Several media outlets have already reported that Apple is on track to launch the iWatch in October, and that timeframe still seems to make the most sense. Now, ahead of that launch, Apple’s manufacturing partners in Asia are reportedly gearing up to get the iWatch production underway.
According to CENS, Quanta Computer is beginning “trial” production of the iWatch ahead of mass production that’s scheduled to start later this month. Quanta is said to provide 70 percent of Apple’s iWatch orders, which lines up with a report last month from Reuters that said the same thing. CENS also noted some of Apple’s other iWatch partners including Advanced Semiconductor Engineering Group, Richtek, Kinsus Interconnect Technology, Career Technology, Merry Electronics, TXC Corp and Roytaltek.
Those firms might reveal new information.
RoyalTek, for example, provides quartz crystal products, according to CENS, which is compelling news since Apple is largely expected to outfit the iWatch with sapphire that it’s manufacturing out of its own plant in Arizona. Also, Merry Electronics provides “electro-acoustic components,” which might be used for the voice-messaging that Tim Cook recently suggested will be a major part of the iWatch.
Apple certainly has a busy fall. We’re expecting the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and 5.5-inch iPhone (Air?) in September, and it’s also possible we’ll see new iPads, a new Apple TV and much more all around the iWatch launch.