2.5-Inch iWatch with Wireless Charging and Pulse Sensor to Enter Mass Production in July

Apple's upcoming iWatch may measure in at 2.5 inches diagonally with a slightly rectangular face, reports Reuters, citing sources familiar with the product. The watch face is also expected to protrude slightly from the band to create an arch shape, and it will reportedly include a touch interface and wireless charging.

Reuters also suggests the iWatch has a sensor that monitors a user's pulse, which is just one of many sensors that may be included in the device. Rumors have indicated that the iWatch will be able to measure several different health metrics in addition to heart rate, like steps taken, sleep quality, and more.

nanowristband

Apple's 2.5-inch iPod nano in a Griffin SportCuff

A 2.5-inch screen is much larger than the size predicted in previous rumors, which suggested the device would come in 1.3 and 1.6 inch sizes to accommodate different sized wrists. 2.5-inches is the same size as the existing iPod nano, though the iWatch may be more squared than the nano.

Taiwan's Quanta Computer is currently producing a trial run of the smartwatch and mass production is expected to begin in July, in preparation for a possible fall launch. LG Display is said to be the exclusive supplier of the screen, which is in line with previous rumors.

While the watch is widely expected, the start date of its mass production and the extent of Quanta's involvement were not known until now. Mass production will start in July and the commercial launch will come as early as October, according to the source and another person familiar with the matter.

Along with providing an array of health-related information via sensors, Apple's iWatch is also expected to interface closely with the iPhone and iOS 8, providing users with at-a-glance notifications and information.

Reuters confirms that the iWatch is slated for an October release, a target launch date that was previously shared by Re/code.

Update 3:45 PM PT: Reuters has amended its original post with additional information, suggesting that while the iWatch will be able to perform some functions independently, "tasks like messaging and voice chat will require a paired smartphone." The iWatch will only be compatible with devices running iOS, like the iPhone.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 11
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)

Popular Stories

iOS 26 Feature

iOS 26.1 to iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Wednesday October 1, 2025 1:26 pm PDT by
iOS 26 was released last month, but the software train never stops, and iOS 26.1 beta testing is already underway. So far, iOS 26.1 makes both Apple Intelligence and Live Translation on compatible AirPods available in additional languages, and it includes some other minor changes across Apple Music, Calendar, Photos, and Safari. More features and changes will follow in future versions,...
iPhone 17 vs Air and Pros Feature

New iPhones See 'Stronger Than Expected' Demand With One Exception

Thursday October 2, 2025 7:26 am PDT by
Nearly two weeks after the iPhone 17 series launched, analysts at investment banking firm Morgan Stanley said demand for the devices has been "modestly stronger than we originally expected," based on a combination of extended shipping estimates on Apple's online store and information it gathered from Apple's supply chain. There has been strong early demand for the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro,...
macbook air prime day 2025

M5 MacBook Air: Release Date, Features, and Performance Predictions

Friday October 3, 2025 3:39 am PDT by
The MacBook Air is Apple's most popular laptop – a thin, fanless machine that wields quiet power thanks to the efficiency of Apple silicon. While the M4 model isn't exactly old, attention is already turning to its successor. Apple doesn't telegraph new product launches ahead of time, but we can draw a surprisingly clear picture of what to expect by looking at Apple's silicon roadmap,...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: Leaks Reveal What Apple Products Are Coming Next

Friday October 3, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
On this episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss the latest leaks about the next-generation iPad Pro, MacBook Pro, Studio Display, and Vision Pro. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos Earlier this week, an apparent unboxing video of an updated iPad Pro with the M5 chip was shared online. The same YouTube account leaked the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 chip...
Tim Cook Rainbow

Apple Event in October? Here's What to Expect

Monday September 29, 2025 9:31 am PDT by
Apple's annual iPhone event is in the rearview mirror, but rumors suggest the company plans to release a handful of additional products before the year ends. Will there be another Apple event this October? We discuss the possibility below. Apple in October Apple's most recent October events were in 2021 and 2023. In 2022 and 2024, Apple did not host an October event. Instead, it...
space black mbp

Here's Every New Apple Product That Leaked Yesterday

Wednesday October 1, 2025 8:27 am PDT by
A handful of upcoming Apple products leaked yesterday, through a combination of YouTube videos out of Russia and U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) documents that were released, despite Apple's confidentiality requests. The leaked products include an iPad Pro with an M5 chip, as well as updated MacBook Pro and Apple Vision Pro models. All of these devices had already been rumored...
Apple 2025 Thumb 1

Apple's 2025 Product Roadmap: What's Still Coming

Wednesday October 1, 2025 3:56 pm PDT by
Apple's two big yearly events, WWDC and the iPhone launch, are done and over with, but there are still some new products that we're expecting to see before the end of the year. Apple TV The Apple TV hasn't been updated since 2022, so it's due for a refresh. It doesn't look like Apple is going to change the design of its set-top box, but we can expect a faster chip Apple code suggests...
Apple Glasses Yellow Feature

Apple's 2026 Smart Glasses: Five Key Features to Expect

Thursday October 2, 2025 3:25 pm PDT by
Apple is working on a set of smart glasses to rival the Meta Ray-Bans, and now that Meta has debuted glasses that include a display, Apple wants to speed up development on its first-generation model. Work has stopped on the next Vision Pro so that Apple can prioritize getting the glasses to market. They'll Be Fashion Forward Like the initial versions of the Apple Watch, the Apple Glasses...

Top Rated Comments

bpeeps Avatar
147 months ago
Another status symbol for the insecure. If this mugger magnet is less expensive than an Omega or Rolex, then it will sell very well.

But will it tell time any better than my US$12 Casio?
This comment can also be read as: I am bitter.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Technodynamic Avatar
147 months ago
I assume the 2.5" is in length in this diagonal and the width to be far narrower, like this concept, but with perhaps a longer screen (but same basic size)

Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mengel Avatar
147 months ago
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Reason077 Avatar
147 months ago

But will it tell time any better than my US$12 Casio?

Yes, it will, because it'll be able to get very accurate time from the Internet (NTP) or from the GPS time signal. It'll also, presumably, automatically switch timezones when you travel.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
IJ Reilly Avatar
147 months ago
with a slightly rectangular face

New concepts in geometry.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lewisdorigo Avatar
147 months ago
2.5in diagonal? That's rediculous.
what the heelll...2.5" ?? is so big, what is this ?! 1.7" was ok
Moto 360 has 1.8" and is big enough
I’m not sure. Last year, I made a little mockup of an iWatch with a 2.5" display. Didn’t seem too big to me. (I assumed it at the time that it’d use the same software as the iPod Nano. I’ve since done mockups of an iOS 7-ish UI on a 2.5" display. (http://dorigo.co/my-probably-wrong-iwatch-predictions/))

(https://twitter.com/LewisDorigo/statuses/312937787152273410?tw_i=312937787152273410&tw_e=media&tw_p=archive)

An iWatch with a 2.5" (well, 2.45") display and a resolution of 480x640 would have the same pixel density as the current iPhones.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)