Despite a drop in sales, the Apple Watch is still the leading smartwatch on the market, having sold over 1.6 million devices in the second quarter of this year alone. While a large number, that’s a drop from the 3.6 million it sold in the same timeframe last year. And now it looks like the company is getting ready to release its successor, the Apple Watch 2.
KGI Security’s Ming-Chi Kuo, the well reputed and connected investor who last year correctly predicted the launch of the iPhone SE, says there are two new Apple Watches coming in the second half of 2016. Yep, the 2 in the Apple Watch 2 is a multiplier.
However, one model will apparently only be an incremental upgrade to the current Watch, by featuring improved waterproofing and a better processor. On the other hand, the second model, which will carry the official denomination “the Apple Watch 2”, will boast those improvements as well as more precise location tracking thanks to GPS, a barometer, and a bigger battery. However, the larger battery that’s needed to power these added features does mean that Apple won’t be able to trim some fat from the wearable.
Ming also speculated that Apple will introduce LTE connectivity to the line of smartwatches in 2017 with another smartwatch. This separate smartwatch can be utilised without having to connect to a phone or Wi-Fi. As for a substantial design overhaul, Kuo states consumers would have to wait till 2018. The new smartwatches, however, will give Apple a lot of financial clout; Kuo is raising his fiscal 2016 shipment predictions to between 10 million and 11 million units, up from between 7 million and 7.5 million.
