Taiwan-based publisher DigiTimes is reporting that Apple is stepping up its orders for the parts that will make up the second-generation Apple Watch, with shipments expected for the third quarter of the year, around same time as iPhone 7 launch. Rumors of an Apple Watch refresh have been around for a while now, with some suggesting that Apple’s next wearable will be an ‘S’ upgrade rather than a major redesign. The latest to come out of the supply chain suggests that Apple will replace its current Apple Watch with an updated version towards the end of 2016.
Sources claim that Apple will be in a position to receive around 2 million units per month, which is considered an “aggressive” rollout given the apparently disappointing performance of the original Apple Watch model by Apple’s standards, which went on sale in April of 2015.
Apple is clearly keen to double down on the concept of the wearable, though, and as watchOS 3 showed when announced during Apple’s opening keynote for WWDC this past Monday, the company is working hard behind the scenes to ensure the smartwatch is a much better proposition for buyers in 2016.
DigiTimes’ history with these kinds of things is spotty, with some successes mired by claims that simply did not come to fruition. That being said, there is little doubt that Apple is going to release a new and updated Apple Watch towards the end of 2016, likely to coincide with iPhone 7 and the release of watchOS 3, of course.
If the current beta releases follow the same pattern as those for the iPhone and iPad, September or October could be a good bet for an eventual Apple Watch announcement.
The new Apple Watch is expected to feature more capable hardware that will allow apps and the like to run more quickly than the current hardware, a camera for FaceTime, and new color options with improved watch bands also likely to be part of the announcement, whenever that may be.
(Source: DigiTimes)
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