Nikkei Asia: Apple Watch S7 production delays may lead to delayed shipments

According to Nikkei Asia, production of the upcoming Apple Watch Series 7 has been delayed due to its "complex design."

Apple Watch Series 7 producers began small-scale production last week but have encountered severe challenges in achieving satisfactory production efficiency, multiple people familiar with the matter said, blaming the complexity of the design, which is significantly different from previous generations of watches and has caused problems in assembling electronic modules, components and displays.

The Apple Watch Series 7 is rumored to feature square bezels and a larger screen, and the manufacturer has "temporarily paused" production of the new watch as engineers try to "further validate the design before entering mass production."

The media believes that the Apple Watch Series 7 will be equipped with a blood pressure measurement function, which is an obvious factor leading to the suspension of production. Specifically, the hardware to achieve blood pressure measurement must "meet the requirements of waterproof performance, which further increases the challenges in engineering and production."

Rumor has it that Apple is planning to hold an event in the middle of next month, where the company is expected to unveil the iPhone 13 and Apple Watch Series 7. However, today's report cites sources who claim that those plans could be affected by production issues. While the production of the watch may be experiencing problems, these issues may only result in delayed shipments of the device rather than a delayed release.

Bloomberg later reported that Apple's upcoming smartwatch is suffering from production obstacles, which may lead to delivery delays, as manufacturers need time to adapt to the new design.