Apple Watch U.S. Sales Estimated at 2.8 Million, Sports Band May Have Base Cost of Just $2

The latest data from Slice Intelligence, a digital commerce research firm that tracks email receipts, estimates Apple Watch sales at 2.79 million in the United States nearly two months after the wrist-worn device launched, according to Reuters. Slice Intelligence previously estimated 1 million Apple Watch pre-orders on April 10 and 2.5 million orders processed through late May.

Apple Watch Sport Blue
The report claims that about 17 percent of those Apple Watch customers proceed to spend hundreds of dollars on extra bands for the smartwatch, enabling Apple to make a profitable double dip into customers' wallets. While the Sports Band starts at $49, for example, technology research firm IHS estimates the 38mm fluoroelastomer band costs Apple just $2.05 to make.

The estimate does not include the cost of packaging and shipping, and the bill of materials may in fact be slightly more expensive, but it remains clear that Apple has a significant profit margin on spare bands. Apple also sells the Classic Buckle, Milanese Loop and Leather Loop retail for $149, Modern Buckle for $249 and Link Bracelet for $449 through the Apple Online Store.

"It's just a psychological thing," said Carolina Milanesi, chief of research and head of U.S. business at Kantar Worldpanel ComTech, a consumer research firm. "I start with the least investment, and then I spend more money, but I get something else."

Apple Watch in-store reservations at Apple Stores began earlier this week ahead of the wrist-worn device's second wave launch in Italy, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland and Taiwan on June 26. A limited selection of Apple Watch models will be available at 10 Corso Como in Milan, BOONTHESHOP Cheongdam in Seoul and Malmaison by The Hour Glass in Singapore.

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

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

'New' iPhone SE Product Listing Appears on French Website

Wednesday February 12, 2025 6:49 am PST by
As the wait continues for Apple's long-rumored, fourth-generation iPhone SE, French electronics retailer Boulanger has prematurely published a product listing for a "new" model of the iPhone SE. The placeholder page says the device is "coming soon," but it offers no further information, and the price shown is obviously not real. The listing was spotted by a reader of the French technology...
apple launch feb 2025

Tim Cook Teases an 'Apple Launch' Next Wednesday

Thursday February 13, 2025 8:07 am PST by
In a social media post today, Apple CEO Tim Cook teased an upcoming "launch" of some kind scheduled for Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," he said, with an #AppleLaunch hashtag. The post includes a short video with an animated Apple logo inside a circle. Cook did not provide an exact time for the launch, or share any other specific details, so...
apple launch feb 2025 alt

What to Expect From the 'Apple Launch' Next Week

Thursday February 13, 2025 11:48 am PST by
Apple has yet to announce any new devices this year, but that could change starting next week. Apple CEO Tim Cook today said to "get ready" for a "launch" on Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," said Cook, in a social media post. The post includes an #AppleLaunch hashtag, along with a short video featuring an animated Apple logo inside of a circle....
m2 macbook air blue

M4 MacBook Air Release Continues to Appear Imminent

Monday February 10, 2025 10:56 am PST by
There continue to be signs of a new MacBook Air with an M4 chip, indicating that we could see the machine launch in the not too distant future. A private account on X today shared the identifiers that the MacBook Air will use, and those identifiers correspond to the M4 chip. According to the source, both the 13-inch MacBook Air and the 15-inch MacBook Air will be equipped with Apple's...
oppo find n5 fingers

World's Thinnest Foldable Phone Launches Next Week

Monday February 10, 2025 3:05 am PST by
Oppo has confirmed a February 20 global launch for its Find N5, which the company claims is the world's thinnest device in the foldable phone category. The phone is expected to be re-branded as the OnePlus Open 2 in the US. The Chinese vendor has been teasing the device in the last few weeks, touting its waterproofing and nearly invisible display crease, and highlighting its thinness by compa...
watchOS 11 Thumb 2 1

Apple Releases watchOS 11.3.1

Monday February 10, 2025 10:04 am PST by
Apple today released watchOS 11.3.1, a minor update to the operating system that runs on the Apple Watch. watchOS 11.3.1 is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 6 and later, all Apple Watch Ultra models, and the Apple Watch SE 2. watchOS 11.3.1 can be downloaded by opening up the Apple Watch app and going to General > Software Update. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to...
sequoia

Apple Releases macOS Sequoia 15.3.1

Monday February 10, 2025 10:11 am PST by
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.3.1, a minor update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that came out last September. macOS 15.3.1 comes a few weeks after the launch of macOS Sequoia 15.3. Mac users can download the ‌‌‌macOS Sequoia‌‌‌ update through the Software Update section of System Settings. Apple has also released macOS 13.7.4 and macOS 14.7.4 for those who are...
Apple Ad on X

Apple Resumes Advertising on X

Wednesday February 12, 2025 2:18 pm PST by
Apple this month started advertising on X for the first time in more than a year. The company had stopped advertising on the social media platform in November 2023 following controversial remarks made by its owner Elon Musk. For example, the @Apple account is running an ad promoting Safari's privacy features. The ad was spotted by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. The @AppleTV account has a...
M4 mini Glowing Blue

Apple Begins Selling Refurbished M4 Macs

Wednesday February 12, 2025 11:35 am PST by
Apple today added MacBook Pro and Mac mini models with M4 series chips to its certified refurbished store in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Ireland for the first time since the computers were introduced in October 2024. Some refurbished MacBook Pro models with M4 chips are also available in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and select other European countries. ...

Top Rated Comments

macsrcool1234 Avatar
126 months ago
The price of bands is just robbery.
Score: 39 Votes (Like | Disagree)
joshen Avatar
126 months ago
I hope people don't use the 'R&D cost' card about a damn rubber band.
Score: 39 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tooloud10 Avatar
126 months ago
If they only cost $2 to make, why don't some of you start making them tomorrow and sell them for a few bucks cheaper than Apple does? Think of all the money you'll make.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mercifull Avatar
126 months ago
Another pointless bill of materials article. It's obvious that apple is making an absolute killing on the bands but the $2 figure is just ridiculous. It doesn't take into account other manufacturing costs such as tooling or machine design. It doesn't take into account any research and development costs, packaging, distribution, marketing and promotion etc. Apple are no doubt making a tidy profit off all the bands, not just the rubber ones but $2 is misleading and wrong.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bbeagle Avatar
126 months ago
The price of bands is just robbery.
It's not robbery when somebody CHOOSES to spend their money on something that they don't have to.

A bag of potato chips costs $3. It takes about 5 potatoes at 20 cents each to make a bag of chips. That's $1 worth of potatoes. And they charge $3. That's a 300% profit! Is that robbery too?

Pretty much everything you look at is the same. A wooden chair costs $50, yet the price of it's wood is only about $4. A plastic chair costs $10, yet the price of it's plastic is less than 50 cents.

The materials that a product is made out of are not the primary cost to make something.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JohnArtist Avatar
126 months ago
That $1.99 drink at McDonalds only cost 5 cents worth of soda.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)