Rumor: 'iWatch' production hits snags, will not begin until Q4 2014

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited July 2014
Executives at longtime Apple supplier TPK -- thought to have been selected by the iPhone maker to manufacture touch modules for the so-called "iWatch" -- are said to have revised earlier forecasts for a profit uptick in the third quarter, pushing the expected surge back by three months in what is seen as an indication that Apple's wearable is suffering from delays.

iWatchiWatch concept by Todd Hamilton


The change was announced at a corporate conference in TPK's home country of Taiwan, according to Taiwanese newspaper UDN. The report was first noted by GforGames.

TPK has long been a primary supplier of touch components for Apple's iPhone and iPad lines, with rumors that Apple would again turn to the Taipei firm for the iWatch first appearing in February. TPK subsidiary TPK Films -- a joint venture between TPK, Japan's Nissha Printing, and Silicon Valley firm Cambrios -- was said to have been chosen to produce touch modules based on silver nanowires using a special ink made by Cambrios.

Silver nanowire touch modules can be flexible and require no additional sensors to register touches, allowing the overall package to be smaller. TPK Films is one of only a handful of manufacturers with the capability to produce such parts.

If true, it would be the latest in what appears to be a series of delays suffered by Apple's hotly-anticipated wearable device. The report does square with an earlier missive from well-connected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who suggested that production would be pushed to November.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 44
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    Here we go again, a rumor about a rumor ... Wall Street are you taking notes?
  • Reply 2 of 44

    What if the pushback has more to do with payments from Apple and accounting, not directly related to the actual delivery of parts?  

     

    What if the pushback was not for an Apple product?

  • Reply 3 of 44
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    What I dislike more than these rumours of an unannounced product rumour being pushed back is AI always using the same crappy mockup images.
  • Reply 4 of 44
    kent909kent909 Posts: 731member
    There will be no watch!!!!!
  • Reply 5 of 44
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    Sigh. It's going to be a long summer. Do rumor sites have to report every time some Asian news source translated by some no-name American tech site reports on a rumored delay of a rumored product? :no:
  • Reply 6 of 44
    And that's why we should jail all the analysts for spreading lies.
  • Reply 7 of 44
    jungmarkjungmark Posts: 6,926member
    Unannounced product with an unannounced release date is rumored to be delayed!!!
  • Reply 8 of 44
    schlackschlack Posts: 719member
    anyways, these watches won't have a huge impact on the bottom line in the near term, especially relative to the new iphone...they're mostly needed for brand image, innovation credibility, and follow through.
  • Reply 9 of 44
    mpantonempantone Posts: 2,033member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by winstein2010 View Post

     

    What if the pushback has more to do with payments from Apple and accounting, not directly related to the actual delivery of parts?  

     

    What if the pushback was not for an Apple product?


    Why would Apple have a problem with a vendor payment? They have oodles of cash, so much so that they can go on a tremendous stock buyback spree without blinking an eye.

     

    Also, Apple's credit rating is superb. They recently added some debt, but it is at a ridiculously low interest rate. Sometimes using someone else's money is cheaper than using your own cash.

     

    Next, the current federal administration recently announced that Apple was part of a select group of major companies who vowed to pay smaller vendors quickly, in an effort to keep business healthy for these smaller companies who have less wiggle room for cash shortages.

     

    It is entirely possible that the pushback is for a non-Apple product. Without a doubt, TPK is not a liberty to reveal who their customers are, but given TPK's long history as an Apple component supplier, there is a reasonable chance that such an earnings delay could be the result of a major customer such as Apple. 

  • Reply 10 of 44
    mpantonempantone Posts: 2,033member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Rogifan View Post



    Sigh. It's going to be a long summer. Do rumor sites have to report every time some Asian news source translated by some no-name American tech site reports on a rumored delay of a rumored product? image

    Page views are page views. That's all tech rumor blogs care about.

