Second wave of Apple Watch preorders could kick off May 8

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Photo:
The Apple Watch is coming to Italy. Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Customers in Italy will be able to preorder the Apple Watch from May 8, according to an internal source speaking to Italian Apple website iSpazio.

If true, this will kick off the second wave of Apple Watch launches, with the first beginning in the United States and nine other countries earlier this month.

Today’s report claims display tables will be set up in Italian Apple Stores to coincide with May 8, much as they were in the U.S. Preordering, however, will be carried out online, as it was elsewhere. What’s not indicated is when these preorders will start shipping.

Even in countries where the Apple Watch is currently available for preorder, delivery dates are now backed up until at least June. A separate report recently stated that Apple Watches are going to be unavailable to buy in U.S. Apple Stores throughout the month of May.

A gradual rollout of the Apple Watch is something we reported back in January, but the precise order in which new markets will get the wearable device is still something of a mystery. Italy was in the second wave of countries to get the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus last year — along with Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. Perhaps the Apple Watch will follow the same pattern.

Apple has certainly started marketing the Apple Watch in Italy, though. Recently the device was displayed at Milan’s Salone Del Mobile Design Fair, with Apple’s Phil Schiller and Jony Ive BFF Marc Newson both on hand to soak up the atmosphere.

Source: iSpazio

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