Apple’s first foray into wearable technology will go into mass production this July, when the iPhone maker will reportedly begin manufacturing 50 million smartwatches to begin shipping in October.
According to a source familiar with the matter cited by Reuters, Taiwan’s Quanta Computer is currently putting the as-of-yet unnamed and unannounced device through trial production. Quanta will be the wearable device’s primary manufacturer, and complete at least 70 percent of final assembly.
Dubbed “iWatch” by company followers, the device will “likely” sport a 2.5-inch diagonal and slightly rectangular display.
The source reported that the face will protrude slightly from the band in an arch shape, and that the device will be operated via touchscreen and charge wirelessly.
The device has been long and largely expected, but concrete details surrounding the iWatch were almost entirely unknown until Thursday, when Quanta’s involvement, the projected release date and the estimated first-year shipment size were revealed.
A second Reuters source reported the October release and a third stated that LG Display Co is the sole screen supplier for the device. Two other sources said it will include a pulse-monitoring sensor from Singapore-based imaging and sensor producer Heptagon.
Apple, Quanta, LG and Heptagon all declined to comment on the report.