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Apple Said to Be Planning Three iWatch Models from 1.6 to 1.8 Inches, Sapphire on High End

Tuesday July 15, 2014 7:03 am PDT by Eric Slivka
iwatch_concept_setAccording to a new report [Google Translate] from Taiwan's Economic Daily News (via G for Games), Apple is planning to launch three versions of the iWatch in the third quarter of this year. The lineup is said to include a model with a 1.6-inch display and two models with 1.8-inch displays, with the high-end version of the larger size coming with a sapphire display cover for durability.

The display range of 1.6-1.8 inches has been the focus of most rumors dating back many months, but last month Reuters claimed the device's display will be as large as 2.5 inches.

The launch timeframe for the iWatch has also been the subject of much discussion, with the reliable Re/code claiming last month that Apple has been aiming for an October introduction of its "first wearable device", presumed to be the iWatch. That report did, however, note that Apple's plans could change over time.

A fresh report from relatively reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has claimed that the complexity of the iWatch makes it likely that mass production on the device will not begin until November of this year. The two claims are not necessarily in conflict, as with the iWatch being a new product category Apple could make an announcement in October and not launch the device until several months later without impacting sales of its current products. Apple used a similar tactic with the iPhone and iPad, waiting several months between announcement and launch.

Today's report is set in the context of Apple adopting new touch technologies from TPK, with sources also claiming Apple's rumored "iPad Pro" with a display of 12.9 inches will finally be made official later this year. The subject of a number of rumors over the past year, Apple's 12.9-inch iPad was most recently reported to be looking at a 2015 launch or perhaps on hold entirely.

(Image: 2.5-inch iWatch concept by SET Solutions)

Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 5, watchOS 6
Tags: udn.com, Economic Daily News
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)
[ 231 comments ]


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Avatar
Bare
64 months ago
People joke about Tim Cook's claim to crack down on leaks, but these "analysts" really have no idea what's going on right now, and for that, Tim should be commended.
Rating: 47 Votes
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phillipduran
64 months ago

Would make sense seeing that wrists and arms come in wildly different sizes.


I can't wait for the Jony video that explains this in detail.

Rating: 25 Votes
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AstronomyiPhone
64 months ago

Hahahah. That mockup is the silliest thing. It looks like a shrunken iPhone pasted on a wrist band. Surely Apple has more imagination than that.


Yes: I have the real one right here.

Rating: 22 Votes
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ScottHammet
64 months ago
Teeny iPhone

Hahahah. That mockup is the silliest thing. It looks like a shrunken iPhone pasted on a wrist band. Surely Apple has more imagination than that.
Rating: 18 Votes
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Mr Fusion
64 months ago
I can't comprehend these sizes until I see them in tape mockup form...

Some help here?
Rating: 16 Votes
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keysofanxiety
64 months ago

Good. So customers have choices. Like they should have had with the iPhone ages ago.


There was a choice. Buy the iPhone, or don't. :p
Rating: 15 Votes
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AstronomyiPhone
64 months ago
Angry people in 3...2...1...
Rating: 14 Votes
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MacSince1990
64 months ago

I'll spend up to $500 on the iWatch. I mean, I spent $250 on a Pebble Steel and it can barely tell the time without freaking out/disconnecting.


Glad to see you base relatively expensive purchases on previous, relatively expensive purchases that were pretty pointless >_>

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Excited.
I'm willing to spend $1,000+ on the iWatch.
Would still be my less expensive timepiece.


Neat! Tell us more about how much you spend on watches! We're fascinated.



There's really no excuse for wearing an expensive watch anymore (everything tells time these days) except for overcompensating.
Rating: 13 Votes
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keysofanxiety
64 months ago
No way. iWatch won't have a touchscreen, it'll have a 3D beamy thing giving a hologram effect like off Star Wars, all which is fully interactive. This means if you need more real-estate or add new features, it's not a problem; one of the main advantages when the iPhone didn't come with a physical keyboard. Otherwise there's no advantage to a small touchscreen; it won't add any functionality to the ecosystem. It won't be as good as an iPhone/iPad for browsing, making calls, or anything else. It'll be redundant.

My money's firmly on Apple popping in some technology 5-10 years ahead of their competitors' pipelines. If they perfect it they could easily have it running in tandem with an iPhone to make calls (much like OS X 10.10 will), without the limitations of the Galaxy Gear (crappy sluggish interface and tiny screen).

Rating: 12 Votes
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DiabBarca
64 months ago
It better look like a normal wrist watch, because all those geeky smart watches out there just suck. Even the Moto360, it is really fat.
Rating: 10 Votes

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