Oliver Haslam on August 18, 2017, 9:35 am

Apple Watch Series 3 Rumored To Have Entered Final Testing Phase

A new report claims that Apple Watch Series 3 wearables have entered the “final testing phase” of the production process with mass production set to kick into gear soon.

The report comes from Chinese-language Economic Daily News and offers insight into when we could perhaps expect to see the updated smartwatch to launch.

If the timescales are correct, then such a launch could coincide with the release of 2017’s new iPhone lineup, expected to include the iPhone 8, iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus. Last year’s updated Apple Watch Series 1 and Apple Watch Series 2 devices launched alongside the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, suggesting that a release cadence mimicking the iPhone’s would make plenty of sense for Apple’s wearable device.

The remainder of the report mentions information we have already shared, which originated from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. That is, the Apple Watch Series 3 will come in two flavors – one with new LTE capabilities and one without. That LTE connectivity is believed to be for data only, meaning traditional telephone calls will not be possible, although we see little reason why VoIP services such as WhatsApp, Skype and even Apple’s own FaceTime would not work without issue. That is something we will have to confirm once the device is announced, assuming the recent rumors are accurate, of course.

Another recent report by the well-connected John Gruber has Apple’s new Series 3 Apple Watch bringing with it a completely new form factor, although that is something that has been disputed by Kuo, so at this point in time, either are perhaps possible. Gruber did stress that his information came via an unconfirmed source, however, so our money is on Kuo for now.

The KGI analyst recently updated his previous report with a prediction that the Series 3 might feature an eSIM and is unlikely to get Android support.

(Source: Economic Daily News [Google Translate])