Apple Watch Launch Said to Be Delayed Until Spring The hold-up could cause ripple effects for the smartwatch industry.
This story originally appeared on CNBC
It looks like the Apple Watch won't be coming until spring, and that could ripple effects for the smartwatch industry.
Since it was announced in September, Apple said the watch would be available in early 2015. Now, the 9to5Mac website says the launch won't happen until spring. Apple did not respond to a CNBC request for comment.
Patrick Moorhead, president and principal analyst at Moor Insights and Strategy, said Apple's post-holiday launch will affect the industry, including Samsung and Motorola, whose fitness trackers and smartwatches are already on the market.
"The biggest impact the Apple Watch will have on the holiday sales season is that it will stall the sales of other smartwatch makers," he said. "Millions of consumers have heard of the Apple Watch, which albeit more expensive, offers considerably higher levels of fashion and function than those watches from Samsung, LG, Sony, Motorola or Pebble."
So consumers may think twice, hoping to see the Apple Watch, before deciding which smartwatch to buy.
Although there will definitely be some missed gift-giving opportunities, Apple devices are not always released in time for the holidays. The iPad 2 and 3 were released in the first quarter, and iPhones up to the iPhone 4S were released in the second quarter. More recently, its launches have moved to the second half of the calendar year.
If Apple spends the next few months refining the watch, will it make it so tempting that it redefines the category and convinces consumers that it's actually a necessity?
