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Apple Watch 2 sooner than you think?
- Thread starter Mad Mac Maniac
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The iPad 4 went on sale almost 8 months after the iPad 3, with the only changes being a processor bump, better FaceTime camera, the new Lightning connector (likely the main impetus for the update). If Apple Watch is updated with iPhone next month, it would be 5 months after the previous version went on sale. And as others have pointed out, do to the manufacturing backlog at launch and the slow expansion of distribution, most Watch owners have only had theirs for a month or two.
Apple has never demonstrated that they care about the faux-anger of users complaining that they no longer have the newest version. There is currently no apparent reason to release an updated Apple Watch this quickly, especially for a company like Apple that very rarely does so. Other than the iPad 4, the only other time Apple updates a product after half a year is a Mac processor bump, but that is determined by Intel's schedule.
I'd say no way they update the watch to version 2 this fall. I don't think it will be on a fall upgrade schedule anyway as they are already rolling out iPhone and iPad then. It just doesn't make sense for them to pile up every one of their products to be released at the same time, they probably want to keep this spring to space out their production and keep some news going around the year. I do think we'll see band updates in the fall to generate interest and get in on holiday sales. I think they will do case updates but I really don't see them doing that this fast either as they are still rolling out the first models. So putting that all together I guess I say new bands this fall, new case colors next spring and then watch v2 Spring 2017. It wouldn't shock me if they did the v2 next spring either but if I had to guess I'd go with the above.
I don't see them changing anything that would affect the band connections for a while, I also don't expect it to get thinner, any advances they make in shrinking components would go to battery space and adding in functionality. I also don't think it needs to get thinner. It's thinner than my mechanical watch and I think the size and weight are great. Don't think they need to make any changes there. One direction I can see them going is maybe going with a larger version eventually, maybe a 45 mm. 42 can look small on some people and people do tend to prefer larger watches these days.
I don't see them changing anything that would affect the band connections for a while, I also don't expect it to get thinner, any advances they make in shrinking components would go to battery space and adding in functionality. I also don't think it needs to get thinner. It's thinner than my mechanical watch and I think the size and weight are great. Don't think they need to make any changes there. One direction I can see them going is maybe going with a larger version eventually, maybe a 45 mm. 42 can look small on some people and people do tend to prefer larger watches these days.
Yeah. Sorry. I could have been clearer. I meant that Apple should make the watch thinner; as soon as it can be of course.
It's a definitive no for this year! Apple Watch has not even rolled out to every country yet. New bands and colours yes, but Apple Watch 2 will be in 2016. iPad comparison is not valid. It should never have been released due to being underpowered. Apple Watch does not suffer from this.
I'm a brand new AW owner having bought my Sport Watch three days ago in an Apple Store in the UK. I resisted the (strong) temptation to go for the SS model arguing with myself that a new Watch would probably be coming along in a few months, if not a year.
When I mentioned this to the Apple Scruff (sorry, old Beatles fan) helping me he said they'd been told the the current model would be around "...for at least five years". I wish I could remember his exact words but he seemed certain that the Apple Watch we have now would not be superseded by newer models as quickly as iPhones and iPads are.
Has anyone else been given similar information by those who should know?
I still went ahead and bought the Sport AW and am very glad I did. Great to find such an enthusiastic community of AW users.
When I mentioned this to the Apple Scruff (sorry, old Beatles fan) helping me he said they'd been told the the current model would be around "...for at least five years". I wish I could remember his exact words but he seemed certain that the Apple Watch we have now would not be superseded by newer models as quickly as iPhones and iPads are.
Has anyone else been given similar information by those who should know?
I still went ahead and bought the Sport AW and am very glad I did. Great to find such an enthusiastic community of AW users.
Don't assume that Apple store employees are the ones that "should know" much of anything. Plenty of good people out there, but knowledgeable of future plans they are not.
I am thinking it will be at least a year before we see new watch hardware.
A year from now the market place will be filled with new wearables that work with both Apple and Android. Lots of really great stuff on the way. The AW will be getting a little "long toothed" in a year.
A year from now the market place will be filled with new wearables that work with both Apple and Android. Lots of really great stuff on the way. The AW will be getting a little "long toothed" in a year.
As we've seen time and time again, Apple Store employees' words are worthless.
The closest we'll get to a "new AW" this year involves rumors of new case colors (anodized yellow/rose gold-colored Sport models) and possibly new band colors.
The closest we'll get to a "new AW" this year involves rumors of new case colors (anodized yellow/rose gold-colored Sport models) and possibly new band colors.
They just started selling them at Best Buy and launched in other countries. The current form factor won't be changing any time soon. Sounds like some new finishes and sport band colors will be released soon though.
Personally speaking (a guess only) I think the current form factor will remain largely unchanged until 2017 or even 2018, however as was already mentioned above - new colours, bands, materials even an internal speed bump may appear much earlier, but the fundamental design will remain for a long while.
The earliest I could ever see Apple releasing a new watch would be fall 2016 and it wouldn't be Apple Watch 2. It will probably follow the same pattern of the phone and be Apple Watch S. Same body, just a spec bump, possibly a new feature since that seems to be the typical pattern of an "s" release. Another possibility is adding a white face watch to add another option and also match the iPhone (since it's more a companion to the phone than it is a watch.) With maybe the Apple Watch 2 in the fall of 2017.
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They tried an annual update with the iPad and look at where iPad sales are. I wouldn't be surprised if Apple decided not to do annual updates.
Which is why I said "at the earliest" for a fall 2016 update (because a lot of people think as soon as spring) for what would probably be an "s" model
As for what you quoted of me. What I meant by that is that they would go Apple Watch, Apple Watch S, Apple Watch 2, Apple Watch 2S...and so on. Not exactly every year like the phone, more the naming/model pattern they use like the phone.
I don't necessarily believe they will. But that would put it at one and a half years since launch. Spring or fall 2017 is probably more likely though.
I agree though that for how much it costs and for what it actually is, annual updates on hardware wouldn't be a popular idea for them to do. But competition may force them to, unfortunately.
Do you think they will use the "S" nomenclature? I can see your point in what they will do, but I don't know about calling it the 1s, 2, 2s etc.
The original use of the S was supposedly for speed, i.e., it was an upgrade to the cellular technology, i.e., 3gs. Now it has no real mean AFAIK
I think they will use the "s" to match it along with the phone, since it's basically an extension of the phone.
The "s" does have a meaning in all the phones so far. 3GS like you said was Speed. The 4s was for Siri (officially mentioned in an interview.) The 5s I believe was Security (Touch ID). I can only assume 6s will be Screen for Force Touch.
Other then the speed, I think apple (or people) were doing logical gymnastics to fit definitions into the "s" model
Only time will tell though if we do start seeing "S" models for the apple watch.
Other then the speed, I think apple (or people) were doing logical gymnastics to fit definitions into the "s" model
Only time will tell though if we do start seeing "S" models for the apple watch.
Tim Cook said officially the S in the 4S stood for Siri. While no official word on the 5S, it's only safe to assume based on first two "S" meaning being different each time, that the logical meaning on the 5S is Security because Touch ID was a huge security feature added to that model and the most secure iPhone to date.