With the release date of Apple's upcoming flagship smartphone, dubbed as iPhone 6 drawing near, reports related to the device keep surfacing. Now, we hear that the Cupertino giant is planning to introduce voice messaging feature in its iWatch with an aim to penetrate into Chinese market.
UBS Managing Director, Steve Milunovich has told investors that Apple's CEO Tim Cook might cash in on voice messaging craze in China to penetrate into its market.
"When we visited with Tim Cook, he said that walking down streets in China one sees people speaking into their phones sending voice rather than text messages. Porting this capability to the watch makes sense as it is easier to send a voice message from a device already on the wrist than pulling out a phone. It also could aid penetration of China, which Cook said has a ways to go," said Milunovich (via Fortune).
It was earlier reported that Apple Inc. might release its first smartwatch, dubbed as iWatch along with iPhone 6. Sources told Reuters that iWatch will be able to perform many functions independently but tasks like messaging and voice chat will require a smartphone that runs on Apple's iOS. It added that the smartwatch may have a display measuring 2.5 inches diagonally, with a slightly rectangular, arch-shaped face, touch interface and wireless charging capabilities.
Voice messaging on iPhones that runs on iOS 7 has a long way to go, as one gets the message only after a server translates it into text and proofreads it, but the latest iOS 8, which will come with iPhone 6, allows users to record a message through a microphone and send by swiping the screen.
Milunovich said that some analysts believe that about 40-50 million units of iWatch could be sold in the first year itself if 10-15 percent of iPhone users buy the device.
It may be mentioned that wearable devices from companies like Samsung Electronics, Sony Corp, LG Electronics Inc. and Motorola have thronged the market but have failed to make an impact. Data firm IDC has however claimed that the demand for such devices will increase manifold in the years to come.
iWatch is expected to be released along with iPhone 6 this September. German website, ApfelPage reported that Apple's flagship smartphone would be unveiled on 19 September, citing leaked internal documents of German wireless carrier Deutsche Telekom. Milunovich (via Barron's) had also claimed that iPhone 6 would see the light of the day either in August or September.
Apple Inc. is reportedly releasing two models of iPhone 6 – a 4.7-inch and a 5.5-inch – having scratch-free sapphire crystal glass screen. They are expected to be powered by a 20-nanometer A8 chip (64-bit), which will run on the recently released iOS 8, and come with an 8MP camera with several upgrades including flash and Optical Image Stabilisation.
The smaller model of iPhone 6 may come with 1920 x 1080p (440ppi) resolution, while the larger device may feature 2272 × 1280 (510ppi) resolution, according to South Korean brokerage KDB Daewoo Securities. Chinese analyst Sun Chang Xu wrote on her social media page that the device might feature sensors that can detect pressure, temperature and humidity. Apple Insider also reported citing analyst Ming-Chi Kuo that the device may feature low temperature polysilicon in-cell touch panels, Touch ID fingerprint security, NFC and metal casing.
