If you’re waiting for the Apple Watch Series 7 – one of Apple’s biggest new products set for launch this autumn – you may have to wait a little longer than previously thought.
According to reports from both Nikkei Asia and Bloomberg, Apple has encountered production problems with its new wearable. These problems are said to be due to the device’s “complicated designs”.
“Manufacturers of Apple Watch 7, as the device is expected to be called, began small-scale production last week but encountered critical challenges in reaching satisfactory production performance,” Nikkei writes, citing “multiple people familiar with the situation”.
The site adds that production has been brought to a halt while Apple and its suppliers work on the problems and potentially amend the designs.
According to the original plan, the new model was to be unveiled at the iPhone 13 event in a few weeks (likely the 14 September). The delays could mean that the watch is still announced on that date, but doesn’t go on sale until some weeks later. But in the worst case scenario, it could be delayed until the iPad event in October or even the Mac event in November.
Of course, we should point out that we frequently hear rumours of delays to Apple’s upcoming products, and in most cases the company manages to deliver on time in the end. But not always. Last year, for example, the launch of the iPhone 12 was postponed for a month due to the ongoing pandemic.
According to Bloomberg Apple expert Mark Gurman (via The Verge), the Apple Watch Series 7 will feature new sizes and a flatter design, as well as a more powerful processor and a long list of new faces. However, the health-oriented sensors that have been talked about will take at least another year to arrive, he claims.
You can catch up with all the latest leaks and rumours concerning Apple’s upcoming wearable launch with our regularly updated Apple Watch Series 7 news hub. The weeks before a launch isn’t a great time to be making a purchase, but if you’re desperate – or conscious that vendors may be tempted to drop their prices as demand falls away – you may want to search for bargains with our guide to the best Apple Watch deals.
This article originally appeared on Macworld Sweden. Translation (using DeepL) and additional reporting by David Price.