Apple Watch to be in stores this month

Apple said Thursday that in about two weeks people should be able to walk into the company's real-world shops and buy an Apple Watch.

The smartwatches were unveiled in April but have thus far only been available for purchase at Apple's online store and select luxury boutiques.

While the tech giant has yet to release sales figures, demand for the watches has resulted in a backlog of orders.

"The response to Apple Watch has surpassed our expectations in every way," Apple senior vice president of operations Jeff Williams said.

Williams added that most Apple Watch orders placed in May should be shipped within two weeks, at which time some models will become available in Apple retail stores.

Apple Watch will also become available in Italy, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland and Taiwan on June 26.

Apple Watch is currently available in Australia, Britain, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, and the United States.

The watch connects wirelessly to a user's iPhone for messaging, calls and apps, with prices ranging from $349 for a low-end model to a limited edition gold version costing $10,000.