As soon as Apple announced Apple Watch Series 7 last month, things started to get weird. We knew things were off when Apple announced the new wearable but wouldn't tell us when it would go on sale. Instead, all we were told was that a launch would happen this fall. Sure enough, today saw the announcement — pre-orders are live on Friday, October 8. But that isn't the end of it.
Now we know Apple Watch Series 7 will be available for pre-order in a few days and that the watch will go on sale on Friday, October 15. We also know that the watch will start at $399. But that's it. That's as much as we know. It's all so ... strange. We don't even know what adding cellular to the mix will do to the price. Want to know how much a 45mm Apple Watch Series 7 will cost? Guess. That's all you can do.
We've not seen any kind of configurator for band and color combinations, either. If you wanted to plan your pre-order out ahead of go-time, you're out of luck. It's the complete opposite of the iPhone 13 pre-preorder situation that we were all lauding just a few short weeks ago. It's as if Apple doesn't know the answers to any of these questions, and that's the strangest of all.
Am I crazy, or do we still not know pricing of the Apple Watch Series 7 models besides they start at $399?Am I crazy, or do we still not know pricing of the Apple Watch Series 7 models besides they start at $399?— Matt Birchler (@mattbirchler) October 4, 2021October 4, 2021
Apple, of course, continues to sell the Apple Watch Series 6, so that's all present and correct right now. But with attention turning to Apple Watch Series 7, it's as if Apple is just going to dump everything on Friday morning and leave everyone to it. You're going to need to decide on case size, color, and band combination on the fly — all while also learning the pricing for the first time, too.
Are we in for a shock when those prices land? Maybe, but I would imagine that any price increase would also see the $399 model change, too. It hasn't, so it's a reasonably safe bet pricing will mimic previous years. Which makes this situation all the weirder. Why not just put pricing and configuration options on the site now, so we can all get ready?
The one thing we do know is arguably the most important — Apple Watch Series 7 pre-orders go live on Friday, October 8, at 5 a.m. PDT. Just try to get there early and try and have a plan for what you want to buy, if anything. Because you're going to have to make a few decisions quickly. You could just skip launch day and wait, of course — and risk missing out on the best Apple Watch yet. But where's the fun in that?
