Apple ?iWatch? Will Hit Market Only By Next Year: Analyst

A representative image showing Apple's upcoming 'iWatch.' (Photo: Nickolay Lamm, MyVoucherCodes)

If you are waiting for Apple's rumored wearable, watch-like device dubbed as 'iWatch' to be released later this year it looks like you are in for a disappointment.

According to a KGI Securities Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has previously offered accurate information about Apple's product plans on a number of occasions believes that both hardware and software issues will force the company to develop and launch the 'iWatch' possibly only in the second half of 2014.

"Apple may not have adequate resources to develop an iWatch version of iOS because it may require big changes to iPhone and iPad iOS this year," said Ming-Chi Kuo.

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"In addition, wearable device components aren't mature. For these reasons, we think mass production of the iWatch is more likely to begin in 2H14, not 2H13 as the market speculates," Kuo added.

Speaking on the hardware part of the device, the analyst said that the company will probably use a 1.5 to 2.0-inch screen, as well as make use of biometric security. ?

"Currently, the iPod nano uses the same GF2 touch technology as used by the iPad mini," said Kuo. "Since the size and computing ability requirements of the iWatch are similar to those of the iPod nano, we think iWatch will use iPod nano's GF2 touch technology and AP [application processor]."

Initially, rumors about Apple's plan heated up in February following a report by the New York Times predicting that Apple was "experimenting" with a wearable gadget.

Coming a step ahead of the New York Times, Bloomberg later reported that a team of around 100 Apple staff were working on such a device.

Since then, Apple fans have been anticipating the device anxiously.

According to the rumors, even Apple's rival companies like Samsung, Microsoft and Google are showing interest in the concept of building watch-like wearable devices.

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Source: http://www.idigitaltimes.com/articles/17755/20130523/apple-iwatch-will-hit-market-next-year.htm

Andrew Wiggins