Apple gears up for more innovative upgrades for its gear products. Reports of the new Apple Watch Series 3 integrating a glass-film touch display are in upbeat. It stands out that Steve Jobs' legacy resonates with its latest tech products.
9TO5Mac reported that a new supplier report out of Asia includes two details that may tell us a little more about the third generation Apple Watch rumored for release later this year and the report claims that the Apple Watch Series 3 will use a different display technology with shipments starting in the second half of this year.
Specifically, the report cites industry sources in claiming TPK Holding has struggled to profitably produce enough of the displays used by Apple Watch so far which could also explain inventory constraints, the report added.
Apple Insider further cited that Apple will probably turn to either Biel Crystal or General Interface Solution to produce the glass-film touch panels since Biel has separately been rumored as one of the suppliers for the front and back glass on three upcoming iPhone models, including an OLED-equipped iPhone 8 or iPhone X.
If Apple does take on Biel and GIS for a third-generation Watch, it will be dropping current touch panel supplier TPK, which has allegedly been unable to get good yield rates for touch-on-lens and been planning on its own to halt production for the Watch and the company is reportedly trying to return to profitability, since the yield issue was responsible for losses during 2016, according to the same report.
However, taking technology into consideration, the level the difficulty centers on the curved surface of the Apple Watch Series 3 and it could complicate the manufacturing process for its touch panels as well.
With the new innovations rolling out for Apple Watch Series 3, speculations of Samsung's smartwatch flagship giving up the competition are on the rise as well. However, everything remains unsettled and should be taken with a grain of salt in mind.