It’s been more than 15 months since Apple released the first Apple Watch in April 2015. The wearable device badly needs an upgrade going into the crucial holiday shopping season. Rumors suggest that the next-gen Apple Watch 2 would finally arrive alongside the iPhone 7 in September. After the not-so-great sales of the original Apple Watch, will the new one be what Apple fans really want?
Apple expects solid demand for the next Apple Watch
Apple seems confident that its new wearable device will sell like hot cakes. According to Digitimes, the Cupertino company has significantly ramped up component purchases for the Apple Watch 2. The publication adds that production is set to begin in the third quarter, and suppliers will be shipping 2 million units every month. It sure indicates that Apple is expecting a strong demand for the second-generation Apple Watch.
Supply chain rumors suggest that the new wearable device will boast of cellular connectivity, removing its reliance on the iPhone for even simple tasks. It could also sport a FaceTime camera, built-in GPS, expanded WiFi capabilities and new bands. Other expected features include the usual hardware upgrades – better, faster and slimmer.
All eyes will be on Apple Watch 2’s battery life
Though users would love cellular connectivity, it could bring its own set of problems. For instance, as Adrian Kingsley-Hughes of ZDNet points out, cellular consumes a lot of power. The current Apple Watch packs a 205mAh (in 38mm model) battery and 250mAh (in 42mm) battery that lasts about a day. By comparison, LG Urbane 2nd edition with cellular connectivity features a 570mAh battery, still users complain about poor battery life.
It would be interesting to see how Apple manages to maintain the day-long battery life with cellular connectivity. The company may improve the efficiency of its hardware components to enhance the battery life. Another way is to let the Apple Watch 2 use your iPhone’s cellular connection when it is in range.
