Many Apple Watch Orders Will Ship Earlier Than Expected

Many customers who ordered the Apple Watch have been receiving email notifications alerting them that their orders are “Processing,” despite being told when they placed their order that they wouldn’t ship until May or June. Apple has confirmed to TechCrunch that many Watch orders will indeed be at their doors a lot sooner than expected.
Here’s a full statement provided by an Apple spokesperson regarding the changed shipping windows:

We’re happy to be updating many customers today with the news that their Apple Watch will arrive sooner than expected. Our team is working to fill orders as quickly as possible based on the available supply and the order in which they were received. We know many customers are still facing long lead times and we appreciate their patience.

In fact, one of my own Apple Watch orders entered into the “Processing” phase, after an initial shipping window estimate of June. Initially, availability windows for the devices closed quickly, with shipping times dropping on most models within minutes of orders opening.

Online orders still appear to be the best way to get your hands on a device, for those considering ordering, as in-store availability will likely not open up until later this year. Apple’s announcement today is a pleasant surprise for many existing buyers, however, and a sign that people can probably anticipate more good news on availability in the future, since the company always tends to err on the side of under-promising and over-delivering in situations like this.