Apple Planning March 2016 Event to Unveil Next-Generation Apple Watch, iPhone 6c Possible Too

Apple may be planning to host an event in March of 2016 to unveil the next-generation Apple Watch, reports 9to5Mac citing sources with knowledge of Apple's plans. The updated device could then ship a month later in April, marking one full year between Apple Watch releases. Apple released the first-generation Apple Watch on April 24, 2015.

Rumors about the second-generation Apple Watch started leaking out well before the original Apple Watch launched, as there were health-related features Apple was forced to shelve because of inconsistent performance. Apple experimented with sensors for measuring things like skin conductivity, blood pressure, and blood oxygen, and some of these could make their way into the next-generation device following a year or work on improving the technology.


Apple CEO Tim Cook recently said the company's efforts in the health arena would be conservative, because it does not want to deal with the FDA. "We don't want to put the watch through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) process," he said.

Other features rumored for the next-generation Apple Watch include a front-facing FaceTime camera to allow Apple Watch users to make and receive FaceTime calls and a new Wi-Fi chip that may allow the Apple Watch to do more without a connection to an iPhone.

Today's report on the Apple Watch also says the much-rumored iPhone 6c could also be unveiled at the event, in line with rumors that have pointed towards an early 2016 launch. The iPhone 6c is a next-generation lower-budget 4-inch phone designed to follow in the footsteps of the iPhone 5c. It's rumored to include an aluminum shell, an upgraded A8 or A9 processor, Touch ID and Apple Pay support, and a curved edge cover glass like the iPhone 6.