Backstage at the launch of the Apple Watch – BBC

Five years after the placing on the market of the iPad, Apple is launching in less than one week a new product category. This is a first since the demise of the brand’s founder, Steve Jobs.

The countdown initiated on September 9 to an end. The Apple Watch, watch connected Apple will debut in stores on April 10. Between the announcement and marketing, nearly eight months have passed, punctuated by presentations and interviews distilled to maintain the interest of the press and consumers. The whole is a real drama orchestrated by Apple.

Never mark had conducted such a launch. The well-oiled machinery of the California enters a new dimension. It is five years since the launch of the iPad, Apple has not tackled a new market. An eternity in Internet time. This is the first completely new concept driven by Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO since the death of its charismatic founder, Steve Jobs. Apple has already invited in markets where it was not expected. In 2007, the iPhone has created a real earthquake in the world of mobile telephony. A smartphone remains an electronic equipment. This time it’s different.

Corner giant Galeries Lafayette Haussmann

A watch is primarily a fashion accessory or luxury when it is in gold and sold 18,000 euros. In exceptional product, exceptional sale device, this is essentially the message carried by the communicating and Apple commercial. In Paris, the brand offers a huge corner at Galeries Lafayette Haussmann and pride of place at Colette. He shows up at Selfridge’s in London, at Isetan in Tokyo. These outlets prestigious name is in addition to shops. The best salespeople Apple Store are dispatched in department stores. This is the first time Apple comes out of its usual distribution network: Apple Store, telecom operators and corners dedicated to Fnac. The watch is launched in nine countries, including France, the United States and China.

From April 10 to 24, for guests to enjoy the shows in all outlets, without being able to buy it. Two weeks of mobilization with the guarantee does not garner a penny of revenue. The opportunity to continue to talk, to create envy. Fans will be patient and their iPhone: without brand smartphone, Apple Watch is unusable. You have to take Internet appointment with a demonstrator – a genius in Apple vocabulary – to be able to pass on the watch. The term of appointment granted depend on the model that the consumer wants to see, and possibly acquire. For Apple Watch Sport, sold between 399 and 499 euros, it will be up to ten minutes to an hour for the Watch Edition (from 11,000 to 18,000 euros). No hope of fooling the seller and make an appointment to a higher category than that referred to in order to have more time …

The launch of the Apple Watch is particularly expected that Apple has demonstrated its ability to give a new dimension to the markets where it starts: MP3 players, smartphones, tablets (iPod, iPhone, iPad). Watch Apple does have the same ripple effect on its market?

Unlike other Apple products, forbidden to leave the typical person to seize freely on a table. Apple may well highlight the intuitive operation of his watch, a little help is, in our first grip, welcome. The appointment is not only a staging to enhance the product, it’s a must to master the subtleties.

The terms of the presentation of the Apple Watch are worthy of jewelers of the Place Vendôme, with locked glass cases, which will extract the object of desire with a proven ceremonial. The barge will not have the right to try more than two models simultaneously. Yet thirty-eight combinations of cases and bracelets are possible, which is a logistical challenge for Apple, unaccustomed to handle long ranges.

After the watch chosen not about to walk away with. It will wait until April 24, when the Watch will actually be on sale. But pre-orders will be available from April 10 in stores and on the Internet.

Apple able to explode the market shows connected

The suspense is maintained since 9 September. After announcing the two new iPhone (iPhone 6 and 6 Plus), Tim Cook had unveiled the Apple Watch. Without giving any features or fix price or launch date. It sounded early eight months of communication. On November 18, a little more detail was filtered, early developers could start preparing their applications. At the launch of the iPhone in 2007, there was no App Store (app store) or of applications developed by third parties. It will not be the case for the Watch. It has been over a month since the pressure rises. On March 9, Apple held its first press conference dedicated entirely to his watch. Price, launch date, technical specifications, almost everything was then unveiled.

With these announcements repeated, Apple has taken center stage in the market for connected watches without product offering. This presence has undoubtedly influence the performance of its competitors whose offer is already abundant. The industry heavyweights, Samsung, Sony, Motorola and LG, and new entrants, or Withings Pebble, did not wait for Apple to launch their shows connected. But sales were lower than initial estimates, with 4.6 million connected watches sold worldwide in 2014, according to Canalys cabinet.

The launch of the Apple Watch is particularly expected that Apple has demonstrated its ability to give a new dimension to the markets where it starts: MP3 players, smartphones, tablets (iPod, iPhone , iPad). Watch Apple does have the same ripple effect on its market? All scenarios were considered by analysts, the total flop tidal wave. Apple has a big advantage over competitors: a pool of consumers attracted by the image of the brand and its products. If only 10% of iPhone buyers 6 and 6 Plus opt for Apple Watch, the brand will sell more than 10 million watches. It will multiply itself in the market by three.