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Apple Reportedly Targeting Q3 2014 Launch for iWatch

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macrumors bot
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Apr 12, 2001
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An alleged bill of materials for Apple's upcoming iWatch has surfaced, with supply chain sources indicating that the product will launch in the third quarter of this year, reports Taiwan's Economic Daily News [Google Translation] (via Digitimes).

iwatch-concept-nike.jpg
iWatch concept by Todd Hamilton, based on the Nike FuelBand​
​

The report claims that the iWatch itself will be manufactured by Apple supplier Quanta Computer, with Richtek Technology and TPK supplying chips and sapphire touch panels, respectively. Meanwhile, the device's processor is said to be developed by Apple, with chip production being outsourced to Samsung. In total, Apple is said to be targeting production of 65 million iWatch units by the end of 2014.

Notably, two suppliers mentioned in the report have been linked to previous stories about iWatch production, albeit with contrasting details. In November, Quanta Computer was rumored to have landed a contract to mass produce the iWatch for a Q2 2014 release, while a report this past February claimed that Apple had chosen TPK to supply flexible AMOLED panels for iWatch.

While the exact features of the iWatch are currently unknown, past rumors have indicated that the device will feature biometric sensors to track a number of health-related statistics, including sleep activity, UV light exposure, and heart rate. A "Healthbook" companion app is also said to be in the works for iOS 8, which would integrate with the iPhone and iWatch to monitor and track other health statistics.

To this point, most reports have pointed to a release later in the year for the iWatch alongside the iPhone 6 and iOS 8. A Q3 2014 release as indicated by the Economic Daily News would mean that the device could be unveiled by Apple sooner, possibly at the company's annual Worldwide Developers Conference.

Article Link: Apple Reportedly Targeting Q3 2014 Launch for iWatch
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2014/04/08/iwatch-launch-q3-2014/
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Jsameds

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Apr 22, 2008
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Although I'm not really interested in buying the product at this moment in time, my inner fanboy wants Apple to thoroughly embarrass the competition's rushed efforts in this area :cool:
 
keysofanxiety

keysofanxiety

macrumors G3
Nov 23, 2011
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Jsameds said:
Although I'm not really interested in buying the product at this moment in time, my inner fanboy wants Apple to thoroughly embarrass the competition's rushed efforts in this area.
Click to expand...

I really think this is going to be a make-or-break moment for Apple. If it's just an iPhone on a strap (essentially what the competition currently have), it won't sell and will be panned by the critics.

If it's an accompaniment to an existing product, like the Galaxy Gear is, I don't think that's a particularly great idea either. It's just another product to charge and worry about, without significantly improving on anything.

Apple's current competitors have released wristwatch products which are fairly evolutionary for a post-PC era -- that being, touchscreen on a strap. What I'm hoping for is an 'iPhone' moment -- something so bats**t futuristic and beyond anything we expected. I hope they manage to do it.
 
ChrisTX

ChrisTX

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I'm interested to see if this can out class the Moto 360. Hoping for a smart watch that actually looks like a watch. :cool:
 
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2457282

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keysofanxiety said:
I really think this is going to be a make-or-break moment for Apple. If it's just an iPhone on a strap (essentially what the competition currently have), it won't sell and will be panned by the critics.

If it's an accompaniment to an existing product, like the Galaxy Gear is, I don't think that's a particularly great idea either. It's just another product to charge and worry about, without significantly improving on anything.

Apple's current competitors have released wristwatch products which are fairly evolutionary for a post-PC era -- that being, touchscreen on a strap. What I'm hoping for is an 'iPhone' moment -- something so bats**t futuristic and beyond anything we expected. I hope they manage to do it.
Click to expand...

