No Apple Watch 2 until autumn, claims report, but new bands due in March
Apple may wait a little longer than anticipated to revise its wearable
With rare exception, Apple’s iPhone and iPad annual revision cycle continues ahead as scheduled, but that may not apply to the Apple Watch: a new report claims we won’t see a sequel this spring to mark its one-year anniversary.
That’s according to Mark Gurman of 9to5Mac, who has a new report out claiming that a second-generation Apple Watch model is currently planned to release in the autumn instead, or about a year and a half after the original device released. A September announcement is planned, quite likely alongside the iPhone 7.
But Apple won’t wait until then to offer fresh reasons to buy the Apple Watch – or to provide additional options for current owners. According to Gurman, Apple plans to offer additional band colour options, and may also release bands that utilise new materials. We may see another collaboration like the Apple Watch Hermès, and the report says that notable third-party accessory makers could be teaming up with Apple for official bands.
The watchOS 2.2 update will reportedly ship this spring alongside the new band options, and while we’ve heard of the ability to sync multiple Watches to a single phone and some added Maps features, the report suggests that additional software features may be revealed before the debut.
It’s the second bit of big Apple news to come out of 9to5Mac today: the other is that Apple’s new 4in iPhone will be called the iPhone 5se, and be something of a mash-up of features from the last three core models of the handset. Both the iPhone 5se and new Apple Watch bands should be unveiled at a small event in mid-March, the report suggests.
And don’t forget the iPad Air 3, which could also finally appear at the event: developers tell 9to5Mac that additional iPad models are being tested, which could be the Wi-Fi and Cellular models of the new standard-sized iPad revision. Stay tuned for more on Apple’s spring plans as it comes.
[Source: 9to5Mac]
Andrew Hayward
Freelance Writer 
