Apple Watch heads to more UK retailers by way of Currys & PC World

It seems you'll soon be able to buy an Apple Watch from Currys and PC World stores across the UK. As 9to5Mac notes, the retailer is now teasing the wearable on its homepage, with the messages "Coming Soon" and "Pre-Register" in tow. If you click the banner, however, you'll be sent to a page where you can register your interest in all new Apple products -- so it's not clear exactly when the smartwatch will be available.

Regardless, the move represents a significant shift in Apple's sales strategy. When the Watch first launched, Apple was keen to promote the luxury shop it had set up in London's Selfridges department store. The company wanted the wearable to feel like a premium timepiece -- something on par with a Rolex, Omega or Breitling. You had to create an appointment just to try one on, and in its stores, Apple offered large mats where you could compare different combinations. It was a glamorous departure from the usual Apple Store experience, and set the Watch apart from its Android Wear contemporaries.

Apple still does those things, of course, but it's relaxing the rules a little bit. For instance, you don't need an appointment anymore. Soon, you won't need to be in an Apple Store (physical or online) either. Maybe that's Apple reacting to sluggish Watch sales, or maybe that was part of its plan all along. I suspect the latter. Apple wants to sell as many Watches as possible, because that's ultimately how it makes money and attracts developers. Now that it's established a "premium" image, the company is switching to full-blown sales mode. With that in mind, selling the Watch through Currys and PC World isn't surprising at all.

Update: Just like that, the Apple Watch is now available from the Currys PC World site. Only six configurations are available, starting with the 38mm Sport model at £299.