Apple swears that NO FANBOI will queue for its new gumble

Maybe disingenuous

But perhaps the reason is that few people would fork over that amount once they have actually used the apple watch, so make them desire it and order it without understanding what "it" actually is.

Ban them before they finally shrivel up and disappear all by themselves? The last few launches haven't really resulted in queues stretching for miles.

After all, who wants to stand in the street for days on end, having people come up and ask them for a lattefrappecappumochachocotino?

can't see this working

so what's going to happen?

A few weeks before the next launch (iPhone7 maybe) a small queue starts to form.

Friendly iStaff comes out and explains to them the joys of staying at home and ordering online.

Person who somehow can afford to be in line for an iThing without needing to do anything so tedious as go to work for a couple of weeks explains to the friendly iStaff that they are well aware of the online ordering, but would much rather be the 'first' person to get one.

Stays put.

Queue develops behind them.

Repeat with each new addition (to either the queue, or the iPortfolio)

The thing is, i can kind of understand from Apples point of view that they don't like having to turn people away on the afternoon of a launch due to low stock levels as a result of a crowd of oiks picking them all up as soon as the shop opens. I just can't see this tactic working, short of the iStaff going out to the queue and flat out saying, "we will not have any stock for you" which kind of defeats the point of having a shop in the first place.

They got it backwards

As stated above, the watch isn't worth the ask. Having people make appointments, etc and not allowing anyone to buy in the shop without one, will cost them sales.

New Policy: Fanboi makes an appointment, goes in, tries on shiny watch and decides, "nah, not worth the dosh.". Leaves cash in pocket and leaves. New phone stays in sales drawer collecting dust.

Old, retard way of bying iProduct: Lines of people waiting outside the shop. Doors open, fans rush in, crowd mentality takes over and everyone who can get one buys one without even touching it. Fanboi wears watch for a few weeks then realizes its rubbish and puts it in desk drawer so it can collect dust.

And people say we need more women in the technology sector?

If i'm paying a stupid amount of money for some tech I want to have a look at one, see how heavy it is etc.

I'm not buying a 50p chocolate bar.

The real reason is that Apple is eager to stymie the black market

Queuing and handing over cash, no questions asked, just plays into the hands of the Chinese smuggler gangs. To get around the "max 2 items per customer" policy they equip thousands of drones with the necessary wonga who then proceed to wait in line for days to grab the coveted iObjects.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ef_BznBwktw

Meanwhile back on Earth, El Reg are going to be reporting astronomical Apple Watch sales in a few weeks, and the Apple money-making machine will be confounding armchair economists once again. You know it's going to happen in your hearts really, don't you.

iWatch what I spend my money on...

If it works, DON'T FIX IT.

Nice. This will help punters get their lives back. Hopefully, Apple will do this for their iPhones as well. There shouldn't be a need for it with anything else, as no one stands in line to buy any of their other products.

Maybe Apple will do this for their iPhones, so that queuing punters can get their lives back. No one forms a line outside to buy Macbooks or iPads. It's rather surprising that Apple didn't sell more of those new Macbooks, but then again, not really.