What Went Wrong: Apple Watch Series 7 Rumors Edition

[dannyyankou]

Love that Prosser was proven wrong. I can't stand him, his smugness, or his videos. I can't even stand his video thumbnails.

If this means Apple is cracking down on at least some leaks a little better, I'm all for it. I, for one, like some surprises.

OK agreed, but on the other hand Mark Gurman got it wrong as well. He’s usually as reliable as it gets.

 

[The Game 161]

I 100% feel this was a last minute decision, for a few reasons:

1. The jump cut to the watch section of the keynote from the iPad suggests that section was reshot.

2. The sketchy ‘available later this fall’ suggests Apple don’t even know when this watch is going to be ready, it probably hasn’t entered mass production yet.

3. It uses all the same internals pretty much from the Series 6, so only a small amount of testing will be required.

4. The display being further away from the OLED panel is a bit sus… wouldn’t Apple do they’re usual thing of getting the display as close to the panel as possible.

5. All leakers were singing from the same hymn sheet leading up the event.

6. The reports of issues with production due to the complete new design just don’t tally up… so what issues could Apple have had getting last years internals to work in what is basically the exact same externals as last years watch… seems really dodgy.

Agreed

this was clearly not what apple was expecting they had to do. Rumour is production won’t start for at least two weeks…

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

I mean you do have to admit that the series 7 is definitely odd.
Same exact model number as series 6.
Same exact processor as series 6.
Same exact battery as series 6
Almost no actual specifications on Apple‘s website.
Coming “later this fall.”
Even last year September event had The iPad Air which Apple said would be coming “in October.”
But for the Apple Watch series 7 with the exact same processor, battery, model number, pricing, same everything, we just got a vague “later this fall.”
Absolutely bizarre, which is why I’m leaning towards something happening in mass production quite late and them having to make some last-minute changes.
Hell, we heard details about the S7 chip… which turned out not to exist, and we even heard that the series 7 would have a laminated Display, when actually the gap between the glass and the OLED actually got bigger between the series 6 and seven.
Weird weird weird

 

[redman042]

Here's what I think happened:

About 9 months ago (maybe longer), the design team laid out their final design alternatives for the redesign of the Apple Watch. Tim Cook took one look at the flat-edged option and proclaimed "this looks cheap, especially in Titanium". He rejected it and went with the curved one that was announced. The flat-edged one was subsequently tested in the factory for a bit just to get any potential leakers to expose it to the reporters. That worked very well.

IMO the flat-edged design does look cheap, and would be especially out of place in an Edition watch. I think the new design announced Tuesday is here to stay for at least a few years, and that's a good thing.

As for the production delays and vague product announcement, well, we are in a worldwide pandemic. This has messed up everything, especially the availability of new gadgets. Apple can mitigate it to some extent but they are not immune.

 

[Nozuka]

Still a bit confused if i want to upgrade or not. But looks like i have plenty of time to find out

 

[Marco Klobas]

It was definitely a last-minute change. And the proof of this is an Apple’s phone series 7 introduction video where accidentally they showed the new watch design on a swimmer. You can see it for a few seconds.

I'm not sure: it seems similar at the end of the clip. At the beginning it's not, though. Maybe an underwater flatten visual trick?

I've extracted the frames and slowed down a little bit:

 

[cmaier]

The flat edges looked terrible anyway, I'm glad those rumors were false.

I didn’t mind them so much but the speaker grill looked like ass.

 

[cmaier]

I 100% feel this was a last minute decision, for a few reasons:

1. The jump cut to the watch section of the keynote from the iPad suggests that section was reshot.

2. The sketchy ‘available later this fall’ suggests Apple don’t even know when this watch is going to be ready, it probably hasn’t entered mass production yet.

3. It uses all the same internals pretty much from the Series 6, so only a small amount of testing will be required.

4. The display being further away from the OLED panel is a bit sus… wouldn’t Apple do they’re usual thing of getting the display as close to the panel as possible.

5. All leakers were singing from the same hymn sheet leading up the event.

6. The reports of issues with production due to the complete new design just don’t tally up… so what issues could Apple have had getting last years internals to work in what is basically the exact same externals as last years watch… seems really dodgy.

Overall, I feel the squared off design was either scrapped completely last minute or shelved until the S8, as the production issues with the complete redesign would have delayed it far too much… so Apple just took the displays (which were already produced) slammed them on the current chassis which was marginally altered to fit the new display and launched it, the reason being is the displays were ready and the 41mm and 45mm bands had already been massed produced which would have just been a complete waste of production and resources.

This is how qanon got started.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

The watch isn't a "peculiar release." Everything this year was really an S release.

S releases usually have a new processor. In fact, that’s usually what they’re focused on.
Series 7… doesn’t.

