Apple Watch Series 7 production halted due to manufacturing issues, according to report
With the next-generation Apple Watch expected to be announced within a matter of weeks, new reports on Tuesday from Nikkei Asia and Bloomberg have suggested that manufacturing issues have caused production of the new wearable to be halted.
According to Nikkei, who was first to report on the production issues, Apple and its suppliers are working around the clock after small-scale production of the Apple Watch Series 7 started last week. It is said that production is now delayed “due to critical challenges in reaching satisfactory production performance,” citing the complexity of the new wearable’s rumored new design as a contributing factor to the unexpected delay.
“Production of the upcoming Apple Watch has been delayed in large part due to the complicated designs of the new smartwatch, Nikkei Asia has learned. 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, multiple people familiar with the situation said,” the report explains. Nikkei says “As a result, the production of the new watch has been temporarily halted as Apple and its suppliers try to sort out the problems and further certify the designs before going into mass production, four people said.”
The Apple Watch Series 7 is said to get a faster processor, improved wireless connectivity, and an updated screen. Recent leaks and reports have pointed to Apple making the new wearable available in new 41mm & 45mm sizes, replacing the current 40mm and 44mm options.
The new devices are said to feature a flat-edged design similar to that seen with the iPhone 12 Pro, iPad Air, and iPad Pro, with leaker Jon Prosser sharing concepts back in May that was said to be based on a design shown in images obtained from a “very highly trusted source.”
Backing up today’s new report is Bloomberg, who shared a follow-up not long after Nikkei’s insight, claiming to hear similar reports from insiders. “Apple Inc.’s upcoming smartwatch is suffering production snags as manufacturers adjust to a new design, likely leading to delays, according to a person familiar with the situation,” the report reads.
Apple will likely announce the new Apple Watch alongside the iPhone 13 at an event expected to take place on Tuesday, September 14. As it has done with previous products that were said to have been facing manufacturing issues, the Apple Watch may still be unveiled this month as planned, but won’t ship until later in the year.