The Apple Watch 2 is expected to be a notable improvement on the original, but according to a new report Apple’s not expecting to see a big sales bump for the next-gen device.
In fact, Apple’s weaker-than-expected predicted numbers are a major reason why it opted to stick with Quanta Computer for production, rather than shifting manufacturing over to Foxconn, which builds the (much) higher volume iPhone.
The report suggests that Apple originally considered bringing Foxconn on board, but eventually decided against it since volume for the Apple Watch 2 is unlikely to be as high as some had expected. Apple has reduced its shipment forecast for the Apple Watch for 2016 from its initial estimate in the fourth quarter of 2015.
The Apple Watch 2 will allegedly enter mass production in the second quarter of this year. This chimes with recent rumors suggesting Apple’s sequel wearable is more likely to arrive in September than in March, as some were expecting.
The device is likely to retain the same size, shape and resolution as its predecessor, but will feature a larger battery, added FaceTime camera and greater independence from the iPhone. Additional high-end models costing $1,000-plus are also supposedly in the pipeline.
Looking at year-by-year iPhone numbers from 2007 to the present day, sales almost doubled each year from 2008 (the first full year the handsets were available) until 2012. While no-one smart is expecting the Apple Watch to come close to matching the iPhone in overall unit sales, it will be fascinating to see whether it follows any kind of similar trajectory.
Source: Digitimes
