Apple Watch 2 at a glance
- Apple Watch 2 expected to launch in September 2016
- Up to five Apple Watch 2 models expected to feature, including existing Apple Watch Sport, Apple Watch, and Apple Watch Edition ranges
- Apple Watch 2 price likely to range from £300 to £14,000 inc VAT
- Over 3,500 Apple Watch apps are available to download now
- WatchOS 2, the updated Apple Watch operating system, is available now
Apple Watch 2: latest news
10/05/2016: Apple has enlisted seven full-time nurses to help advance the Apple Watch's health and fitness capabilities, Time reports.According to the report from analyst Tim Bajarin, Apple also uses existing employees of various sizes, fitness levels and ethnicities to use the medical monitoring equipment at its dedicated sports and health lab, and monitors this for 12 hours a day across six days a week.
Other parts of the lab include special chambers to simulate certain temperatures and weather conditions, and how this effects certain activities.
All of this is done to improve the sensors, radios and other technologies used in the Apple Watch and iPhone, demonstrating the company's continued committment to healthcare apps and services.
04/05/2016: The Apple Watch will account for 40 per cent of sales in the luxury watch market by 2020, according to new reports (via 9to5Mac).
Fitness bands' share of the wearables market has fallen slightly since 2014, from 53 per cent to 48 per cent, making room for more high-end devices such as the Apple Watch. According to the Business Insider report, this is predicted to fall to 42 per cent by 2020.
In addition, 27 per cent of consumers who already wear a watch said that Apple's offering appealed to them, and three times as many prefer the Apple Watch to one of its Android competitors.
Luxury watches are defined as those priced at or above $350.
2/05/2016: Apple CEO Tim Cook let slip in an interview with CNBC that the company is working on making the next Apple Watch so much better than the last that it will make people wonder how people ever survived without one.
He also stated that the Watch will keep getting better because the company is still learning.
“You’ll see the Apple Watch getting better and better. We’re still in learning mode. We’re learning fairly quickly, though. We know a lot more than we did a year ago,” said Cook.
“I think that in a few years we will look back and people will say, ‘How could I have ever thought about not wearing this watch?”
Many have said that there is a lot of room for improvement in Apple’s first Watch, but it seems the Cupertino firm is attempting to do a lot more with its future smartwatch releases.
25/04/2016: The Apple Watch 2 could be entirely independent from the iPhone, with watchOS apps submitted to the App Store following 1 June required to be native apps.
After this date, developers will need to build apps with the watchOS 2 SDK or later, according to an announcement on Apple's developer site.
This change will remove problems such as lag as well as allowing third-party apps for the Apple Watch 2 to run without a companion app on the iPhone, reports Gadgets360. Previously, the iOS app had to handle the processing before an app would display on the Watch.
20/04/2016: Apple has confirmed the dates for its annual developer's conference, WWDC, which will run from 13-17 June in San Francisco's Bill Graham Civic Auditorium.
The conference focuses primarily on the company's software and operating systems, and invitations have confirmed that "the future of... watchOS" will be on the agenda.
It's possible that this means the arrival of watchOS 3, and a raft of new features for the device. However, this doesn't fit the company's release pattern up to this point.
The first version of watchOS launched (unsurprisingly) alongside the Apple Watch in September 2014, while watchOS 2 was announced last September alongside the iPhone 6s.
It follows, then, that the next major iteration of the software will fall in September 2016 -- which is coincidentally the date Apple is expected to launch the Apple Watch 2.
Instead, Tim Cook and co. will likely devote their attention to Apple Watch apps. The invitation mentions "love at first swipe", "double tap heart" and "self-combusting selfies", which are thinly-veiled references to Tinder, Instagram and Snapchat, respectively.
Although Instagram and Tinder both have existing Apple Watch apps, WWDC would be an excellent platform from which to shout about greater support and integration.
No details are officially confirmed yet, but we'll know more about Apple's WWCD plans closer to the time. In the meantime, however, check out our WWDC roundup for all the news from Apple's developer conference.
11/04/2016: The Apple Watch 2 is predicted to be 40 per cent thinner, according to reported from MacRumors.
The publication cited a research note from Apple analyst Brian White of Wall Street firm Drexel Hamilton, who said the wearable could be unveiled in June at Apple's annual WWDC.
Hamilton also predicted that the device could be between 20 and 40 per cent thinner than the original Apple Watch. This was based on meetings Hamilton had with Chinese companies in the Apple supply chain.
