CNBC: new Apple Watch with LTE coming this fall alongside iPhone 8

Apple Watch Series 3 with LTE cellular connectivity as its key new feature will be announced alongside iPhone 8 and potentially other new hardware at an Apple media event in September, an unnamed source with knowledge of the matter told CNBC Tuesday morning.

Yesterday, a supply chain report claimed the new watch would arrive some time in the fourth quarter. Although prior rumors speculated Apple could redesign the device’s form factor, that may not be the case—according to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the next Apple Watch will not sport form factor changes and will look similar to the existing lineup.

LTE cellular connectivity should be the main selling point, allowing users to take and receive phone calls via their carrier’s cellular network, use apps like Twitter and Instagram and more, without the need for a paired iPhone.

The device is expected to provide improved battery life due to the use of Apple’s power-sipping third-generation “S3” chip. Other reports have suggested that Apple Watch Series 3 may switch to micro-LED display technology with a glass-film touch screen.