LTE Apple Watch will keep current form factor, be offered alongside standard versions
Noted KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo on Monday weighed in on Apple's upcoming Apple Watch release, affirming recent reports of LTE cellular connectivity and dispelling rumors that the device will sport a new form factor.
In a note to investors obtained by AppleInsider, Ming-Chi Kuo says LTE connectivity will be the standout feature for this year's Apple Watch revamp. The prediction is consistent with reports earlier this month that claimed Apple planned to build cellular connectivity into its wearable with a product launch later this year.
Initial integrations might be restricted, however, as Kuo notes technological and commercial limitations could negatively impact device capabilities. Of note, the new LTE model will not support 3G communications and will only support LTE in "specific" countries and markets. Apple's domestic U.S. market is likely a contender for inclusion, as is China, though the analyst failed to elaborate on regional availability.
Apple's next-generation Watch is not expected to get a design revamp to along with LTE connectivity, meaning the device will boast the same 38mm and 42mm rounded square design first debuted in 2015, Kuo says.
Earlier this month, blogger John Gruber, claimed an all-new form factor would arrive alongside LTE support. Gruber later updated hedged his bets, saying the information originated from an "unconfirmed little birdie."
With the rollout of a dedicated LTE model, shipments of the new Apple Watch models will reach 8 to 9 million units in the second half of 2017, Kuo estimates, with the cellular version accounting for 35 to 40 percent of sales. Overall, the analyst forecasts fiscal 2017 sales between 17.5 and 18 million units, up 70 percent year over year.
Looking ahead, Kuo sees potential growth in a major form factor change, though it is not clear when the redesign will debut. Other growth drivers include FDA approvals for advanced medical and health functionality and the development of 5G cellular technology.
Apple is rumored to be working on a number of new Watch features including a non-invasive glucose monitoring solution, widely viewed as a holy grail of modern medical technology.
In a note to investors obtained by AppleInsider, Ming-Chi Kuo says LTE connectivity will be the standout feature for this year's Apple Watch revamp. The prediction is consistent with reports earlier this month that claimed Apple planned to build cellular connectivity into its wearable with a product launch later this year.
Initial integrations might be restricted, however, as Kuo notes technological and commercial limitations could negatively impact device capabilities. Of note, the new LTE model will not support 3G communications and will only support LTE in "specific" countries and markets. Apple's domestic U.S. market is likely a contender for inclusion, as is China, though the analyst failed to elaborate on regional availability.
Apple's next-generation Watch is not expected to get a design revamp to along with LTE connectivity, meaning the device will boast the same 38mm and 42mm rounded square design first debuted in 2015, Kuo says.
Earlier this month, blogger John Gruber, claimed an all-new form factor would arrive alongside LTE support. Gruber later updated hedged his bets, saying the information originated from an "unconfirmed little birdie."
With the rollout of a dedicated LTE model, shipments of the new Apple Watch models will reach 8 to 9 million units in the second half of 2017, Kuo estimates, with the cellular version accounting for 35 to 40 percent of sales. Overall, the analyst forecasts fiscal 2017 sales between 17.5 and 18 million units, up 70 percent year over year.
Looking ahead, Kuo sees potential growth in a major form factor change, though it is not clear when the redesign will debut. Other growth drivers include FDA approvals for advanced medical and health functionality and the development of 5G cellular technology.
Apple is rumored to be working on a number of new Watch features including a non-invasive glucose monitoring solution, widely viewed as a holy grail of modern medical technology.
Comments
Yeah thinner would be nice. But it’s thinner than my friends’ big guy watches. Plus, had you got onboard with the first one, you’d have had 3-4 years of use from this form factor before a thinner one comes out.
Is there such a program for ipads, iphones, or macs? All cost more.
The LTE cat-m (or cat-0 depending how much bandwidth they want in there) can do peer to peer connections to talk directly to your phone when close instead of via network and cloud. It would seem redundant to me to have both wider range radios drawing power when the data being pushed will be low bandwidth. Even Cat-m has been shown to have enough capacity to hold a voice call.
LTE is awesome, but the older devices have low build quality, bad cosmetics and were designed with wrong decisions about features vs battery (including restrictions on real backgrounding rather than managing third-party energy use from their kernel).
I'm fine with my Series 2 stainless steel AW.
It's LTE that I have yet to have found a direct need for. There are surely benefits, like being able to stream music which are sent to BT headphones on a run, but, for me, that's about the only thing I've considered using it for, and even then I'm not sure I'd buy it for that.