Apple Watch Series 9 comes out Friday, but you still can’t buy the Magnetic Link band [U]

Update: Three days after Apple Watch Series 9 hit stores, Apple has opened up orders for Magnetic Link bands. They start shipping near the end of next month.

Here’s a bit of a mystery: it’s the eve of Apple Watch Series 9 launch day, and you still can’t order the new Magnetic Link band.

The product page has been live since the September 12 event ended, but it still shows up as unavailable. If you try to configure an Apple Watch Series 9 with the Magnetic Link when ordering, the checkout flow stops and says to “check back later for availability.”

Apple announced the new Magnetic Link band last week during the Apple Watch Series 9 event. The strap replaces the Leather Link band as Apple moves from leather goods to its new FineWoven material. Despite the name difference, the Leather Link was just as magnetic.

Apple describes the Magnetic Link band as soft and “suedelike” on its website. It comes in three colors: Pacific Blue, Taupe, and Evergreen. It comes in S/M and M/L sizes for 41mm and 45mm watches.

Amazon lists the Magnetic Link as available to pre-order ahead of release tomorrow like the other new band styles. However, that will probably update tomorrow unless Apple opens orders as well.

Presumably, the new band just hasn’t been produced early enough to meet the Apple Watch Series 9 launch. Modern Buckle, another leather strap that has moved to FineWoven, has not faced delays.

Band availability at launch has always been somewhat of an issue for the Apple Watch for at least a few straps. Last year, it happened with one color of one of the three strap styles for Apple Watch Ultra.

When the original Apple Watch launched, the original style of Leather Link, called Leather Loop, was also sold later than other bands. You could still order it, just not for day one. That influenced my decision to go Classic Buckle instead.

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