Analyst 'Channel Checks' Suggest iWatch Coming in 2014, Pricing Guessed at $199

red_ipod_nano_watchAccording to analyst Wanli Wang at CIMB Securities, as shared by The Economic Times, Taiwan based electronics manufacturers Inventec and Quanta have won contracts to produce Apple’s iWatch. Wang's supply chain sources indicate that Inventec will produce the majority of the iWatch at 60%, while Quanta will handle the remaining portion of production. The report also claims that the iWatch will sell for an average of $199 and projects shipments of 63.4 million units in the year after its launch.

"Apple is likely to introduce 'iWatch' in 2014. From our channel checks, Inventec is the major assembly source for 'iWatch', with about 60 per cent of order allocation," said CIMB Securities analyst Wanli Wang in a report.

CIMB projects 63.4 million units of "iWatch" shipments in the year after its launch with an average price of around $199, while the "iWatch" project is estimated to contribute 19 per cent of Inventec's earnings in 2014, Wang said.

Supply chain sources do on occasion offer accurate information on Apple's plans, but they are also prone to sharing incorrect or incomplete information, so their reliability is difficult to ascertain.

CIMB's pricing and unit shipments also appear to be based more on speculation and modeling than any specific information, suggesting that they should be taken with considerable skepticism.

In the past couple of months, Apple has been reportedly been ramping up its iWatch effort, hiring new employees with expertise in health sensors, including fitness expert and Nike product consultant Jay Blahnik. Apple has also been filing trademark applications on the iWatch name in a number of countries, and is reportedly looking toward a late 2014 launch for the product as it works to solve numerous technical challenges.

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Top Rated Comments

lars666 Avatar
155 months ago
It would be great if it came before samsungs. It's really sad that Apple is coming second these days.
Calm down, everybody else, I'll do the necessary typing work. Here we go: Apple also was second or later with mp3 players, smartphones and tablets ... And you see how this worked out.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
micropig Avatar
155 months ago
Going to be the most useless product I have ever seen.

So what do people predict this product will do?

You know Microsoft is looking for a new CEO...
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Chupa Chupa Avatar
155 months ago
I don't think it will start at $199. Anything more than $99 for entry and it won't sell.
The Jawbone Up is $129 and Nike Fuelband is $149. Both selling well. The iWatch will mimic the features of these bands plus a lot more so I think it's a bridge too far to suggest it won't sell at $199; it will, just not as many units as if it was $99. But I don't think Apple can make a decent product for $99 given that is the same price of the Fitbit Flex which basically does nothing on the band but show progress dots and lacks the altimeter of the other Fitbit monitors.

The Pebble is $150 and to-date that is the closest comparison to an iWatch's presumed functionality. But it's big and bulky. A sleek design has it's cost too. Engineers and engineering isn't cheap. I think at $149 it's a WOW! price. But even at $199 Apple will get enough early adopters just like it did with the iPhone and iPad to grow the product.

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$200 for a watch? are you serious? but, why am i expecting low prices from apple, my mistake:rolleyes:
No your mistake is expecting Apple to come up with some sort of complicated to use, poorly designed GUI Timex or Casio frankenwatch with price point to match.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JayJayAbels Avatar
155 months ago
The iWatch is going to be a "watch"... in the same sense as how the iPhone is just a "phone".

Fitness, health, location, responsive communication, biometrics, ecosystemic synergy and geo fencing.

It will also tell time.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
pcJmac Avatar
155 months ago
While it is true that "the early bird gets the worm", I would like to point out that it is "the 2nd mouse who gets the cheese"...
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lars666 Avatar
155 months ago
iWatch - you know you don't know yet that you need to have it!
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)