Apple employees receive 50pc discount on certain Apple Watches

7 Apr 2015

Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, has written to all employees in the company to offer significant savings on the upcoming Apple Watch range, while announcing that thousands of apps are being submitted for the Watch.

The launch has turned into one of the most hotly-anticipated tech releases in years, with the announced price range of US$349 right up to an astonishing US$10,000+ not enough to turn off Apple fans, it seems.

If you’re an Apple worker it looks even more appealing, with 50pc discounts offered to all staff for the devices on pre-order.

According to 9to5mac, that discount is solely for the aluminium sport and stainless steel models, with US$550 off the gold Apple Watch Editions.

“As we introduce the watch in more countries, the special pricing for employees will be offered in those countries as well. Discounts will begin at pre-order and last for 90 days after availability. AppleWeb has more details, so I invite you to check it out,” Cook’s memo stated.

“Congratulations to everyone who has worked so hard for years to help this product reach our customers. And thanks in advance to the thousands of retail employees around the world who will start placing it on people’s wrists starting Friday.”

Cook also spoke of the swathe of apps being submitted for the device – with more than 1,000 submitted in the first four days of Apple accepting apps, “and the rate of submissions has only been climbing since then.”

The watches will be available for preview and try-on by appointment at Apple’s retail stores from 10 April in Australia, China, Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, the UK and the US.

Apple Watch will also be available to preview or try on at Galeries Lafayette in Paris, Isetan in Tokyo and Selfridges in London on April 10. Apple Watch will be for sale on April 24 at these select department store shop-in-shops and at boutiques in major cities across the world including Colette in Paris, Dover Street Market in London and Tokyo, Maxfield in Los Angeles and The Corner in Berlin.

The new watch is available in two sizes (38mm and 42mm) and across three editions: Apple Watch Sport (US$349 to US$399); Apple Watch (US$599 to US$1,099); and from US$10,000 for the Apple Watch Edition.

Tim Cook, via Mike Deerkoski on Flickr

Gordon Hunt was a journalist with Silicon Republic

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