Apple Will Be 'Lucky' to Ship Apple Watch by Valentine's Day

Apple may not be planning to launch the new Apple Watch until February 2015 or later, according to a new report from The Information (via Business Insider). When the Apple Watch was introduced earlier this month, Apple gave a non-specific "early 2015" timeline for its release, with no additional information on when we might expect to see the device.

One person briefed by the Apple department involved in shipping the watch quipped that Apple would be "lucky to ship it by Valentine's Day." Apple has said only that the watch would ship in early 2015, and a spokeswoman did not comment for this article.

According to the report, Apple initially planned to have the watch ready to ship in time for the 2014 holiday season, but had problems finishing software development in time. Hints of a delay on the software side first surfaced shortly after the keynote, as members of the press who were invited to spend some hands-on time with the devices noted that none of the display units were running the actual operating system, Watch OS.

apple_watch_blue
Instead, the devices displayed only screenshots of various functions and while some Apple employees gave demos of functional units, reporters were not able to explore the software themselves. Apple has also opted not to divulge the battery life of the device, possibly because it is continuing to tweak the Watch OS software for the best results. Concrete information on battery life likely can't be determined until software development is finished.

Apple Watch includes several new cutting edge technologies that have not been incorporated into previous devices, including the pressure-sensitive Force Touch that can determine the difference between a tap and a press, and the Taptic Engine, Apple's unique haptic feedback vibration engine designed to deliver alerts in a subtle way.

When it goes on sale in early 2015, the Apple Watch will be available in an array of materials and with several different band options, with pricing starting at $349.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch Series 9
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)

Top Rated Comments

gugy Avatar
125 months ago
Well, that's fine. Better take the time and get it right than send it early with many issues.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
troop231 Avatar
125 months ago
Hopefully the  Watch won't bend when we tighten the band up :p
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
a2rob1 Avatar
125 months ago
Haters will find a way to bend this watch....JS
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AppleScruff1 Avatar
125 months ago
Hopefully the  Watch won't bend when we tighten the band up :p
There will be no worries about bending until versions 2 or 3 when the thinness obsession takes full effect. :D
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
miamialley Avatar
125 months ago
That thing is going to flop no matter when they release it, I'm afraid.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
redscull Avatar
125 months ago
Every generation is subpar when compared to the generation that follows it.
I don't personally find this true. The iPad 2 was a great upgrade from the iPad 1, but the first compelling upgrade from the iPad 2 was the iPad Air. The iPad 3 and 4 were simply not overall superior to the 2, not in a way that a 2 buyer would've felt like he should have waited (iPad 2 longevity shows this to be true, too).

The iPod Shuffles had some back-and-forths where Apple couldn't decide if they wanted physical buttons or not. The Nanos had a similar identity crisis with overall size and some other features.

Even iPhones are debated due to screen size increases and users who actually like smaller screens.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 15 Pro FineWoven

Apple Reportedly Stops Production of FineWoven Accessories

Sunday April 21, 2024 6:03 am PDT by
Apple has stopped production of FineWoven accessories, according to the Apple leaker and prototype collector known as "Kosutami." In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Kosutami explained that Apple has stopped production of FineWoven accessories due to its poor durability. The company may move to another non-leather material for its premium accessories in the future. Kosutami has revealed...
Provenance Emulator

PlayStation and SEGA Emulator for iPhone and Apple TV Coming to App Store [Updated]

Friday April 19, 2024 8:29 am PDT by
The lead developer of the multi-emulator app Provenance has told iMore that his team is working towards releasing the app on the App Store, but he did not provide a timeframe. Provenance is a frontend for many existing emulators, and it would allow iPhone and Apple TV users to emulate games released for a wide variety of classic game consoles, including the original PlayStation, GameCube, Wii,...
iOS 17 All New Features Thumb

iOS 17.5 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Sunday April 21, 2024 3:00 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 17.5 update for the iPhone includes only a few new user-facing features, but hidden code changes reveal some additional possibilities. Below, we have recapped everything new in the iOS 17.5 and iPadOS 17.5 beta so far. Web Distribution Starting with the second beta of iOS 17.5, eligible developers are able to distribute their iOS apps to iPhone users located in the EU...
apple vision pro orange

Apple Vision Pro Customer Interest Dying Down at Some Retail Stores

Monday April 22, 2024 2:12 am PDT by
Apple Vision Pro, Apple's $3,500 spatial computing device, appears to be following a pattern familiar to the AR/VR headset industry – initial enthusiasm giving way to a significant dip in sustained interest and usage. Since its debut in the U.S. in February 2024, excitement for the Apple Vision Pro has noticeably cooled, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in his latest Power On...
top stories 20apr2024

Top Stories: Nintendo Emulators on App Store, Two New iOS 17 Features, and More

Saturday April 20, 2024 6:00 am PDT by
It was a big week for retro gaming fans, as iPhone users are starting to reap the rewards of Apple's recent change to allow retro game emulators on the App Store. This week also saw a new iOS 17.5 beta that will support web-based app distribution in the EU, the debut of the first hotels to allow for direct AirPlay streaming to room TVs, a fresh rumor about the impending iPad Air update, and...