The last Apple Watch pop-up store will soon be closing its doors
After trying out pop-up stores for the launch of the Apple Watch, the last of Apple's dedicated smartwatch stores is set to shut its doors next month.
Apple fixed up temporary homes in London, Paris and Tokyo in order to propel the wearable, though a sign spotted on the Shinjuku shop indicates that the last of the trio will close on 13 May.
Read this: The best Apple Watch apps to download
The move isn't entirely surprising, given that the European equivalents both shut in early 2017 and a full Apple store recently opened within the same area, though it does mark the end of fairly prolonged efforts to push the Watch and its various collections of bands within high-end department stores.
Interestingly, the Tokyo joint became one of the last places people could pick up the original, 18-karat gold Apple Watch Edition from the company itself. According to 9to5Mac, reporting earlier this month, the smartwatch was still in stock and available to be purchased upon request. The pop-up even cut the price of the wearable to as little as $700; a stark drop from the potential $17,000 it cost buyers at the time of launch three years ago.
And it's this, more than anything else, that signifies the shift in the Apple Watch's focus since launching, and why now is probably a good time to end the pop-up experiment.
Since the Series 2 released, we've seen a heavy emphasis from Apple on fitness. But back in 2015, the Apple Watch was also touted by the Cupertino giant as a luxury fashion accessory, with these pop-ups in high-end department stores a byproduct of the push.
With the world perhaps slower to accept Apple's smartwatch than anticipated - coupled with lofty price tag that came with the fashion-focused models - the pivot into sport and fitness made sense, and is something Apple, as well as its rivals, continues to run with.
And with the Apple Watch Series 4 launch creeping closer, we'll soon learn even more about where Apple is looking to take its smartwatch line in the future. For now, though, let's take moment to remember the Watch pop-ups.
Apple fixed up temporary homes in London, Paris and Tokyo in order to propel the wearable, though a sign spotted on the Shinjuku shop indicates that the last of the trio will close on 13 May.
Read this: The best Apple Watch apps to download
The move isn't entirely surprising, given that the European equivalents both shut in early 2017 and a full Apple store recently opened within the same area, though it does mark the end of fairly prolonged efforts to push the Watch and its various collections of bands within high-end department stores.
Interestingly, the Tokyo joint became one of the last places people could pick up the original, 18-karat gold Apple Watch Edition from the company itself. According to 9to5Mac, reporting earlier this month, the smartwatch was still in stock and available to be purchased upon request. The pop-up even cut the price of the wearable to as little as $700; a stark drop from the potential $17,000 it cost buyers at the time of launch three years ago.
And it's this, more than anything else, that signifies the shift in the Apple Watch's focus since launching, and why now is probably a good time to end the pop-up experiment.
Since the Series 2 released, we've seen a heavy emphasis from Apple on fitness. But back in 2015, the Apple Watch was also touted by the Cupertino giant as a luxury fashion accessory, with these pop-ups in high-end department stores a byproduct of the push.
With the world perhaps slower to accept Apple's smartwatch than anticipated - coupled with lofty price tag that came with the fashion-focused models - the pivot into sport and fitness made sense, and is something Apple, as well as its rivals, continues to run with.
And with the Apple Watch Series 4 launch creeping closer, we'll soon learn even more about where Apple is looking to take its smartwatch line in the future. For now, though, let's take moment to remember the Watch pop-ups.
