If you're thinking you'll just walk into an Apple store on the 24 April and pick up an Apple Watch, think again.

Apple has confirmed to Pocket-lint that the only way you'll be able to buy an Apple Watch is online or have an assistant at an Apple Store order one online for you.

You will not, we repeat, not, be able to simply walk away with a watch after walking in from the street.

The news is likely to come as a huge shock to many Apple fans that enjoy queueing up for the latest coveted Apple device or simply decide to buy something on the spare of the moment in their lunch break.

"To provide the best experience and selection to as many customers as we can, we will be taking orders for Apple Watch exclusively online during the initial launch period," said Angela Ahrendts, Apple’s senior vice president of Retail and Online Stores. 

It also means that the longer you leave your order, the longer you'll have to wait for your watch to arrive.

After 6 hours on sale, orders in the UK are currently listed as either 4-6 weeks or June, no where near the original stated 24 April release date.

Even if you go into an Apple store or Selfridges in London on the 24 April you would simply be put at the back of the queue.

The confusion seems to have come from Apple heavily publicising the 24 April launch date, but in reality this is really only a shipping or delivery date for customers who've pre-ordered from the 10 April.

With previous launches Apple has enjoyed the media circus that surrounds its iPhone and iPad launches with thousands queuing, sometimes weeks ahead of the launch, on the streets outside the company's stores.

This time, with a "cooler" product, it looks like it is not in any way "cool" to queue.

Those that try, Apple tells Pocket-lint, will be turned away by Apple store assistants.