Chip suppliers for Apple’s upcoming Apple Watch are said to be gearing up to begin production ahead of the wearable device’s expected early 2015 launch.
Citing industry sources, DigiTimes reports Apple’s chip suppliers are nearly ready to start production for components bound for the Apple Watch, the company’s first foray into the wearable device segment.
Supply chain sources say the first batch of component orders indicate that Apple plans to turn out an initial 30 million to 40 million Apple Watch units. (To show how large this estimate is, Samsung’s Galaxy Gear sold an estimated 800,000 units in its first two months on sale.)
The Apple Watch will use an advanced “System-in-Package” (SiP) that includes an entire computing system on a single chip. The custom designed “S1” integrates multiple subsystems into a package small enough to fit into the wearable’s small dimensions.
In addition, the Apple Watch includes a Force Touch Retina display. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, NFC for use by Apple Pay, wireless inductive charging, and a “Digital Crown” for navigation.
The Apple Watch is expected to debut in early 2015, sometime after the Chinese New Year.