02/02/2016: Rumours have begun circulating that the Apple Watch 2 could make an appearance in June, with the device's existence seemingly confirmed by supplier Quanta.
The speculation is based on a report on Chinese site United Daily News, which quotes the chairman of Quanta, Barry Lam, as saying the company is currently working with Apple on the second generation smartwatch, with a release date of late in the second quarter of 2016.
However, further investigation by IT Pro has shown this is not quite the whole story.
Lam, in fact, said that a "small number of devices are expected to begin shipping at the end of the second quarter [of 2016], with bulk shipments in the third quarter".
This would fit with rumours that Apple will release an 's' update to the Apple Watch in spring, along the lines of its previous collaboration with French Fashion house Hermès, with the main event for the second watch release coming in September.
Lam also said he expected demand for the Apple Watch 2 to be stronger than demand for the first device, thanks to an established business model and a more mature wearables market.
Cryptically, he added: "We want to change user behaviour while still creating a product the user will buy."
25/01/2016: A new Apple Watch range is set to launch in March, according to rumours, but the Apple Watch 2 release date is not thought to be until September.
Apple's wearable will receive an update in March similar to the refresh it had in September 2015, with new watch straps, new casing and potentially a partnership with high-fashion brands other than Hermès, according to 9to5Mac.
It is also likely that WatchOS 2.2, which may initially power the Apple Watch 2, will make an appearance this spring, potentially at Apple's annual WWDC conference.
A full second-generation redesign in the shape of Apple Watch 2 will not appear until the autumn, however, with 9to5Mac speculating on a September release.
The launch of Apple Watch 2 in September would fit with the launch of the original Apple Watch, which made its debut in September 2014 alongside the iPhone 6. It is thought the iPhone 7 will also launch in early September.
It is rumoured that the Watch 2 will introduce additional lines alongside the existing Sport, Watch and Edition ranges. According to MacWorld, the company is targeting the £1,000 to £8,000 range, sitting between the Watch and Edition, with new materials including platinum, palladium, tungsten and titanium.
A FaceTime camera could also feature, which would provide additional functionality already seen on some AndroidWear-powered smartwatches.
While consumers continue to wait for the Watch 2, it is worth noting Apple has not stood still since the release of the Apple Watch, introducing incremental updates, such as the Apple Watch Hermès and new Apple Watch Sport cases, introduced in September 2015 alongside the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.
Most recently, it has introduced two limited edition Apple Watch Sport models for the Chinese New Year, both featuring red wrist straps, but with different colour aluminium casing - one gold, one silver.
Ahead of the launch of the Apple Watch 2, read all about the existing Apple Watch range here.
13/01/2016: Juniper Research has revealed the Apple Watch was responsible for more than half of all smartwatch shipments in 2015, despite only going on sale in September.
James Moar, who wrote the report, said 17.1 million smart watches shipped last year, of which 8.8 million were Apple Watches. Android Wear-branded competitors accounted for less than 10 per cent of sales.
Juniper attributed the watch's success to its wealth of apps, with 10,000 available on Apple's device compared to only 4,000 for its Android-powered counterparts.
"The smartwatch is now a category waiting for a market," Moar said. "Newer devices have offered more polished looks and subtly different functions, but no large changes in device capabilities or usage. With smartwatch functions established, it is now up to consumers to decide if they want them, rather than technology companies providing more reasons."
The report added that there are still barriers against smartwatch adoption, including that people still don't see the need for one. In fact, of those surveyed, 30 per cent said they probably wouldn't use one even if they bought one.
Apple Watch 2 release date
Apple Watch 2 is expected to launch in early September 2016 alongside the iPhone 7. While the original Apple Watch took seven months to hit shelves after making its first appearance, the refresh it had in autumn 2015 saw no such hold up. Therefore, much like the iPhone, we can expect to see the Apple Watch go on sale in autumn shortly after launch.Apple Watch 2 price and different versions
Apple Watch 2 will, according to rumours, feature the Sport, Watch and Edition ranges seen in the first Apple Watch, but could also add another two device models, apparently to capture more of the mid-market. Another collaboration with a high-end fashion company, as previously seen with the Apple Watch Hermès, is also said to be on the cards. The Edition could also get an additional case, according to rumours, with the 18 karat gold models that have been available since day one being supplemented with a platinum option.Potential pricing for Apple Watch 2, therefore, we have estimated as follows:
| 38mm screen | 42mm screen | ||||||
| Apple Watch 2 Sport | £300 | £350 | |||||
| Apple Watch 2 'X' | £380 | £450 | |||||
| Apple Watch 2 | £480 | £950 | |||||
| Apple Watch 2 'Design' | £1,000 | £1,500 | |||||
| Apple Watch 2 Edition | £8,000 | £16,000 |
By our estimation, the price of the Apple Watch 2 Sport is unlikely to rise much, if at all, from the cost of the original Apple Watch Sport at launch partly due to a lack of a rise in interest rates, which would naturally lift the price, and also because of Apple's apparent desire to target as broad a market as possible. For this reason, we have kept the price of the Apple Watch 2 the same as the Apple Watch as well, but have estimated a rise in the top-end price of the Apple Watch 2 Edition in anticipation of the platinum case.
