NEWS
NEWS
NEWS
Does Apple have the time? Watch 2.0 trial production comes late in January
It looks like rumors that we’ll be getting a new Apple Watch, not even a year after the first one was released, may not hold any truth as news surfaced that trial production of the second iteration of the Apple Watch will begin at the end of January with the release happening some time in June.
According to United Daily News [via Google Translate], Quanta Computer Inc., the company that manufactured the first Apple Watch, will start production of the second generation Apple Watch later this month. The comment was made by Quanta chairman Barry Lam.
Reports also added that we could be seeing the initial release of the Apple Watch 2.0 by June and expect an increase in production by mid to late 2016.
Though this could mean a longer wait for fanboys, this delay, if you could even call it that given that Apple has yet to confirm the existence of the Apple Watch 2, could mean better features for the device, or at least we hope.
Rumored features
At the moment, most of the Apple Watch’s functions rely on its connectivity with the user’s iPhone, but rumors suggest that the next version will see more independence from the iPhone. According to 9to5Mac, this could be possible via a new Wi-Fi chipset. This will give the device some iPhone-independence, but for heavy data usage, it will most likely rely on the iPhone still.
Another feature said to be making an appearance is a camera. The addition of the camera could deliver FaceTime to the Apple Watch. This is supported by the fact that watchOS 2 has FaceTime video call support.
For the design, you can expect this version to be thinner but still sport the same squarish face. For the materials, rumors suggest that titanium, tungsten, palladium or platinum, could be used for this version. There is also talk of Apple increasing the smartwatch’s IPX7 waterproof standard to an IP67. This means the watch could be used in more activities or sports, as increasing the standard will allow it to stand dust ingress and higher water pressure, or being submerged in deeper water for a longer period.
Unfortunately, despite the improvements, it looks like the Apple Watch 2 will still have a one-day battery life, which means users will still be charging it at the end of the day, or even a few times per day, depending on usage.
Image via Apple
A message from John Furrier, co-founder of SiliconANGLE:
Support our mission to keep content open and free by engaging with theCUBE community. Join theCUBE’s Alumni Trust Network, where technology leaders connect, share intelligence and create opportunities.
- 15M+ viewers of theCUBE videos, powering conversations across AI, cloud, cybersecurity and more
- 11.4k+ theCUBE alumni — Connect with more than 11,400 tech and business leaders shaping the future through a unique trusted-based network.
About SiliconANGLE Media
SiliconANGLE Media is a recognized leader in digital media innovation, uniting breakthrough technology, strategic insights and real-time audience engagement. As the parent company of SiliconANGLE, theCUBE Network, theCUBE Research, CUBE365, theCUBE AI and theCUBE SuperStudios — with flagship locations in Silicon Valley and the New York Stock Exchange — SiliconANGLE Media operates at the intersection of media, technology and AI.
Founded by tech visionaries John Furrier and Dave Vellante, SiliconANGLE Media has built a dynamic ecosystem of industry-leading digital media brands that reach 15+ million elite tech professionals. Our new proprietary theCUBE AI Video Cloud is breaking ground in audience interaction, leveraging theCUBEai.com neural network to help technology companies make data-driven decisions and stay at the forefront of industry conversations.
