A new Apple Watch 2 could make its debut in the summer of 2016, according to new leaks from an Apple supplier.
The original Apple Watch launched as the very first smartwatch from Cupertino and stirred mixed reactions so far. The gadget enjoyed impressive sales figures, but some still argue that it has plenty of drawbacks and Apple could have come up with a better product.
Some critics argue that it would be better to wait for the Apple Watch 2 to launch, but Apple has made no official announcement in this regard. At the same time, the company is not expected to follow a yearly launch cycle for its wearables as it does for smartphones and tablets.
The Apple Watch is not exactly the cheapest smartwatch out there and those who wanted more premium building materials likely paid quite a hefty amount for the gadget. While many consumers choose to upgrade their smartphones to the latest model every year, Apple Watch owners are not expected to do the same. For this reason, previous speculations suggested that Apple would adopt a different strategy for its Apple Watch: keep the software updated, but launch new hardware models every couple of years.
If we take into account the time when Apple announced its first smartwatch, a hardware refresh based on this theory would be due in 2016. If we take note of when the Apple Watch actually became available, following several delays, a sequel would be due later on. The Apple Watch became official in September 2014, but only hit commercial availability in April 2015.
Nevertheless, a new report out of China now claims that an Apple Watch 2 is already in the works, set to launch sooner than previously expected. Citing Quanta Computer Chairman Barry Lam, China's United Daily News reports (translated) that the second-generation Apple Watch will launch in limited quantities sometime during the summer of 2016.
As a reminder, Quanta Computer is the Apple supplier in charge of assembling the Apple Watch. During a recent investor meeting, Quanta's Barry Lam further noted that the smartwatch market will keep expanding and the Apple Watch 2 should be more successful than the existing model.
Shortly after Lam's news, the Chinese media started circulating several rumors regarding the Apple Watch 2, including an estimated retail launch near the end of the second quarter of 2016. Volume shipment, meanwhile, is reportedly slated for the third quarter of next year.
No details are currently available regarding the specs and features of the purported Apple Watch 2, but additional information will likely surface soon enough. As always in such cases, however, make sure to take all unconfirmed reports with a grain of salt.