What we have dubbed the Apple Watch 2 Design (it was snappier than 'Y') will inhabit the slot currently occupied by the Apple Watch Hermès, which sits nicely between the Apple Watch and Apple Watch Edition.
The Apple Watch 2 'X' (sadly, a better name escaped us) will fill the not insignificant price gap between the Apple Watch 2 Sport and Apple Watch 2.
Apple Watch 2 Sport in depth
The original Apple Watch Sport was only available with a fluoroelastomer band with pin-and-tuck fastening at the point of purchase, although customers can choose from eight different colours, including blue, orange, lavender and midnight blue.
While this may change somewhat with the Apple Watch 2, such as a rumoured fluoroelastomer band with magnetic fastening, it is unlikely that this entry-level device will suddenly feature the premium leather and metal straps seen on the Apple Watch and Apple Watch Edition.
Apple Watch 2 "X"
The Apple Watch 2 "X", if Apple decides to take this strategy, will blend together some of the more premium elements associated with Apple Watch with features from the Apple Watch Sport.
Pairing the anodised aluminium cases of the Apple Watch sport with the leather strap options of the Apple Watch would be a fairly straightforward way of achieving this, as it wouldn't require any additional design or production time, as both are already available, just not out of the box together.
We would suggest it is less likely that the link or Milanese loop bracelets would make an appearance, however, as both are made from steel - the same material as the Apple Watch case - so making them from aluminium would take a degree of reengineering that could cost over the odds.
It also wouldn't make sense for any Apple Watch 2 "X" to have a steel body like the mid-tier Apple Watch paired with the Sport's fluoroelastomer band, as this is already an option on the Apple Watch.
Apple Watch 2
Apple Watch is available with various styles and colours of wristbands made from fluoroelastomer, leather and steel and we would expect the Apple Watch 2 to add to this, rather than take away from it.
This could include new colours or different designs using the same materials. There is some precedent for this, as Apple has added new colours to the fluoroelastomer bands of the mid-tier Apple Watch incrementally over 18 months it has been on sale and the Apple Watch Hermès used an existing material - leather - but in different styles.
Apple Watch 2 Design
The Hermès introduced new straps, designed by the French fasion house, and three exclusive digital typefaces. Much like the Edition, the Apple Watch Hermès could only be bought in select outlets, such as Selfridges and Hermès' own shop, but is now available to buy online.
This version of Apple Watch cost from £1,000 to £1,350, depending on specifications, and we would expect the Apple Watch 2 Design to be in roughly the same price range. It's also thought this particular version of Apple Watch 2 could involve collaboration with another fashion house, although no names have been put forward as yet.
Apple Watch 2 Edition
According to MacRumors, just under 2,000 units of the first version of the Apple Watch Edition were sold online in the US in the first three months it was on sale.
This may seem puny compared to the Apple Watch Sport's 1,950,909 units and Apple Watch's 1,086,569, but bearing in mind the cost and the fact this is purely US sales figures and that there was only a limited number produced, this isn't bad at all. Additionally, the fact the Edition was only available in store at first means a chunk of sales are missing from these stats, as they only cover online purchases.
An Apple Watch 2 Edition is highly likely to make an appearance in September, particularly as Apple is still angling its wearable as a fashion and lifestyle device. What will separate it from the original Edition, other than enhanced specs, would likely be new casing materials, with titanium, palladium and platinum all having been suggested so far.
Special Editions
In January 2016, Apple released a special model of the Apple Watch Sport for the Chinese market ahead of the Chinese New Year. The device features a red fluoroelastomer strap - considered an auspicious colour in Chinese culture and also deeply associated with the Chinese New Year - and a choice of silver aluminium or gold aluminium case.Could we see such special editions in the Apple Watch 2? Potentially, yes, but it's unlikely they will appear straight off the bat.
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