     

    Plausability and accuracy are irrelevant in places such as this. If you want the news, try sticking with old school sources like the Wall Street Journal.

  • Reply 11 of 44
    [B][I]Executives at longtime Apple supplier TPK -- thought to have been selected by the iPhone maker to manufacture touch modules for the so-called "iWatch" -- are said to have revised earlier forecasts for a profit uptick in the third quarter, pushing the expected surge back by three months in what is seen as an indication that Apple's wearable is suffering from delays.[/I][/B]

    Just from the first paragraph...

    ... thought to have been selected...
    ... so-called "iWatch"...
    ... seen as an indication...

    DED likes to hold IDC and Gartner accountable for their reporting accuracy. Will he ever do the same for AI?
  • Reply 12 of 44
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    mpantone wrote: »
    Page views are page views. That's all tech rumor blogs care about.

    Plausability and accuracy are irrelevant in places such as this. If you want the news, try sticking with old school sources like the Wall Street Journal.

    I like the chats with smart folks here but for content I'd rather read DED and PED.
  • Reply 13 of 44
    mpantonempantone Posts: 2,033member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post



    What I dislike more than these rumours of an announced product rumour being pushed back is AI always using the same crappy mockup images.

    Well then, please provide locations where better imagery can be found.

     

    After all, it's just a rumor.

     

    Besides, if any conceptual designer had a good idea about what an Apple smartphone would look like, they might actually be working in product design at some consumer electronics firm, rather than blogging Photoshopped images.

  • Reply 14 of 44
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    Executives at longtime Apple supplier TPK -- thought to have been selected by the iPhone maker to manufacture touch modules for the so-called "iWatch" -- are said to have revised earlier forecasts for a profit uptick in the third quarter, pushing the expected surge back by three months in what is seen as an indication that Apple's wearable is suffering from delays.

    Just from the first paragraph...

    ... thought to have been selected...
    ... so-called "iWatch"...
    ... seen as an indication...

    DED likes to hold IDC and Gartner accountable for their reporting accuracy. Will he ever do the same for AI?

    To be fair it is a rumor site. :D
  • Reply 15 of 44
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    mpantone wrote: »
    Well then, please provide locations where better imagery can be found.

    After all, it's just a rumor. Besides, if any conceptual designer had a good idea about what an Apple smartphone would look like, they might actually be working in product design at some consumer electronics firm, rather than blogging Photoshopped images.

    Here you go ...

    1000
  • Reply 16 of 44
    maestro64maestro64 Posts: 5,043member

    ^ Okay were thinking Crystal ball and I was thinking reading Tea leaves of the supply chain again.

     

  • Reply 17 of 44
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    mpantone wrote: »
    Well then, please provide locations where better imagery can be found.

    After all, it's just a rumor. Besides, if any conceptual designer had a good idea about what an Apple smartphone would look like, they might actually be working in product design at some consumer electronics firm, rather than blogging Photoshopped images.

    Go to google images and type in iWatch.
  • Reply 18 of 44
    mpantonempantone Posts: 2,033member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post



    Go to google images and type in iWatch.

    Perfect. Now forward your comment to the site operator.

  • Reply 19 of 44
    mpantonempantone Posts: 2,033member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by leavingthebigG View Post



    DED likes to hold IDC and Gartner accountable for their reporting accuracy. Will he ever do the same for AI?

    Maybe if he leaves AI to write for another site. But you'd never read it here...

  • Reply 20 of 44
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    mpantone wrote: »
    Page views are page views. That's all tech rumor blogs care about.

    Plausability and accuracy are irrelevant in places such as this. If you want the news, try sticking with old school sources like the Wall Street Journal.
    If only this stuff didn't generate page views (yeah I know I'm contributing to it by commenting). Who cares about some obscure Asian news source that claims a rumored Apple product is going to be delayed because of alleged comments from a rumored Apple component supplier for said rumored product. Sigh.
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