At Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, most were waiting for an announcement of the rumored iWatch smartwatch. However, that announcement didn't come during the conference.
Two sources are now claiming that Apple has the iWatch in the works, possibly for a release date of October this year.
A report by Japanese newspaper Nikkei said that the specifications for the iWatch are now in their final stages of development. The smartwatch will use a curved OLED touchscreen and will use the latest iOS 8 that Apple unveiled at the WWDC.
The iWatch will have a centralized system that will use paired smartphones to monitor and manage the user's biometrics. The collected data will include sleep patterns, calorie intake, and blood levels for oxygen and glucose.
A parts manufacturer said that Apple is planning monthly production of around three million to five million units, which is more than the sales of smartwatches in the whole of last year. The production goal shows Apple's very high confidence in their product, which is boosted by their health analysis and management partnerships with the Mayo Clinic and the Cleveland Clinic.
Apple also has a partnership in place with Nike, with the two companies likely releasing a combined product involving the iWatch.
A report from Barron's adds fuel to the speculations as Brian White of Cantor Fitzgerald sent a letter regarding information on the iWatch. White gathered information that revealed Apple's push to begin production of the iWatch this month, which is set to pick up the pace in the fall. This production schedule will set up the iWatch to have an official announcement by September this year, when it would most likely be unveiled along with Apple's much-anticipated iPhone 6.
White believes that, since the iWatch will be more of a companion device as it will need to be connected to the iPhone for functionality, releasing the iPhone 6 and iWatch together will make sense for Apple.
White also adds that pricing for the iWatch could be very competitive at between $199 to $229. This price range will allow the iWatch to compete with the current and upcoming smartwatches of other brands.
At the WWDC, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that the delay in the release of the iWatch is caused by the company's decision to take more time in development to create a great product, rather than to rush out the device to become the first in the market.
