Since the Apple Watch is now officially one year and three months old, tech buffs believe that the smart wearable is already antiquated and that an update to the device is long overdue.
If the rumors are on target, it looks like the latest iteration to the American tech giant’s smart wearable would be coming out in less than one week’s time as the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2016 would officially kick off on June 13.
There have been plenty of rumored features and capabilities of the Apple Watch 2 and the among those which sparked great interests on the internet are speculations that the smart wearable will have expanded Wi-Fi abilities and a wrist-mounted FaceTime camera, reports Gizmodo of UK.
Given that the WWDC 2016 event is meant for developers, it is also expected that Apple would be launching its WatchOS 2 which would be the operating system of its Apple Watch 2. In order for Apple to present the new mobile watch OS, it is imperative that it introduces the Apple Watch 2.
Limited stock after launch
There are also reports saying that when the Apple Watch 2 is launched this month, it shall only have limited stocks available for the second quarter, which indicates that the device could possibly be officially released to the retail markets in the third quarter of this year or starting in July onwards.
The second iteration of the Apple Watch will reportedly have more variants other than the Sports, Steel, and Edition models that were made available for the first Apple Watch, notes Macrumors of UK.
Reports also have it that Apple Watch 2 could feature advanced bands or new materials including tungsten, palladium, titanium, or even platinum.
However, Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities, a reputable Apple analyst, said in April that Apple Watch 2 might not actually adopt a new design and instead only internal upgrades will be made including possible incremental specs improvements to its hardware but very minor changes in its exterior look.
Thinner than its predecessor
Apple shall be holding the WWDC 2016 on June 13 at the Moscone Center in downtown San Francisco as well as at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium about a mile away.
According to the latest rumors, Apple Watch 2 shall be 20% to 40% thinner than its predecessor but other than the thickness, there would be no drastic changes on the upcoming device compared to the Apple Watch that was launched in March last year.
Ming Chi-Kuo said that Apple fans should not be expecting big design overhaul for the upcoming Apple Watch 2.
The Apple Watch will reportedly adopt the same upgrade cycle as the iPhone and shall also feature an S model that shall highlight hardware updates to be released in alternate years to the major developments.
With that being said, Ming Chi-Kuo said that Apple Watch 2 will come with minor design changes but will boast of brand new specs underneath.
The Apple Watch 2 shall also be capable of recording video that could be embedded into the top bezel, allowing wearers to answer calls from their wrists.
Contrary to reports that the Apple Watch was a flop, the American tech giant has reportedly shipped 12 million units of the wearables from March last year until last month.
That actually puts pressure on the Apple Watch 2, which means that it needs to ship at least 12 million units to match its predecessor in terms of sales.
It is likely that the Apple Watch 2 will have the same function as the Apple Watch as it relates to car warning systems. The feature alerts users to health issues before they become too serious.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said if people think about some of the society’s biggest problems and challenges, they would rather focus on something that has to do with health.