First Wave of Apple Watches Begin Shipping Ahead of Friday's Launch

Apple Watch pre-orders are being sent to centralized distribution points across the United States as couriers prepare the shipments to be delivered ahead of the wrist-worn device's launch on April 24, according to a source for MacRumors that has provided accurate information in the past.

Apple retail chief Angela Ahrendts confirmed earlier this month that Apple Watch pre-order deliveries will begin on April 24 as scheduled, although many customers have received shipping estimates of 4-6 weeks or later and it remains unknown how many Apple Watch pre-orders will be delivered on day one.

Apple Watch Trio
iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus pre-orders began switching from "Processing Items" to "Preparing for Shipment" on the Apple Online Store for several customers on the Monday prior to Friday delivery, so customers that pre-ordered the Apple Watch early should see their order status change soon. Due to limited stock and the wide 4/24—5/8 delivery estimate for launch day pre-orders, however, there is a possibility that pre-order statuses may take longer to change.

To date, we've not seen any reports of pre-orders changing or credit cards being charged, but our source assures us bulk shipments have begun, so we should see movement on individual order statuses very soon. In the meantime, Apple has begun charging credit cards and preparing to ship Apple Watch accessories such as the charging cable and AppleCare+ Protection Plans.

Apple Watch pre-orders were available on April 10 at 12:01 AM Pacific through the Apple Online Store in the United States, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan and United Kingdom, and sold out completely in less than six hours. The company also began taking Apple Watch try-on appointments the same day at Apple retail stores and select fashion boutiques such as Selfridges in London, Isetan in Tokyo and Galeries Lafayette in Paris.

Update: In line with this report, Apple is beginning to charge credit cards and Apple Watch pre-order statuses are changing to "Prepare for Shipment."

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Here's Which Vehicles Offer iPhone Car Keys

Sunday July 6, 2025 3:03 pm PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. Apple has a web page with a list of vehicle models that ...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
iphone 17 pro render majin bu

New iPhone 17 Pro Renders Highlight Apple Logo and MagSafe Design Changes

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:43 pm PDT by
New renders today provide the best look yet relocated Apple logo and redesigned MagSafe magnet array of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Image via Majin Bu. Several of the design changes coming to the iPhone 17 Pro model have been rumored for some time, such as the elongated camera bump that spans the full width of the device, with the LiDAR Scanner and flash moving to the right side. ...
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island

iPhone 17 Models Rumored to Feature Redesigned Dynamic Island

Monday July 7, 2025 7:38 am PDT by
iPhone 17 models will feature a redesigned Dynamic Island user interface, according to a post today from Digital Chat Station, an account with more than three million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The account has accurately leaked some information regarding future Apple products in the past. The account did not share any specific details about the alleged changes that are ...
Prime Day 25 Feature Warm Triad

The Best Prime Day Deals on AirPods, iPads, MacBooks, and More

Monday July 7, 2025 10:55 am PDT by
Amazon is back with its annual summertime Prime Day event, lasting for four days from July 8-11, the longest Prime Day yet. As it does every year, Prime Day offers shoppers a huge selection of deals across Amazon's storefront. With the event now underway, we're tracking numerous all-time low prices on Apple gear right now. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a...

Top Rated Comments

Ultimacn Avatar
133 months ago
Is it just me?

or is there nothing at all to this story? Clickbait deluxe!

Title says shipping but article says no reports! Come on at least have some substance to the article please.
Score: 38 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Chaka Jon Avatar
133 months ago
#
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nathanalf Avatar
133 months ago
Bleh. Saw the headline and immediately went to check my order. Disappointment followed.

This has been a LONG 2 weeks #...
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
scwinsett Avatar
133 months ago
This is a pretty misleading headline
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ChinaRye Avatar
133 months ago
So you claim that Apple Watches have started shipping, but you have not received any reports that they have? How is this news?
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
heeloliver Avatar
133 months ago
good luck beta testers


see you at version 2 with better battery and a faster GPU/CPU

you're so cool and edgy
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)