Apple Watches are now being sold in some Target stores, with availability scheduled in all of the chain’s stores by Oct. 25. The smartwatches will also be available through Target.com starting Oct. 18.
Target announced the arrival of Apple Watches in a blog post on Oct. 2.
“Guests can choose from 20 models—in both 38mm and 42mm sizes—including beautiful space gray and rose gold colors,” the post states. “Select models and bands will be available at all Target stores, and an expanded assortment of Apple Watch Sport and Apple Watch will be available on Target.com. Prices range from $349 to $599.”
In August, Best Buy stores began selling the Apple Watch in the United States, marking the first time that Apple has struck a deal to sell its flagship smartwatches through a retail store chain other than its own. Apple previously only sold its high-end luxury Apple Watches through limited arrangements with several luxury retailers.
The Best Buy deal brought Apple Watches to about 100 Best Buy stores initially and to BestBuy.com, according to an earlier eWEEK report. The companies plan to expand the availability of the devices to an additional 200 stores by the Christmas holiday shopping season.
Best Buy is carrying the devices in 16 different Apple Watch configurations, including Sport and Watch versions in both 38mm and 42mm sizes. The nation’s largest electronics retailer is also carrying some 50 Apple Watch accessories, including watchbands, screen shields, watch stands, chargers and more.
When Apple began selling Watches on April 24, it did so only through its own stores and very select retailers.
Mobile carriers Sprint and T-Mobile began selling the Apple Watch on Sept. 25, as Apple continues to increase the number of retailers where customers can buy the popular smartwatch.
Sprint is offering the 38mm and 42mm versions of Apple Watch in the Sport or Stainless Steel editions. The watches retail for $349.99 for the Apple Watch Sport 38mm and $399.99 for the 42mm. Sprint is offering the 38mm Apple Watch in Stainless Steel or Space Black Stainless Steel for $549.99, while the 42mm versions cost $599.99.
Also in September, Apple released its new watchOS 2 operating system for the Apple Watch after a five-day delay due to errant software code. Apple had postponed the release of its watchOS 2 operating system software update due to unspecified flaws in its code. Held up at the last minute, the release was originally scheduled for Sept. 16. Repairs on the undisclosed bug took several days to complete.
The watchOS 2 update had been scheduled to be released on the same day as Apple’s iOS 9 update for smartphones and tablets. The iOS 9 update did launch as scheduled, but there were reports of slow download times because of demand, which is often the case with Apple software updates.
The watchOS 2 is a big update for the Apple Watch devices, which have proved to be very popular for the company and for the wearables segment. The watchOS 2 operating system update was announced at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference on June 8 as an updated operating system that will bring many new features and functions for Apple Watch users, as well as new tools to allow developers to add even future functions.
The watchOS 2’s changes are expected to allow developers to build faster, more powerful apps that will run natively on the Apple Watch. Some of the new features were released back in June, including a Digital Crown control system, Taptic Engine capabilities, a heart-rate sensor and some new software APIs. The full watchOS 2 update will introduce a much wider range of improvements and changes, including new watch faces and new communications capabilities in the device’s Mail, Friends and Digital Touch apps.