UPS Tracking Numbers Start Trickling Out to Apple Watch Customers

As of yesterday afternoon, credit and debit cards have been charged and many Apple Watch pre-orders have begun shifting from "Processing Items" to "Preparing for Shipment" as Apple prepares to send out the first Apple Watch orders to customers who pre-ordered on Friday, April 10.

Shipment emails have yet to go out from Apple, but a few lucky customers have gotten a heads up on their orders through UPS' "My Choice" opt-in emails, which lets people sign up to get notifications whenever a package is sent to their address. These emails suggest the first Apple Watch orders will indeed be arriving on Friday, April 24.

upsmychoiceapplewatch
On reddit, one Apple Watch buyer got what appears to be an accidental UPS notice about a package being unable to be delivered, letting him know his Apple Watch is on its way from Rialto, CA. We've also heard from a MacRumors reader who got a similar notice, with an alert about an upcoming Apple Watch package from Apple set to be delivered on Tuesday, April 21.

When checking that tracking number, it states that a UPS shipping label has been created and that the order has been processed and is ready for UPS. Both customers confirm they have no other orders such as accessories currently pending with Apple.

These alerts appear to have been delivered prematurely, as we've seen only these two reports of such notices, and it's unlikely the readers who have a delivery alerts will receive their package before Friday, but they do give us our first hints that tracking numbers are starting to go out and may be showing up in shipment emails in the near future.

upsapplewatchtracking
While many people who pre-ordered early have had their credit or debit cards charged and have seen their order statuses change, there are some early pre-orderers who still have not had their orders shift to "Preparing for Shipment" as seen in this Google document. Space Gray Sport watches, Space Black stainless steel watches, and stainless steel watches with Milanese Loop, Classic Buckle, and Black Sport Band seem to make up the majority of those that have not yet seen a status change.

Apple Watch orders that have not yet changed should not cause alarm, as based on the early tracking info received, Apple is using Next Day Air shipments.

Customers who do have a "Preparing for Shipment" notification may be able to get an early look at where their watches are located by using UPS and FedEx's "Track By Reference" tools, using a phone number to locate an order.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch Series 8
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)
Related Forum: Apple Watch

Top Rated Comments

Carbonfiberman Avatar
104 months ago
42mm stainless with black sports band still processing :( ordered at 3:03 am April 10th, April 24-May 8 shipping time
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sputnikv Avatar
104 months ago
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
viperGTS Avatar
104 months ago
My status hasn't even changed, yet others are already getting tracking numbers? Wonderful... And I preordered at 12:02. 38mm Space Gray.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Locoboof Avatar
104 months ago
UPS Tracking Numbers Start Trickling Out to Apple Watch Customers

And so it begins!



I beg of you.... Please please please give me my tracking number!!!!



Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
frumpy16 Avatar
104 months ago
It's a shipstorm
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Chrjy Avatar
104 months ago
Bought my wife a beautiful Swatch today: stainless steel link bracelet, extremely thin, elegant, waterproof, 600 days battery; for less than a plastic Apple band.

You're on the wrong site, you need www.SwatchRumors.com

No worries!
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 17 on Phone Feature

Gurman: iOS 17 to Provide Several 'Most Requested Features'

Sunday March 26, 2023 6:05 am PDT by
Apple changed the strategy for iOS 17 later in its development process to add several new features, suggesting that the update may be more significant than previously thought, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. In January, Gurman said that iOS 17 could be a less significant update than iPhone updates in previous years due to the company's intense focus on its long-awaited mixed-reality...
dynamic island

iPhone 15 Dynamic Island to Include New Integrated Proximity Sensor

Friday March 24, 2023 12:27 am PDT by
This year, all iPhone 15 models will include Apple's Dynamic Island that unifies the pill and hole cutouts at the top of the display, but there will also be a material change to the feature that wasn't included in the iPhone 14 Pro models. According to a new tweet by Apple industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the proximity sensor on the iPhone 15 series will be integrated inside the Dynamic Island ...
top stories 25mar2023

Top Stories: iPhone 15 Pro Design Leak, iOS 16.4 Coming Soon, and More

Saturday March 25, 2023 6:00 am PDT by
We're still almost six months away from the official unveiling of the iPhone 15 lineup, but it seems like every day we're learning more about what to expect from the next-generation models. Notably, this week gave us our clearest look yet at what appear to be some changes for the volume and mute control hardware. iOS 16.4 and associated releases are also right around the corner with some new ...
Hero0009

Best Apple Deals of the Week: Samsung's Smart Monitor M8 Gets Massive $250 Discount, Along With Year's Best AirPods Prices

Friday March 24, 2023 10:23 am PDT by
We saw a lot of great deals on Apple products and related accessories this week, including Samsung's iMac-like Smart Monitor M8 for $250 off, a 30 percent off spring sale at Anker, and the year's best prices on numerous AirPods models. All of these deals are still available to purchase right now, so we're recapping them and more below. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these ...
Steve Jobs Theater dusk

Apple Reportedly Demoed Mixed-Reality Headset to Executives in the Steve Jobs Theater Last Week

Sunday March 26, 2023 5:53 am PDT by
Apple showcased its mixed-reality headset to the company's top 100 executives in the Steve Jobs Theater last week, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman explained that the "momentous gathering" is a "key milestone" ahead of the headset's public announcement planned for June. The event was intended to rally Apple's top members of...
apple mixed reality headset concept by david lewis and marcus kane

Some Apple Employees Seriously Concerned About Mixed-Reality Headset as Announcement Draws Closer

Sunday March 26, 2023 8:25 am PDT by
Some Apple employees are concerned about the usefulness and price point of the company's upcoming mixed-reality headset, The New York Times reports. Apple headset concept by David Lewis and Marcus Kane Initial enthusiasm around the device at the company has apparently become skepticism, according to eight current and former Apple employees speaking to The New York Times. The change of tone...
iphone 14 pro max deep purple feature purple

iPhone 15 Pro Rumor Recap: 10 New Features and Changes to Expect

Thursday March 23, 2023 6:42 am PDT by
While the iPhone 15 series is still around six months away from launching, there have already been plenty of rumors about the devices. Many new features and changes have been rumored for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max in particular. Below, we have recapped 10 changes rumored for iPhone 15 Pro models that are not expected to be available on the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus:A1...
iOS 16

iOS 16.4 Will Add These 8 New Features to Your iPhone

Sunday March 26, 2023 8:06 am PDT by
Following nearly six weeks of beta testing, iOS 16.4 is expected to be released to the public as soon as this week. The software update includes a handful of new features and changes for the iPhone 8 and newer. To install an iOS update, open the Settings app on the iPhone, tap General → Software Update, and follow the on-screen instructions. Below, we have recapped eight new features and...