Rumors around Apple’s purported iWatch have run rampant for months, but the iPhone maker’s first wearable could be close to getting an official price and release date. According to analyst Brian White, the Cupertino tech giant could release the iWatch alongside its new iPhone this September at an estimated $200.
In a note published by Business Insider, White predicts that the first-generation iWatch will be a companion device that requires an iPhone for use. He estimates that the gadget will run consumers anywhere from $199 to $229, which is significantly less expensive than current smartwatches like the $299 Samsung Gear 2.
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White also claims to have found more evidence supporting a 5.5-inch iPhone 6, which is also rumored to launch in September following the release of a 4.7-inch model (possibly in August). Apple has never launched a companion device during any of its annual iPhone reveals, so a simultaneous debut for the iPhone 6 and iWatch would certainly shake things up.
The iWatch is expected to run iOS and allow users to download applications. It will likely feature a curved display and biometric sensors to help users keep better tabs on their fitness. Apple just debuted an iPhone commercial that highlights several third-party health gadgets, but it looks as though the company will be stepping into the ring itself this fall.
Apple’s recently unveiled iOS 8 software places a big emphasis on health, and the purported iWatch would fit snugly within this ecosystem. There’s also Apple’s newly acquired Beats Electronics, a resource that the smartphone maker could be tapping to optimize the smartwatch’s audio and fitness features.
