The Apple Watch will apparently make its commercial debut in the "spring," according to new information, which is later in 2015 than previously stated.

When Apple officially took the wraps off its first smartwatch, the company said that the Apple Watch will hit retail in early 2015. That estimate led most to believe that the Apple Watch will become available by February - March, but the latest information now suggests that it may in fact arrive later on.

Apple Senior Vice President of Retail and Online Stores Angela Ahrendts sent a video message to Apple employees, and the folks over at 9to5Mac have obtained a transcript of that message from a source.

"We're going into the holidays, we'll go into the Chinese New Year, and then we've got a new watch launch coming in the spring," stated Ahrendts, aiming to encourage Apple employees to gear up for the upcoming holiday season.

Up until now, Apple has repeatedly stated that its Watch will ship in "early 2015," but did not specify an exact day or even month. At some point, rumors suggested that Apple may be gearing up for a Valentine's Day release for its smartwatch, but that theory seems increasingly unlikely.

If an "early 2015" release indicated that the Apple Watch would hit retail sometime within the first three months of the year, the new "spring" timeframe now signals delays. Spring officially begins on March 20 and lasts until June, but the internal memo suggests that the Apple Watch launch may be sooner rather than later. As Ahrendts states that the launch is after the Chinese New Year, which is on Feb. 19, there is reason to believe that the Apple Watch may debut in March, even if its toward the end of the month.

Based on rumors and reports so far, the Apple Watch launch delay is partly related to battery issues, as Apple is still trying to work out some kinks in the gadget's battery system.

Meanwhile, 9to5Mac further claims to have learned from sources that Apple execs are already gearing up to plan retail strategies for the new category of watches. The publication also points out that last month Apple CEO Tim Cook said that retail employees will receive training to help customers try on the Apple Watch, with different bands and sizes, which would mark the first time that Apple would allow customers to try on a product before purchase.

It remains to be seen just when the Apple Watch will officially hit retail, but Apple is expected to offer more information closer to launch. We'll keep you up to date as soon as we learn more, so stay tuned.