Apple Watch sales off to strong start

[Auggie]

San Francisco Chronicle / 4-13-15

The Apple Watch was off to a strong start on its first day of advance sales last Friday, with roughly 1 million people in the U.S. ordering the trendy device, according to a Palo Alto market research firm.

Most shoppers bought the cheapest model, the Apple Watch Sport, on Friday, spending an average of $382.83 per device, according to Slice Intelligence, which tracks shoppers’ electronic receipts. Customers who stepped up to the next price tier, ordering the Apple Watch, spent $707.04, the firm said. The watch’s components can be bought separately, and buyers tended to opt for the “pricier case but the cheapest band,” according to Slice Intelligence’s research.

Some analysts say the strong demand shows the Apple Watch could be the device that makes wearing a computer on your wrist more mainstream.

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The pace would give Apple a roughly 60 percent market share in the wearables category by the end of the year, placing it ahead of competitors like Fitbit and Samsung’s Gear S smart watch, he said.

http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Apple-Watch-sales-off-to-strong-start-6197264.php