Reuters reports that new data from digital commerce firm Slice Intelligence estimates Apple has sold 2.79 million Watches in the nearly two months since its release. The firm, which tracks email receipts, previously estimated there were around 1 million Apple Watch pre-orders on April 10.
The report claims that about 17 percent of those Apple Watch customers proceed to spend hundreds of dollars on extra bands for the smartwatch, enabling Apple to make a profitable double dip into customers’ wallets. While the Sports Band starts at $49, for example, technology research firm IHS estimates the 38mm fluoroelastomer band costs Apple just $2.05 to make.
IHS’s estimate does not include the cost of packaging and shipping, and the cost of materials could be more expensive than the company estimates, however it is clear that Apple makes a quite nice bit of profit on each spare band it sells.
Apple kicked off Personal Pickup of the Apple Watch for in-store pickup of online orders earlier this week, and it is preparing for a second wave launch of the wearable device in Italy, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland and Taiwan on June 26.
