CHICAGO — It didn’t matter that Mel Torgusen had already ordered her Apple Watch at 2 a.m.
She still had to be at the Apple Store on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile at 10 sharp — just to touch one.
“Ever since the announcement, I’ve been counting down the days,” said Torgusen, standing at one of a dozen stations the store had set up for prospective buyers to try the watch. “I’m an Apple person and I didn’t need to try it on to know I’d want one.”
A steady stream of the curious and devoted filed into the store Friday for the big Apple Watch preview. There were about 20 people who had signed up for the early appointments lined up outside the store when the doors opened. Others who did not schedule appointments for a personal tour went past a showcase of watches, then quickly registered for private showings.
By the time 20 minutes had passed, the glass case was smudged with fingerprints from people leaning and pointing. Two gold watches, the luxury models that start at $10,000, were in one corner of the case and were the darlings of the display — and the subject of several customers’ iPhone photos.
There was just one naysayer without this Apple in their eye, but judging by the gaping mouths and puddles of drool, the Apple fans at the downtown Chicago store seem all in. Preorder began early Friday for the watch, which officially hits wrists April 24.
“I’m not an impulsive buyer. I wanted to see what one felt and looked like,” said Martin Prieto, of Chicago. “I do like it and will buy one. I read a study where the average person looks at their phone over 200 times a day. I’m a stocks guy and I bet I look on my phone 40 times a day. It will be nice to not pull out my phone so much.”
One Apple salesman said he ordered his watch with the space black link band at 2 a.m. and learned it wouldn’t ship until late June because of the popularity of that style.
“I like how it looks, it seems easy to use but I’m a gadget guy,” said Terrence McBride, of Chicago. “I plan to buy one, but the only concern I have is Apple puts out a new phone every year. Will this watch still work?”
Shannon Stroh, visiting from Plymouth, Minn., was glad she had an appointment to try one on before ordering hers.
“I was looking at getting the bigger screen, but when I tried it on it was too big,” she said. “The small one is perfect for a woman’s wrist.”
“I’m an Apple person and I get why you need a watch,” she continued. “I have friends who have Android phones and I try to talk to them about switching to Apple and there’s no convincing them.”
She may be right. Ashley Scott of Chicago has an Android phone but stopped by the Apple store to investigate the fuss.
Scott said she will stick to Android.
“I’m just not a small-screen person,” she said. “It’s cool for people who like Apple. It’s just not for me.”
David Pierini is a former newspaper writer and long-time photographer. Considered a luddite by most of his friends, they did not believe him when he broke the news that he would be writing for a technology website. He is fascinated by human nature and would love to cultivate stories about the people driving the tech bus. Reach out to him at [email protected].
7 responses to “Apple Watch a hit on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile”
I just tried it out and the experience was phenomenal. I highly recommend it if you’re are thinking about it or are just curious in general.
I was just there (1:30pm) and was able to play with an Apple Watch almost immediately. I freakin loved it. Definitely can’t wait to get mine in a couple weeks.
I get mine on the 24th. Maybe I’ll see one before it arrives or just try mine first.
Pictures do not do the Watch justice. Like everyone else, I preordered but had to see one in the flesh. The Stainless Steel model looks beautiful, and the craftsmanship is absolutely first rate.
Just tried it out as well. Looks much better in person. Really want to get the space grey sport version with black strap.
I read everything on the Apple Watch in advance of preordering. While I didn’t think the new process made a great deal of sense i.e. preorder before trying it on, I did just that. I completely agree that the pictures don’t do the watch justice. I was torn between the space grey sport and the stainless apple watch. I selected the space grey with the milanese band which look sensational together. It amuses me to see how these ‘me too’ companies like Tag Hauer are planning to jump on the smart watch bandwagon. If you read how many months, how many experts, how much in the way of resources the most valuable company on Earth put into this, it is stupefying to think any other attempt will match what Apple has accomplished. These Apple haters can continue to hate…..they just look ridiculous. It’s really simple, if you don’t like the watch or find it too expensive…DON’T BUY IT. Finally, if I want to spend $5 or $15,000 on a watch [I own an 18K Cartier Panther] it is my business and I neither need nor appreciate anyone else’s commentary on how I choose to spend my money. As Dwayne Wayne on “A Different Word” said to the haters….”paint it on the fence of my summer home.”
I am turned off by the price. In three years time will this be another piece of junk that gets handed down to your kids as the operating system will be unable to update to new software hence prompting or requiring a new watch to maintain your syncing etc.
It is certainly is not the classic time piece for someones graduation or retirement.