Supply chain expects 2nd-gen Apple Watch in September or October
Apple's supply chain is reportedly expecting the second-generation Apple Watch to debut sometime in September or October, although the company may not be planning a huge launch for its next wearable.
Suppliers are so far seeing "rather conservative" orders for the new model, DigiTimes claimed on Tuesday. The site -- which has a mixed record covering Apple hardware -- didn't say exactly how many units Apple has in mind, or which suppliers are handling the product.
The launch of the original Watch in April of 2015 was a highly-anticipated event, creating an intense crush on Apple's supply chain as it tried to keep up with demand. For this reason, sales during the first few months were almost exclusively online.
Since then, however, sales may have fallen substantially. IDC estimates suggest that while Apple still controls the smartwatch market, its June-quarter sales fell to 1.6 million this year versus 3.6 million a year ago. Actual sales are unknown, as Apple has chosen not to announce them.
Parts makers haven't been turning much of a profit from the Apple Watch, much less rival smartwatches, according to DigiTimes. It's speculated that the smartwatch market won't drive growth as much as some suppliers had anticipated.
Very little has been rumored about the second-gen Apple Watch. While it will presumably get a faster processor and better battery life, other rumored features -- like built-in cellular or GPS -- are uncertain.
One report from over a year ago claimed the next Apple Watch will look exactly the same as the first-generation model, though it was said it will sport a larger battery and a new display that improves outdoor visibility.
Suppliers are so far seeing "rather conservative" orders for the new model, DigiTimes claimed on Tuesday. The site -- which has a mixed record covering Apple hardware -- didn't say exactly how many units Apple has in mind, or which suppliers are handling the product.
The launch of the original Watch in April of 2015 was a highly-anticipated event, creating an intense crush on Apple's supply chain as it tried to keep up with demand. For this reason, sales during the first few months were almost exclusively online.
Since then, however, sales may have fallen substantially. IDC estimates suggest that while Apple still controls the smartwatch market, its June-quarter sales fell to 1.6 million this year versus 3.6 million a year ago. Actual sales are unknown, as Apple has chosen not to announce them.
Parts makers haven't been turning much of a profit from the Apple Watch, much less rival smartwatches, according to DigiTimes. It's speculated that the smartwatch market won't drive growth as much as some suppliers had anticipated.
Very little has been rumored about the second-gen Apple Watch. While it will presumably get a faster processor and better battery life, other rumored features -- like built-in cellular or GPS -- are uncertain.
One report from over a year ago claimed the next Apple Watch will look exactly the same as the first-generation model, though it was said it will sport a larger battery and a new display that improves outdoor visibility.
Comments
New Watch - Yawn
Come on Apple where are the Mac's? Stop fiddling and get some decent products out. There are people with money to spend if you do a decent job on the upgrades/redesign.
Yawn all you want to. The Mac is yesterday's news. Just sticking a faster processor and a fancier screen, and adding back some legacy ports in a Mac is NOT innovation. Mobile and wearable is where the real money is. Mac and PC sales are declining not because of the lack of innovation. They are declining because people don't need them anymore.
Sure Apple has been and will continue to be dinged by IDC. I am looking forward to IDC announcing it found 1 million Android Wear watches hidden in India similar to how it find millions of white box Android tablets a few years ago. I am also looking forward to IDC reporting Apple Watch market share dropping below 40% while Android Wear market share increases.
Mac's and PC's are just lasting longer before they are "too slow" and there aren't any real good reasons to upgrade until something stops working. No one is really innovating except video chip makers, Mac's and general use PC's are just stuck in a crappy "evolutionary" cycle.
They are still very much needed, just not being replaced every 3 years or less like some people are used to seeing. People who know anything are actually starting to class them as highly durable goods that could live beyond 5-7 years of use and adjusting accordingly. Everyone else still thinks iPads can do everything and are somehow replacing them despite the iPad not being able to provide a complete work cycle like a desktop or laptop.
If Apple sold 12M in one year, What the hell else will they sell parts for that gives them that much money? $100 cell phones with generic parts with 100 competitors?
If their profit margins are too low and can't make much money, it's on them, not Apple.
This "news" is 5% info, 95% bullshit.
Because they are fucking stupid. There can be no other explanation.
- GPS to close feature gap for the fitness functions related to any outdoor activity. There are surely some not purchasing AW for this reason. Apple could have some clever ways to reduce battery impact (e.g. not utilize this much when connected via BT with phone)
- Cellular data means that you can head out, without your phone, and still stay in touch (fitness, walks, quick dart to the store that takes Apple Pay, etc). Many activities beyond the "running & biking" where not having to lug the phone will be beneficial. Accurate walking directions without phone.
So for those reasons, I think these are good additions - though only when the tech is ready (so whether v2, or v3, or v4).
1. Better battery + performance improvements => optional always on watch face (lower power, and you might set it so only in that mode for certain times of day, to make it work). Such great watch faces (and more expected), but no-one really sees them unless they are standing beside you when you raise your wrist. I think many people would be more interested in an Apple Watch if it showed the watch face much more often. Then it isn't a (very functional) black slab of glass most of the time.
2. Improved water resistance. Not sure exactly how they could position it with a rating, but if AW was known/expected to withstand some "reasonable" level of water contact - what you get swimming in pool or at the beach, for a short amount of time (30mins) - then many more would consider it.
3. Faster charging. More important than getting "36 hours" (vs. say 18-24), is ability to charge faster. This would let more use it at night for sleep tracking or other health aspects. 20 minutes gets you 50% more charge as example.
4. (Much) faster Siri response.
5. Noted GPS and/or cellular functions, if tech is ready and doesn't hit battery life.
6. (Perhaps a very stretch goal / outside chance) First "smart band". Just bringing this forward would give some excitement to the market & help a few more people see the value in this market segment.
Absolutely! Don't give any information to competitors - keep all to yourself Apple. And don't give any feed for the trolls/media/blogosphere.
new macs? talk about yawn. they'll get speed CPU & GPU bumps and thats about it. what more do you expect a desktop to do? thats not their main profit driver and i get why -- my desktop is a SSD 2011 iMac, works great.
but great to see every thread has a hijacker on it. just like Ben Frost and Sogg35 or whatever. thank god one is banned and the other is blocked. guess ill be adding you before long.
1a. I give no shits for having an always-on face just to impress people, nor do I think it would improve sales if people on the bus could see the face. me talking about its value, great battery life, and showing them is much more likely to drive sales.
2. it's already got excellent water resistance. raising its rating would be great, sure.
3. I've never had a problem with charge time. I charge daily over night, but it doesn't seem to take much time on the days I forgot and charged at my desk.
4. Siri is indeed awful. I hardly use it anymore.
5. it's impossible to add more radios without hitting battery life. once they turn up the speed in watchOS 3 we can expect our surplus battery levels to drop.
6. smart bands could be cool.
Also, I would think the goal would be to eventually turn the watch into a phone. This strawman argument about surfing the web on the watch is ridiculous. It actually makes sense to reverse the roles, make the watch the phone, and then if people need a larger surface for surfing the web, carry a much smaller device that rolls, or folds up into something portable for that, which utilizes the watch radios instead.