The world may be buzzing to get a glimpse of Apple’s eagerly-anticipated iWatch, but according to sources from the “upstream supply chain” the company is unlikely to unveil its take on the smart watch Apple’s September 9 press conference.
The report, from Digitimes, also notes that despite various iWatch components already entering production, the wearable device itself is still in what is termed the engineering verification testing (EVT) stage.
After this stage is completed, the product then enters the PVT (Product Validation Test) stage of production, during which the assembly line runs at full speed to produce a small number of finished units for quality assurance purposes. Only after all faults are ironed out in the PVT stage can mass production finally begin.
What all of this means is that, seemingly affirming previous reports, it is highly unlikely that the iWatch will be available before 2015.
Although it’s not unheard of (and may even be the the rule rather than the exception) for Apple to use smoke, mirrors and an unfinished prototype when it first unveils a new product category, the fact that the company still has the option of changing the iWatch’s design between EVT and PVT might mean that it won’t want to debut the new device, since it could potentially look different to the model to be shipped.
Re/code previously reported that the iWatch (or whatever Apple calls its wearable) will be unveiled September 9 alongside the iPhone 6.
Well, just one week longer until we find out together.
Source: Digitimes
Luke Dormehl is a U.K.-based journalist and author, with a background working in documentary film for Channel 4 and the BBC. He is the author of The Apple Revolution and The Formula: How Algorithms Solve All Our Problems … and Create More, both published by Penguin/Random House. His tech writing has also appeared in Wired, Fast Company, Techmeme and other publications.
