Apple Sells Almost 3M Watches – Is That A Lot Or A Little?

Even this early in the game, Apple Watch is helping add to Apple’s bottom line.

Reuters reported Thursday (June 18) that the new smartwatch has logged sales of nearly 3 million units since its April launch. That data comes from Slice Intelligence, and upon an initial interview with Reuters, the research firm stated that of those buyers that walked away with the device, roughly 17 percent bought at least one extra band to complement the model they bought.

Slice said its data stems from email receipts for 2 million U.S. shoppers. And of that tally, 20,000 users bought an Apple Watch, and their receipts were in turn analyzed by Slice.

Reuters noted that bands may be proving especially profitable. The entry level band retails for $49, but costs only $2.05 to make, according to tech research firm IHS. That analysis does not include packaging, and thus may not reflect the full cost of the item (or profit).

Slice reportedly told Reuters that the firm’s data syncs closely with data from both the Department of Commerce and Amazon. And, Slice noted, popular additional band purchases center on the standard black band, but also the $149 Milanese loop, an upscale purchase that suggests many consumers are pairing a practical sport band with a more luxurious option to make the watch more versatile, said Kanishka Agarwal, Slice chief data officer.

Apple has broadened its “band presence” by offering a platform through which third-party developers can design their own bands, Reuters said in its article. Apple does not share in the revenue tied to sales of those bands, an unnamed source told Reuters, but the existence of a “stylish array” of band offerings will help boost the appeal of the watches themselves, and of course spur greater sales.

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