A supply chain rumor from Taiwan indicates Apple Watch assembly partner Quanta is ready to begin assembling trial models of the new Apple Watch 2 later this month. Apple is rumored to be readying the new wearable for a March media event debut.
While Quanta – who was Apple’s assembly partner for the first-generation Apple Watch – reportedly had a “weaker than expected” profit return on the original Apple Watch, they are still expected to be a major partner for the assembly of the second-generation Watch, with possibly Foxconn, Inventec, and Wistron picking up the slack.
The Apple Watch 2 is rumored to be slightly slimmer, with an integrated FaceTime camera, improved Wi-Fi, a faster processor, and additional health sensors to measure health, fitness, and possibly sleep statistics, as well as possibly including blood pressure and blood oxygen sensors. The resolution of the device’s screen is expected to stay the same.
Earlier this week, it was reported that Apple has posted four job listings indicating they are in need of additional engineers and technicians to join their Health Technologies team, indicating possible new health related features are likely in store for the second-generation Watch.
Apple CEO Tim Cook added a log to the rumor fire in November, when he said that although Apple doesn’t want to subject the Apple Watch to U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval, the company is not against the idea of putting related things, such as apps, through the FDA approval process.