only so anyone going to a store expecting to walk out with the Watch only has themselves to blame.
so what you are saying is that spin worked very well for you. okay. It did not work on me however.
Apple did not say it was online only on day 1. They admitted that they had no stock after pre-orders started and before launch date (which effectively made it a non-launch). And even then, so what. A customer expectation is always to go in buy something and walk out. Otherwise, I would stay at home and purchase on-line. It really is a bad thing that you can walk into a store but not actually have the option to buy something.
