Apple Inc is reportedly planning to release an Apple Watch with LTE capabilities later this year.
Currently, the smartwatch has to be connected to the iPhone to send messages or stream music, among other functions.
But the cellular-enabled Apple Watch would let consumers be able to perform the same tasks without an iPhone nearby, according to Bloomberg, reducing the watch's reliance on the smartphone.
Apple Inc is reportedly planning to release an Apple Watch with LTE capabilities later this year. Currently, the smartwatch has to be connected to the iPhone to send messages or stream music, among functions.
But the cellular-enabled Apple Watch would let consumers be able to perform the same tasks without an iPhone (pictured) nearby, reducing the watch's reliance on the smartphone.
Intel Corp will reportedly be supplying the LTE modems for the new Watch.The supplier for iPhones and other Apple gadgets has been Qualcomm Inc.
However, the two companies have been involved a constantly escalating legal battle after Apple said Qualcomm was charging for both the patent licences to use cellular technology chips in iPhones along with selling the chips themselves. Qualcomm is also accused of withholding $1billion in rebates from Apple.
It's currently unclear if users will have to buy a separate cellular data plan for an LTE Apple Watch nor is it clear which carriers will support it.
According to Bloomberg, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon all plan to sell the new device.
While the Apple Watch remains a small part of the company's overall revenue, CEO Tim Cook said earlier this week that it's the best-selling smartwatch 'by a very wide margin.'
Cook added that sales of the device grew more than 50 percent in the third quarter, although Apple doesn't release sale numbers for the Watch like it does for iPhone, iPads and Macs.
According to research firm Strategy Analytics, Apple ranks third behind Xiamomi Corp and Fitbit Inc in the larger wearables category, which includes cheaper fitness bands.
The report of the new smartwatch comes on the heels of further Apple releases to come this year.
The company is planning to debut three new models for the iPhone in the fall, including one with a revamped design and a 3-D facial recognition scanner for unlocking the device, Bloomberg reported.
Like last year, Apple could choose to debut its new Watch models alongside the new iPhone.
And in June, Apple said it was planning to release its Siri-driven HomePod speaker and the iMac Pro desktop computer in December.
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