Apple Watch Drops Next Month In 9 Countries, Starts At $349

It might have taken a while to get here, but launch information for Apple’s much-anticipated Watch has arrived. On April 24, Apple’s “most personal device yet” will hit stores in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, UK, and of course, the US.

Most of Apple’s product launches involve just a handful of models, but Watch is different. Like regular watches, what we want will come down to personal taste: We want different bands, different faces, and have different budgets. We also have different goals – is the watch for regular use, fitness, or style?

Those choosing to go the fitness route will have the least-expensive options, as all 10 Sport models range from $349 to $399. It should be noted that none of the Watch models differ in feature set, meaning a regular Apple Watch would offer the same fitness-related benefits as the Sport models. The biggest differences have to do with the bands – if you’re working out, you’ll want to wear a watch that’s best-suited for it. Also notable is that the faces are aluminum on the Sport, not stainless steel like regular Watch series.

And speaking of the regular Watch series, prices there range from $549 to $1,049. As just mentioned, the faces on these models are stainless steel, either silver or black. At the bottom of this ladder are models with sport bands, while at the top, fancier link bracelets are used. A personal favorite of mine is the Milanese Loop, which settles in around the middle of the regular Watch lineup.

The top-tier models fall into the Edition series, with prices ranging from $10,000 to $17,000. All 8 models available here feature 18-karat rose or yellow gold faces. Some of the bands in this series are shared with the other two, but it does have some exclusives, such as a ‘Bright Red Modern Buckle’ and ‘Midnight Blue Classic Buckle’.

Purchase an Apple Watch and regret the band decision? There’s always the option to replace it, as Apple will be selling some of them.

So, the moment of truth is near: Is Apple Watch going to become a knock-out success? At this point, it’s hard to say, as the smartwatch market is still in its infancy, and it so far hasn’t become really clear if everyone even wants one.

As with most new products, time will tell.