Totally agree. I have had no desire to purchase either pebble or galaxy gear. Not because they are not from apple, but because there is nothing compelling. As you said they are simply evolutionary. I would need something revolutionary to make me go back to wearing a watch. After years of rumors for both the iwatch and itv, I hope this really is the year for the disruption from apple in these two areas. I am ready to be impressed.
 
mtrctyjoe

mtrctyjoe

macrumors 6502
May 3, 2005
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This thing is going to need to look like a nice fashionable watch, not some dorky fitness POS. Also, no matter what type of watch I dream up in my head. I cannot imagine having one more thing buzzing and beeping in my life. I like my watch to do one simple thing, tell me the time. It will be nice to see if Apple can sway me.
 
keysofanxiety

keysofanxiety

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Nov 23, 2011
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ohbrilliance said:
Why is if that everything Apple produces must be revolutionary? We don't expect this of anybody else.
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Yes, but if Apple are going into this field -- which has already been proven to be difficult and stifled of innovation -- it better be something great. We expect this of Apple, because it's in Apple's mentality. They wouldn't go into this field unless they felt they could create something excellent.

And that is why people are expecting this to be revolutionary; because Apple are expecting it to be. They wouldn't be making a wearable product otherwise.
 
hybroid

hybroid

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Aug 12, 2010
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Apple is said to be targeting production of 65 million iWatch units by the end of 2014.
Click to expand...

That sounds like it's going to be bundled with new iPhones. No way will sell that many by end of year alone...
 
T'hain Esh Kelch

T'hain Esh Kelch

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Aug 5, 2001
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65 million watches at the end of 2014? Either they are really expecting this product to take off like nothing else they have produced, or more likely, it is bundled with all iPhones.
 
S

smiddlehurst

macrumors 65816
Jun 5, 2007
1,228
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keysofanxiety said:
Yes, but if Apple are going into this field -- which has already been proven to be difficult and stifled of innovation -- it better be something great. We expect this of Apple, because it's in Apple's mentality. They wouldn't go into this field unless they felt they could create something excellent.

And that is why people are expecting this to be revolutionary; because Apple are expecting it to be. They wouldn't be making a wearable product otherwise.
Click to expand...

The problem, of course, is that everyone has a different idea of what 'revolutionary' is. Those expecting it to be a standalone product are likely to be disappointed, primarily because of the technical limitations of the form factor. Sure, we can now put a SoC in a device this small powerful enough to provide a complete experience ala iPhone. But the limitations on screen size and power are likely to reduce it to a horrible device to actually use with a battery life measured in minutes.

I still think that to be truly revolutionary an iWatch needs to step away from that approach and embrace it's status as an add-on device. Use the iPhone / iPod Touch / iPad to do the heavy lifting, it makes way more sense anyway. A device on your wrist should basically (again, IMO) be a bunch of sensors that couldn't work on a phone. So sensors that need direct skin contact or easier views of the sky or that are used to interact with physical objects or... well you get the idea. The smartphone experience is incredible right now but it's limited to the device in your pocket and the web. Interacting with the world around us (and, indeed, us as living, breathing individuals) is by necessity limited as it spends the majority of its time in your pocket.

Of course that could all be utter cobblers! Roll on the official launch (when and if it happens) and let's see what Apple think... :D
 
dragje

dragje

macrumors 6502a
May 16, 2012
874
681
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
I'm no Apple fanboy!! :eek:

Actually....being owner of a Mac Pro (older version), two iPad's Air (one for me, one for my girlfriend) two iPhone's 5 (one for me, one for my girlfriend), Mac Mini, Mabook Pro, and a Apple TV one might think otherwise...

wel...anyway. I'm willing to buy this iWatch since I love to sport on daily basis and yes, I could consider buying other devices but this is from Apple themselves and since I own a iPhone 5 as well this makes sense to me.

:apple:

For crying out loud, now I do sound like an Apple fanboy :(
 
BMcCoy

BMcCoy

macrumors 68000
Jun 24, 2010
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3,421
It seems to me from the rumours that this device, whatever it will be called, is a movement from apple towards a health related product.

And that's a positive and interesting step. In fact, I've been surprised at how little apple has ventured into this area. I work in healthcare, and PC Windows based solutions are everywhere you can think of, and of course the problems of usability and human-computer interaction limit their integration and uptake. I've been longing for an apple style solution for integrated health records, that mirrors workflow and ease of use if paper records for years...

Anyway, I can see them marketing this wrist strap iHealth device as an integrative health monitoring device, that integrates personal metrics with environmental variables, to provide the user/wearer with real time multi source data to enable better decision making.

And that may make me interested in one.
 
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