Apple Watch retail experience
- apr
- 11
Starting today you can make an appointment at your local Apple Retail Store, or simply drop by, and try on an Apple Watch.
Orders are online only for now, but the idea of the Apple Watch try-ons is to help you decide what you want to order online — or if you want to order anything at all. It's a way to get some eyes- and hands-on time with the hardware and software, so you can see the cases, feel the bands, experience the interface and interactions, and get as much of the Apple Watch experience as possible short of owning one.
When you first walk in, you're greeted by a table, wooden like all Apple Retail tables, but with glass covering two rows of Apple Watches, one of 38mm and one of 42mm, each facing out, and sorted by collection — Apple Watch Sport, Apple Watch, and Apple Watch edition.
You can take your time and look at them, under glass as they go through their demos. You can check out the finishes and the bands, and you can get an idea of what you want to try on. It's a great way to get started — letting you see before you touch.
The try-on tables have watches embedded on miniature pedestals. They're not under glass, but they're also not going anywhere. Beside them are specially modified iPad mini tablets running kiosk software. The typeface is San Francisco, like the watches, of course. It explains what the watch is, what it does, and how. It's a step closer, to the try-ons and away for you to start learning more before you actually strap one on.
When the time comes for the try on, an Apple Specialist talks with you, tries to find out what's important to you when it comes to style and functionality. They want to help you choose the right watch for you.
With a badge they unlock a hidden drawer and take out the Apple Watches with the materials and bands you're most interested in, and help you try them on. All stores have Apple Watch and Apple Watch Sport, the bigger stores may have Apple Watch Edition as well.
A demo loop runs on the watches. You can't spin, tap, or press your way around, but you can see what the software looks like and what the Taptic engine feels like.
It's very carefully thought out process and even more carefully staged. It walks you from seeing to learning to trying. Given the constraints of Apple Stores as they exist today, it's a remarkably clever way to handle the Apple Watch.
It's not quite what you go through for a ride at Disney, but it's not altogether different either. It's staging, and it works.
Apple Watch try-ons are available starting today. Book your appointment online at apple.com or using the Apple Store app for the best experience.
