Apple's long-rumored 'iWatch' to go into mass production in November, analyst says
July 11, 2014
Apple's so-called "iWatch" could enter mass production in November, according to noted KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Kuo previously predicted that Apple would start production of its long-rumored smart watch in September. But now, in a new research note to investors (via 9to5Mac), Kuo is forecasting a November kickoff for the device's production.
"We have pushed back our estimated time of iWatch mass production from late-September to mid-/late-November," Kuo notes. "We also lower our forecast of iWatch 2014 shipments by 40% to 3mn units."
The analyst cites the relative difficulty of building the hardware and software of the first-generation Apple product as a reason for the postponement. "We believe developing the hardware and OS of iWatch will be a much more difficult task than for Apple’s existing products," Kuo says.
Kuo also claims that the iWatch will feature a sapphire crystal cover, a flexible AMOLED display, and higher waterproof standards than other top-line Apple devices.
Apple is expected to announce the iWatch in October. That the device is predicted to go into mass production in November suggests that, like the latest version of the Mac Pro, it may be officially released well after its unveiling.
See also: Apple Further Fuels "iWatch" Speculation As It Hires 2 Ex-Nike FuelBand Engineers, Apple's "iWatch" To Be "Swiss Made," and After Meeting With Apple CEO Tim Cook, Analyst Says iWatch May Feature Voice Messaging.
