Generally speaking, Apple doesn't believe in discounts. Save for its back-to-school and stingy Black Friday sales, Apple's devices cost a certain price, and that's the price you're going to pay if you want to buy direct from the source.

That's why a promotion spotted by a MacRumours reader is particularly interesting. Apple has confirmed to the site that it is offering a bundle deal with the Apple Watch. If you buy an Apple Watch or Apple Watch Sport alongside any new iPhone, you'll save $50. That's certainly a modest discount — even if you get the cheapest iPhone and Watch available, we're talking about a savings of roughly six percent — but it's notable for a company like Apple that's so stingy with sales.

Outside of Black Friday, an Apple discount is like a double rainbow

It seems Apple is just testing this bundle deal for now to see if it can make any noticeable boost to Apple Watch sales. An Apple representative confirmed to MacRumours that the deal is currently valid in stores only. And even then, it's only at a handful of locations around the Bay Area and Boston from October 30th through November 15th. If the promotion goes well, it's certainly seems possible Apple could expand it across the country.

The deal will undoubtedly raise suspicions about how Apple Watch sales are going. Apple, as expected, has largely kept mum on the topic, though quarterly earnings suggest that the Apple Watch brought in over a billion in revenue in Q3.

It's likely that Apple is testing the waters to see how the Watch fares when billed more strongly as a natural companion to the iPhone. We all know Apple sells its smartphones in spades; if it can convince consumers that they're missing the true experience unless they get the Watch, too, then the it might be well worth the $50 loss per sale.

Bay Area: Burlingame, Chestnut Street, Corte Madera, Hillsdale, San Francisco, and Stonestown locations.

Boston: Boylston Street, Burlington, CambridgeSide, and Chestnut Hill locations.