REPORTS: It Sounds Like Apple Will Launch The iWatch This Fall Along With The iPhone 6
Apple is expected to begin making iWatch components this month and will accelerate production in the fall, White said in a recent note from Business Insider.
White also believes the iWatch will be marketed as a companion device to the iPhone.
Rumors about Apple's purported iWatch have been circulating ever since the company's patent application for a smart wristband was published in February 2013.
At the same time, Nikkei's Yuichiro Kanematsu reports that Apple is preparing its iWatch for launch.
Apple is in the process of finalizing hardware for the watch, which will run on iOS 8, according to Kanematsu. The iWatch is also likely to feature a curved touchscreen and will focus on gathering health-related data, such as calorie consumption and sleeping habits.
Nikkei also reports that Apple plans a monthly commercial output of between 3-5 million units for its first smartwatch.
Here's White's note in full:
Growing a New Branch on the Apple Tree with the "iWatch" in September. With the theme around wearable technology at Computex this year, our research has uncovered more data points as it relates to Apple's "iWatch." Our meeting with a tech supply chain company highlighted that initial production of certain "iWatch" components is scheduled to begin later this month and there are plans for a sharp acceleration into fall. Given the trajectory of this ramp and our experience analyzing other product ramps at Apple, we expect the "iWatch" to be unveiled with the iPhone 6 in September. Since our research suggests the first iteration of the "iWatch" is more of a companion device, and thus requires a connection to an iPhone, we believe unveiling the two new devices at the same time makes sense. Although our research suggests there will be a price band for the "iWatch" (similar to other Apple products), we estimate the entry-level price could begin at approximately $199-229, making this new device very competitive with other brand-name smartwatches on the market and comfortably affordable for many consumers. Furthermore, as we make our way through Computex, our research is uncovering more evidence that the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 will launch this fall.