The Apple Watch had a quiet release in boutiques on Friday, in major cities like Tokyo and Paris. Instead of the usual long lines around dozens of Apple stores waiting for the latest iPhone, a few lines formed for the handful of stores that carried the watch.
This time, Apple promoted the watch as luxury jewelry with beeping notifications. Experts speculate that the different approach is either to create more demand for the product or to better familiarize consumers with the unfamiliar technology by using demonstrations and showrooms. Earlier this month, Apple allowed people to preview the watch and try it on.
The watch has 38 different variations in color and style, and its most expensive option is an 18-karat gold version that starts at $10,000.
More than 3,000 apps are available on the watch, allowing you to do things like check your email, book a flight, or get into a conversation with the watch about what you’re eating. To use the watch, you must already own an iPhone 5 or higher.