The Apple Watch, officially launched on the 24th of April, was one of the most anticipated gadgets of the year. As usual with Apple products, rumours of huge US preorders tempted us to ask: will the supply chain be able to keep up?
Creating hype around an upcoming product has become almost an industry standard. It all started with Apple’s iPhone, and other manufacturers such as Samsung have long since realised the benefits of rumours spreading prior to a launch.
However, the Watch is not the iPhone, and this represents a new challenge for Apple as the potential customer base is unknown as smart watches are not yet as popular as smart phones. Many smart phone users have opted to stay out of using a connected watch. Furthermore, in comparison to the iPhone, the Apple watch comes in 35 different models sizes and styles, likely to make supply more difficult.
But Apple is synonymous with innovation right? In terms of products, and also in terms of creating markets and demand. The firm is likely enjoying, the whole hype surrounding the watch and stock rumours.
Adding psychological and popular value to the brand is likely to be crucial in selling the watch with a £299 starting price.
In the end, it is unlikely to be anything to worry about, and quite frankly, everyone expects Apple to be on top of its game as always, well prepared and ready for success. Rumours of supply issues have become part of the strategy, particularly in the fast moving industry of high tech gadgets. What would it all be without a hype?
Even if Apple had to run into serious supply issues, knowing the Apple fans, it is unlikely to do anything except boost their enthusiasm. Coupled with the quality of the product, the giant tech firm is most likely to run into yet another great success. Only quality and faults issues can really represent a challenge in this industry, particularly given the price tag. But again, still most likely a limited one, as the various fault rumours surrounding the iPhone 6 at launch did not affect the sales performances.