According to Brian White the Apple Watch 2 could be unveiled at the WWDC event in June.
White, who works for Wall Street firm Drexel Hamilton, has released a pair of notes on his expectations for the Apple Watch and iPhone.
Thinner Apple Watch 2 to be unveiled in June
The 2016 Worldwide Developer Conference will be held in June and now it appears that the next generation wearable the Apple Watch 2 may be unveiled. It looks as though the new smartwatch will be thinner than its predecessor.
Although the overall design will remain largely the same, reports claim that the new model will be between 20-40% thinner than the existing version. Other rumored changes include upgrades to hardware and features.
White says that we can expect a faster processor, as well as more RAM and storage. Apple also seems likely to release a new range of bands and straps.
Apple WWDC could provide opportunity
The annual WWDC event is predicted to take place from June 13-17 at Moscone West convention center in San Francisco.
Rumors previously claimed that production would start around Q2, so a June announcement on the device would largely make sense. Apple has not so far revealed how many Apple Watch units have been sold since its launch on 25 April 2015.
Previously it was thought that the Apple Watch 2 could have made an appearance at the “Let Us Loop You In” event in March, at which the iPhone SE and 9.7-inch iPad Pro were unveiled. However that turned out not to be the case.
The original Apple Watch was announced in early September before a late April release, so the timing would make sense.
Prior to this latest research note from White, Cowen and Company analyst Timothy Arcuri predicted a similar timeline in September 2015. Arcuri wrote that the Apple Watch 2 would launch in mid- to late-2016 and would be thinner than the first generation.
Apple slowing down release cycle for wearable
Apple has kept a tight lid on details of the new wearable. Other reports have previously claimed that it would include a FaceTime video camera and enhanced WiFi capabilities, but that has not been confirmed by the manufacturer.
Commentators have concluded that Apple is extending the Apple Watch 2 release cycle so as not to exhaust consumers. The company has marketed its wearable as a premium product, and it would be counterproductive to then tell buyers that their premium wearable has gone out of date so quickly.
This is especially true in markets such as India, where consumers were only able to buy an Apple Watch in November 2015. It would almost certainly damage the image of the product if they were forced to buy another shortly afterwards in order to have the latest model.
Brian White has followed Apple for years and currently works as Global Head of Technology Hardware & Software at institutional brokerage firm Drexel Hamilton. He used to work at Cantor Fitzgerald investment bank and Topeka Capital Markets.
As with many analysts he has had both hits and misses when it comes to predicting what Apple will do next. Among his most trustworthy peers is Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities.
In a field where many people chuck their hat into the ring with wild predictions, Kuo has remarkable form for guessing Apple’s plans. White is not quite so prolific but his record is strong and this latest prediction is backed up by other rumors.
There has been no official announcement from Apple on when it plans to release the Apple Watch 2.
