14 DAY TRIAL // Last month, news broke that Apple was planning to kickstart a training program to get retail employees acquainted with the upcoming Apple Watch. That initiative is now underway.
Not naming any sources, 9to5mac reports that, on Friday, Apple began briefing retail staff in the US and the UK about the upcoming wearable.
Many details still under wraps
According to the info, employees are being given a crude tour of the device, as the Cupertino giant prefers “not to divulge many details.” Staffers are probably being trained using the same materials that anyone can find on Apple.com’s marketing pages, as well as (perhaps) manuals that are being prepared for shipping.
There’s not much about the Apple Watch that we don’t know, but for one reason or another, Apple doesn’t want employees getting the full scoop before the product goes mainstream.
Speaking of which, CEO Tim Cook has revealed at a recent earnings call that the company plans to ship the hardware around April. There is some indication that Apple might hold a special event around that time, with plans to demo the watch with third-party apps. The event would also see the unveiling of the iPad Pro and / or the 12-inch MacBook Air, according to some speculators.
Pricing and availability
Apple has already confirmed that the watch will sell for $350 / €350 in its cheapest form, with the pricing scaling up in accordance with the materials used and the screen size. For instance, a steel version with a bigger display is expected to retail for $500 / €500.
A gold-adorned model dubbed Apple Watch Edition is expected to sell for thousands of dollars (some have estimated a price tag of $5,000 / €5,000). This particular version of the wearable will also be held in safes, according to people familiar with Apple’s plans.