WSJ: ‘Apple Plans Multiple Designs for Smartwatch’

Eva Dou and Lorraine Luk, reporting for the WSJ:

Apple Inc. is planning multiple versions of a smartwatch likely to be launched in the fall, people familiar with the matter said, as the company tries to counter wearable devices from Google Inc., Samsung Electronics Co. and others.

Really? Apple is “trying to counter” Google Glass and the Galaxy Gear? OK.

The new wrist device from Apple will incorporate more than 10 sensors including ones to track health and fitness, these people said. Apple aims to address an overarching criticism of existing smartwatches that they don’t provide functions significantly different from that of a smartphone, said a person familiar with the matter. […]

Apple’s smartwatch could launch as early as October with production to begin within two to three months at Quanta Computer Inc., a Taiwanese manufacturer that has long been Apple’s supplier for Mac computers, said the people familiar with the matter. Quanta will begin some trial runs next month.

The smartwatch will likely come in multiple screen sizes, said one person familiar with the matter. Another person at a component supplier said shipments of the smartwatches are estimated to total between 10 million and 15 million units by the end of this year. The exact specifications of Apple’s smartwatch are still being finalized before mass production starts, said people familiar with the matter.

Interesting, but it sounds to me like all of this information comes from the supply chain and manufacturing sources. None of these sources told the Journal anything that these devices actually, you know, do, other than “track health and fitness”. This is all really vague, other than the “multiple sizes” thing. Then the whole thing devolves into made-up speculation from “analysts”.

★ Friday, 20 June 2014