Some Apple Watches shipping sooner than expected

A customer takes a close look at Apple Watches on display in a glass case at an Apple retail store in Beijing, Friday, April 10, 2015. AP FILE PHOTO

SAN FRANCISCO—Apple says some customers will be getting the new Apple Watch sooner than expected.

Many who ordered the new smartwatch online earlier this month were told that delivery could take a month or longer, although Apple has promised to begin deliveries Friday to those who were among the first to place orders.

But Apple Inc. is now contacting some customers who were originally told to expect a lengthy wait time and letting them know their watches could arrive sooner.

Customers who place new orders are still facing a wait of several weeks. Apple hasn’t said how many watches have been sold since it began taking orders April 10, but it’s filling orders in the order they were received. Apple is only selling the watch online, for now.