It’s a year since the Apple Watch launched, and it looks as though Apple is gearing up to announce a new, thinner sequel this Summer.
According to an analyst note obtained by MacRumors, Apple is planning to unveil its second-edition smartwatch at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in June. We’re already pretty sure that iOS 10 will be announced at WWDC, ahead of the upcoming iPhone 7 launch this Fall. There could also be new Mac hardware at the event, but a new Apple Watch would steal the show.
There’s not much information yet about potential new features, though previous rumors have suggested a FaceTime camera, better battery life and increased independence from the iPhone. What’s clear from this latest analysis is that we can expect the updated smartwatch to be 20-40% thinner than before. A classic Jony Ive move there: Apple’s chief designer is infamous for wanting his products to be smaller, thinner, sleeker. Let’s hope it’s not in lieu of other capabilities, though.
Unlike the iPhone, which is refreshed yearly, it looks as though the Apple Watch may fall into a year-and-a-bit update cycle, perhaps because consumers expect a longer shelf-life from a watch than a phone. Still, anyone who dropped $10k+ on a gold Apple Watch last year may soon find their investment is no longer cutting edge.
Remember, this isn’t official yet, so take it with a pinch of salt. It seems a likely outcome though, and we’ll be sure to keep you up to date on any further rumors leading up to WWDC.