Apple Steps up Procurement for New Apple Watch, Targets Late 2016 Debut

Apple has stepped up procurement of chips and components for the second-generation Apple Watch, according to sources from the supply chain (via DigiTimes).

Shipments of chips and components for the second-gen Apple Watch are reportedly set to begin in the third quarter, indicating a launch later this year.

applewatch
Orders for the upcoming Apple Watch have been higher-than-expected, according to the sources, after what they called "disappointing sales" of the first-gen smartwatch. Despite that, Apple's pull-in of orders is said to be "rather aggressive", and the sources estimated that about two million units of the new Apple Watch could be shipped monthly.

Taiwan-based website DigiTimes has a mixed track record at reporting on Apple's upcoming product plans, but its sources within the upstream supply chain have proven reliable in the past.

Rumors had initially suggested Apple would introduce the second-generation Apple Watch in March 2016 with shipments of the device set to begin in April 2016, but a conflicting report confirmed the Apple Watch 2 would not be ready for a spring launch.

A rumor out of the Asian supply chain in January suggested work on the next-generation Apple Watch was already underway, with Quanta working with Apple on the development of the device. Trial production on Apple Watch 2 was rumored to have started in January, with full production beginning in mid-2016 in preparation for a fall launch alongside the iPhone 7.

Apple is said to be working on implementing cellular network connectivity and a faster processor. Built-in cellular capabilities would allow the Apple Watch to place calls, send messages, and access data without the need for an iPhone, while a faster processor would result in speed improvements when accessing apps.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Here's Which Vehicles Offer iPhone Car Keys

Sunday July 6, 2025 3:03 pm PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. Apple has a web page with a list of vehicle models that ...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
iphone 17 pro render majin bu

New iPhone 17 Pro Renders Highlight Apple Logo and MagSafe Design Changes

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:43 pm PDT by
New renders today provide the best look yet relocated Apple logo and redesigned MagSafe magnet array of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Image via Majin Bu. Several of the design changes coming to the iPhone 17 Pro model have been rumored for some time, such as the elongated camera bump that spans the full width of the device, with the LiDAR Scanner and flash moving to the right side. ...
Prime Day 25 Feature Warm Triad

The Best Early Prime Day Deals on Apple Products

Saturday July 5, 2025 7:22 am PDT by
Amazon is soon to be back with its annual summertime Prime Day event, lasting for four days from July 8-11, the longest Prime Day yet. As it does every year, Prime Day offers shoppers a huge selection of deals across Amazon's storefront, and there are already many deals you can get on sale ahead of the event. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a ...
airpods pro 2

AirPods Pro 3 to Help Maintain Apple's Place in Earbud Market Amid Increasing Low-Cost Competition

Thursday July 3, 2025 7:25 am PDT by
Apple's position as the dominant force in the global true wireless stereo (TWS) earbud market is expected to continue through 2025, according to Counterpoint Research. The forecast outlines a 3% year-over-year increase in global TWS unit shipments for 2025, signaling a transition from rapid growth to a more mature phase for the category. While Apple is set to remain the leading brand by...

Top Rated Comments

anthonylambert Avatar
118 months ago
Amazing how orders for something you can't order are higher than expected :)
they mean the orders for manufacturing the watch. Not customers orders. This is a trade publication so they are talking from that point of view.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
anthonylambert Avatar
118 months ago
I love how Digitimes seems to know the monthly sales of a watch that's a few months away from launch. Why waste your time writing about tech and use that crystal ball they've got for something useful.
They are guessing it from Apple's orders for components from suppliers down the line. You have to order components far in advance of the launch of the product. Digitimes ('http://www.digitimes.com/index.asp') is an electronic components trade magazine.

Sometimes Apple would have to commit to order components years down the line. For example OLED screens for phones. To get components the supplier's suppliers would have to build machines to manufacture the components, the supplier would have to build factories. Then they would have to get those machines and factories to work and produce decent yields of those components. This might be the results of years of planning and work.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
OllyW Avatar
118 months ago
Amazing how orders for something you can't order are higher than expected :)
They are not talking about orders of the new Apple Watch, it's the supply chain orders of the components that will go in it.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
G-News Avatar
118 months ago
Probably a joint refresh together with the iPhone later this year?
They should ramp up production of the iPhone SE. Have been waiting for mine to arrive for a month now. It's ridiculous.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
goobot Avatar
118 months ago
Amazing how orders for something you can't order are higher than expected :)
Apple is the one ordering them.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iLoveDeveloping Avatar
118 months ago
I know I'll get clobbered for saying this but here I go anyway. Who the hell what's a cellular device strapped to their wrist 12-16 hours a day everyday all year round. That can't be good for you! If this does come to fruition I hope its removable (sim?) or at least deactivatable.. And yes I know, little scientific evidence of radio waves blah blah blah but as long as their is a chance with little definitive proof for or against I'll leave it thanks.. And those studies are mostly done using a device 10mm for your body for a few hours, not THIS kind of exposure. We will be the lab rats and the health benefits from closing a few rings don't out way the risk. That's just my two cents. NO CELL COMPATIBILITY!
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)