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Apple Watch Chipmakers Said to Be Gearing Up Production

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Chip suppliers within the Apple Watch supply chain have begun "gearing up" to start production for Apple's new device, according to a new report from Digitimes. Chip orders are estimated to be around 30 - 40 million units for a debut in early 2015.

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Digitimes had previously reported, prior to Apple's September 9 event, that the device was at the engineering verification test stage and needed to complete product verification testing before entering mass production. It appears that the Apple Watch has now passed that milestone and is beginning to enter mass production for its debut in early 2015.

Apple Senior Vice President of Retail and Online Stores Angela Ahrendts had previously revealed that the device would debut in Spring 2015, with several reports indicating that Apple was aiming for Valentine's Day 2015 as a potential launch date. Apple Watch pricing will start at $350 for the aluminum version, while the stainless steel and gold editions will reportedly retail for prices starting at $500 and $4,000 respectively.

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

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Top Rated Comments

M
Mtmspa
148 months ago
cellphone makers - are just trying for dear life to create a new category that nobody cares for.

Steve jobs once said not to chase the trends but to create them

Apple has failed :apple:

I care so your claim is false.
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
P
proline
148 months ago
Shocker

Hard to believe that Apple is trying to produce a product that they've announced they are trying to produce. MR brings great insight.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
J
Jsameds
148 months ago
These things are beyond overpriced, that's the main reason why i have no interest in them.
I'm getting déjà vu from this comment. Reminds me of June 2007 and October 2001.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
F
farewelwilliams
148 months ago
i saw "digitimes" in the corner of my eye and i stopped reading.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Pakaku Avatar
Pakaku
148 months ago
30-40 millions. Wow that's an ambitious goal. I am still on the fence myself as I am not sure if it really adds value for me. The design I find ok but not great.

I see zero value in owning one, except for 'owning one'. If you do end up finding a decent reason, please let me know.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rogifan Avatar
Rogifan
148 months ago
A blast from the past:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apples-new-thing-ipod.500/

iPoop... iCry. I was so hoping for something more.

Great just what the world needs, another freaking MP3 player. Go Steve! Where's the Newton?!

Sounds very revolutionary to me.

hey - heres an idea Apple - rather than enter the world of gimmicks and toys, why dont you spend a little more time sorting out your pathetically expensive and crap server line up? or are you really aiming to become a glorified consumer gimmicks firm?

I still can't believe this! All this hype for something so ridiculous! Who cares about an MP3 player? I want something new! I want them to think differently! Why oh why would they do this?! It's so wrong! It's so stupid!

All that hype for an MP3 player? Break-thru digital device? The Reality Distiortion Field™ is starting to warp Steve's mind if he thinqks for one second that this thing is gonna take off.

Not exactly "revolutionary". With the economy in its current state, You'll be able to pick up MP3 players for peanuts soon. The Archos Jukebox does the same thing and it's not blowing off the shelves either. $399 is just too much for an MP3 jukebox. Sorry Steve, this isn't it...

https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=854974

Although nice there is nothing "magical" or "revolutionary" about the device. I was expecting so much more from apple on this one.

This is a giant iPhone, there's no other way to put it. You can love it, you can hate it but in the end it is a giant iPhone. Not revolutionary at all.

Just an oversized Ipod Touch. This will not sell well no need for this device.
Will not be good for reading books neither not using the ink technology.

Its basically a big iPod touch.

I wanted to get excited over this, but all I can muster is a resounding "meh." Looks like it does everything an iPhone does...only less. Big screen and no-contract data is very cool though. So 140 something million iPhone and iPod touch owners already know how to use it...that's how many people have little use for this thing since they already have a device with the same functionality.

Consider me disappointed. What is the purpose of the device that the iPhone/iTouch can't do?

Every Mac device has a stature of something unique to it. This iPad felt like a iPod touch just made bigger. I see no advantage of the bigger screen, when one can spend a $999 and get a multitasking laptop with all the features you need without the touch.

This device needed something to set it apart, and they failed on that front. It needed a front facing camera for video chats. It could of had multi tasking since if this is a netbook killer, all netbooks can multitask. Sorry Jobs, you failed. You made a picture frame with an iPhone OS. Come back to me when you put the i5 in the laptops, I wanna upgrade.

the keynote could have been 5 minutes long. "Hey we took the iPhone and made it bigger, booya!" I can't believe this is it.

Yeah - epic disappointment. Was really hoping for front facing camera & iChat; multi-tasking; e-ink for i-books; larger storage capacity. Magical??? More like "pedestrian".

I sort of feel the same way I did about the MacBook Air. Meh. Nice product but hardly revolutionary.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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