One of the industry’s leading analysts has suggested that Apple has encountered one or two setback in assembling the iWatch, forcing him to slash shipping estimates by 40%.
The general consensus has always been that because the iWatch will be something of an add-on to be used with a primary iOS device, it would launch side-by-side with the iPhone 6. Each product would represent something of a key driver of sales for its counterpart, while to pack the two in some kind of bundle would undoubtedly trigger an enormous sales frenzy for Apple.
However, it’s now being suggested that the Cupertino company’s first ever wearable could in fact be held back until November. And it’s not just any random individual adding their two-cents to the affair either – Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities has warned investors and consumers alike not to expect the device until the tail-end of November.
According to Kuo, the reason for the delay is one of ongoing problems with getting the hardware and the software to work together as necessary. Whatever the holdup though, such a setback in the rollout of the iWatch could be quite catastrophic for early sales of the device – this particular analyst having reduced his 2014 shipping estimate by 40% to just 3 million.
Of course, it’s not as if Apple is 100% dependent on the iWatch to enjoy a stellar holiday season and closing quarter for the year. With the likes of the iPhone 6 and the iPad Air 2 on the cards among other devices, it’s largely a dead-cert that Cook and Co. will be laughing all the way to the bank. However, the longer it takes to get the iWatch to the market, the more headway rival devices from the Android side of the fence will be able to make and inevitably nibble away at their own potential sales.
One device of particular concern for Apple could be the first Microsoft Smartwatch, which according to ongoing reports will be the first of its kind to support Windows Phone, Android and iOS. With a release date tipped to take place sometime in the early fall, the Microsoft wearable could deliver a hammer blow to Apple’s iWatch if it brings the right recipe to the table.