Apple is planning to release two new Apple Watch models this year, reports Ming-Chi Kuo. The noted analyst issued a note to investors on Sunday, saying he has learned that both a faster Apple Watch 1 and an all-new Apple Watch 2 are in the pipeline for the second half of 2016.
AppleInsider has the memo:
Kuo believes Apple is planning to launch two new Apple Watch versions in the second half of 2016, both of which offer moderate improvements over their predecessor. The first unit will be an iterative upgrade on the original Apple Watch and is expected to sport the same aesthetics, but with improved internals like a TSMC processor built on the 16nm process. Waterproofing should also be slightly improved.
A second version, dubbed “Apple Watch 2,” is also expected to share the same general design as current models, but will include a GPS radio and barometer for improved geolocation capabilities. A higher capacity battery will be included to power the advanced components, but its size will prohibit Apple’s usual generational device slimming.
Rounding out his predictions, Kuo says he doesn’t expect the Apple Watch to see any kind of radical design changes until at least 2018—a blow to anyone not happy with the wearable’s current aesthetics. If there is a 2017 update, he believes it’ll likely only bring LTE and modest tweaks.
Obviously the usual disclaimer for rumors applies here, but Kuo has a strong track record in predicting Apple’s product plans, so folks tend to put more weight behind his reports than most.
Source: AppleInsider