 

[Serban55]

I mean you do have to admit that the series 7 is definitely odd.
Same exact model number as series 6.
Same exact processor as series 6.
Same exact battery as series 6
Almost no actual specifications on Apple‘s website.
Coming “later this fall.”
Even last year September event had The iPad Air which Apple said would be coming “in October.”
But for the Apple Watch series 7 with the exact same processor, battery, model number, pricing, same everything, we just got a vague “later this fall.”
Absolutely bizarre, which is why I’m leaning towards something happening in mass production quite late and them having to make some last-minute changes.
Hell, we heard details about the S7 chip… which turned out not to exist, and we even heard that the series 7 would have a laminated Display, when actually the gap between the glass and the OLED actually got bigger between the series 6 and seven.
Weird weird weird

inflation is sky high...Apple kept the same prices for all new devices..so this Q4 and Q1 2022 will be a major profit for them
Next year, it will be a different thing

 

[Art Mark]

Do not underestimate the issues attached to the lack of chips and manufacturing that is going on. I would bet...some things were pushed as they couldn't get changes manufactured on time and in great enough numbers. The chip shortage - and not just chip but fabrication manufacturing, is affecting almost every company. I think Apple played a safe card since they wouldn't get redesigns into manufacturing lines and get to quality in time.

 

[tgwaste]

This article says "Improved battery life". When did Apple say that? They said "The same all day battery life". No improvement there.

S7 sucks. hard pass.

 

[DrwMDvs]

If you look at all of the Apple Watch series changes over the years, it looks pretty clear that they are on a 4 year cycle for major changes.

https://www.kenrockwell.com/apple/watch/compared.htm

Off of this data, series 8 looks like it was going to be the major change we've all expected.

 

[IsaacM]

I don't understand why Apple is making the Apple Watch even more "round" edged. It is non-cohesive to their new "sharp edge" design philosophy including the iPhone, iPad and Mac.

 

[Psychicbob]

I choose to believe that Apple scrapped the design last minute. I can't remember the last time they announced something and didn't announce a release date.

It's not unreasonable to think that they had this backup plan in case something went wrong which is why they started manufacturing this late. Yes industrial design takes a long time but it's also not uncommon to have multiple designs in the works in case that things don't work out. Using the existing chassis for a larger screen is a simple and effective backup plan and I think that's exactly what happened.

Nice job by Max Tech. Apple Watch - Fudge version, coming soon to an Apple Store near you.

 

[tgwaste]

How was Prosser listed as a reliable source?

I dunno. That iPad mini leak sure was reliable. Thankfully as its the best new product they announced.

 

[TSE]

What went wrong is leakers need to go get a hobby and perhaps a purpose in life! What a waste! Prosser, you especially! Calling you out big boy!

 

[jz0309]

"...Of course, we'll never know for certain what happened..."

How can the Macrumors writer make such a statement? It is possible that the details will come out in a future book or via other means from someone involved in the situation.

Tim Cook’s memoirs?
Or an ATV+ shoe?
LOL

 

[James Godfrey]

Agreed

this was clearly not what apple was expecting they had to do. Rumour is production won’t start for at least two weeks…

Yeah I have heard rumours of this too… this may not even get to users til just before Christmas… or if covid proper strikes it out we could have another Air Power on our hands lol

 

[cmaier]

This article says "Improved battery life". When did Apple say that? They said "The same all day battery life". No improvement there.

S7 sucks. hard pass.

I have an S4, and I’d consider the S7 if the screen is truly much brighter when wrist is down. I’ll have to see it in person, though. S6 was far too dim to be useful to me.

 

[NufSaid]

No reason to upgrade for me - if there were new abilities but the screen, which I haven’t seen of course, doesn’t seem like it would make a difference.

I love the 6 over the others because of the always on.

 

[bryanck]

The mocks of the rumor watch were really cheap looking. Glad the rumors were wrong! I actually think the iPhone 11 looks more premium than the 12/13 as well.

 

[dca100]

It is a bit disappointing not to see a new design. But I'm going to buy this to ug from my AW S5. The elimination of the bezels does it for me. Frankly this should have been introduced with S6. Then I'll move to the S9 in a couple of years.

 

[Lemon Olive]

Alternatively, but highly unlikely, is that Apple made last-minute design changes to the Apple Watch due to production issues. Two weeks before the Series 7 was announced, a report revealed that Apple and its suppliers were struggling to reach "satisfactory" quality levels of the device during "small-scale" production.

This isn't highly unlikely, I think it is exactly what happened. Rumors from reliable sources are never this wrong. The product existed, and was scrapped at some point very recently. Coupled with this indeterminate delay, there is every reason to believe that Apple scrambled at the last minute to make the new display work with the existing Apple Watch.

 

[aforty]

I mean you do have to admit that the series 7 is definitely odd.
Same exact model number as series 6.
Same exact processor as series 6.
Same exact battery as series 6
Almost no actual specifications on Apple‘s website.
Coming “later this fall.”
Even last year September event had The iPad Air which Apple said would be coming “in October.”
But for the Apple Watch series 7 with the exact same processor, battery, model number, pricing, same everything, we just got a vague “later this fall.”
Absolutely bizarre, which is why I’m leaning towards something happening in mass production quite late and them having to make some last-minute changes.
Hell, we heard details about the S7 chip… which turned out not to exist, and we even heard that the series 7 would have a laminated Display, when actually the gap between the glass and the OLED actually got bigger between the series 6 and seven.
Weird weird weird

This. Absolutely ridiculous for people to think this was planned all along.