Consumers in Australia flocked to Apple Inc's store in Sydney on Friday to get the world's first up-close look at the tech giant's smart-watch. The Apple Watch, CEO Tim Cook's first new major product, was available for pre-order online and to try out in stores - but not to take home. On April 24, consumers will be able to buy it online or by reservation at high-end fashion boutiques in Paris, London and Tokyo. This is the part of Apple's strategy of positioning the wearable computer as a must-have accessory. Apple Watch starts at $349 and the standard version comes in at $549 in the US. High-end "Edition" watches with 18-karat gold alloys are priced from $10,000 and go as high as $17,000.

Alexander Bock, a backpacker from Germany, stood outside the shop's towering glass facade. "I feel naked without a watch. I think I will buy the Apple watch with the sports band. I'm working very hard right now so I can buy this watch," Bock told Reuters.

Apple expects demand for the watch, which allows users to check email, listen to music and make phone calls when paired with an iPhone, to exceed availability at launch. Apple's watch is widely expected to outsell those by Samsung, Sony Corp and Fitbit that have attracted modest interest from consumers.

By Premji