How to be prepared for Apple Watch pre-orders

apple watch pre-order

After nearly 6 months of waiting, you will finally get the chance to check out the Apple Watch in person tomorrow. All official Apple Stores should have them on display, with representatives eager to answer your questions about the device and help you try one on.

Pre-orders for the Watch also open to the public tomorrow, starting at 12:01am Pacific time. So with that in mind, we thought it’d be a good idea to put together a quick roundup of everything you need to know before you decide to stay up all night to get your order in.

When

Apple only sets aside a small amount of inventory for product pre-orders, setup on a first-come-first-serve basis. After that stock is gone, shipping times start slipping beyond the official launch date (April 24), and you’re better off trying your luck at your local Apple Store.

The point is, you are going to want to get in fast, so you should know what time the festivities begin in your neck of the woods:

  • US Pacific Time – 12:01am
  • US Eastern Time – 3:01am
  • Australia (Perth) – 3:01pm
  • Canada (Toronto) – 3:01am
  • China (Beijing) – 3:01pm
  • France (Paris) – 9:01am
  • Germany (Berlin) – 9:01am
  • Hong Kong – 3:01pm
  • Japan (Tokyo) – 4:01pm
  • UK (London) – 8:01am

What

With 3 models, 2 sizes and several bands, there are dozens of possible Apple Watch combinations to choose from. And given that you want to be as fast as possible, this isn’t something you want to be figuring out last minute. Here are a few articles that can help with your decision.

Once you know what you’re getting, you can Favorite the model by tapping on the Heart icon on Apple’s website so it’s ready to go.

Where

Pre-orders will take place solely on Apple Store website and app, and you’ll have the option to either have the Watch shipped to your house or to pick it up at your local Apple Store. Both options have their benefits and drawbacks, so here’s a list of things you need to help you decide.

Shipping

  • Convenient, in that you don’t have to worry about going anywhere or doing anything out of the ordinary
  • The Watch could arrive at anytime between 8am and 7pm on April 24, depending on where you are at in your delivery company’s route
  • The package may require someone be at your house (or wherever you have it shipped to) to sign for it

Pickup

  • You get the convenience of going to pick it up whenever you want from your local Apple Store
  • You’ll be in front of Apple employees who can answer questions about the Watch and help you with setup
  • It’s not likely going to be a quick in-and-out process, as you’ll have to wait behind other pickup customers, many of whom will probably have questions
  • In-store pickups are limited to 1 per customer, meaning even if you ordered more than 1 Apple Watch, you can’t pick both up by yourself

And that should just about cover everything. As usual, iDB will let you know as soon as pre-orders become available tomorrow morning, and provide updates on shipping estimates and other need-to-know information. So make sure you continue to check back with us throughout the day.