While South Africans may have acquired the shortest straw when it comes to gadget availability after launch, Apple doesn’t really disappoint.

The local iStore has announced the newly unveiled Apple Watch 7’s pricing and availability for the region, and it’s just as expensive as you’d expect, with pricing starting from R8,500 for the base model, and going up to R15,700 for the full specced ticker.

Pre-orders are open now, and those with receipts following today will receive their Watch 7 devices from 22 October 2021.

This time around you’re getting a tiny bit more bang for your hard-earned bucks — as the 40mm variation’s been scaled up to 41mm and you get 45mm replacing 44mm. We’re also happy to see pricing’s not far off from last year’s. The Watch 6, for example, is still priced at R8,000.

The Watch 7’s actual upgrade

Apple hasn’t made many changes to the internals of its wearable hardware. There are no new sensors and you’re looking at the same functionality compared to the Watch Series 6. The big change? The screen.

Apple’s boasting about its largest display ever on a Watch, with a slightly increased size as well as skinner bezels (just 1.7mm around the edges) giving users more screen space. There’s enough real estate for the company to offer a tweaked UI, with larger buttons and up to 50% more text onscreen.

Pricing via the iStore starts from R8,500 for the GPS-only 41mm Watch 7, opt for the GPS + cellular 45mm, and you’ll pay R11,100.

The most notable difference comes in with the higher-end stainless steel case Watch 7’s, which start at R14,700 for the 41mm option. Go up to 45mm and it’ll cost you R15,700. You can, at least, swap in your previous Apple Watch for up to R4,000 if you’re so inclined.