Apple Watch 2 May Feature Internal Upgrades Similar to the iPhone ‘s’ Update Cycle

Apple’s March “Let Us Loop You In” event saw the release of the new iPhone SE, as well as the new 9.7-inch iPad Pro. However, the event also saw the price of the Apple Watch drop significantly – the entry level 38mm Apple Watch Sport saw a drop from $349 to $299, which is often a sign that the release of the next iteration is coming soon.

Although the release date of the Apple Watch 2 is still unclear, we’re now starting to see some of the first credible rumors surrounding the device begin to surface. Just last week, Drexel Hamilton analyst Brian White, fresh off of a Chinese tech tour, predicted that the Apple Watch 2 will be 20-40% thinner than the original, and could be unveiled as early as the WWDC event in June. Just this morning, a research note by KGI Securities analyst, and Apple Nostradamus, Ming-Chi Kuo held claims that the next generation Apple Watch will feature improved internal components, but will not see much of a design change.

The note, obtained by AppleInsider, claimed that the next Apple Watch will feature “spec improvements with limited changes to form factor design.” Kuo claimed that this year’s Apple Watch update will be more akin to an iPhone “s” update, with a major redesign due for 2017, contradicting the rumors that surfaced last week that the next generation device will be substantially thinner than the original Apple Watch.

Unfortunately, the research note doesn’t claim any specific upgrades to the internal specifications, but many have speculated that a larger battery, brighter display for outdoor viewing, greater independence from an iPhone, and possibly a front-facing camera for FaceTime calls may be in the cards for the device.

The research note also failed to address the question of a release date. While the most prominent rumor at the moment is that the Apple Watch 2 will debut in September alongside the iPhone 7, some believe that the device may launch during the Worldwide Developers Conference, currently slated for a June 13-June 17 timeline. If Kuo is correct in predicting that the Apple Watch 2 will not feature any major design changes, a June release is definitely a possibility.

At the moment, there doesn’t seem to be a clear consensus regarding the next generation wearable. However, Ming-Chi Kuo does have an unrivaled track record when it comes to making correct predictions regarding Apple products. Although his word obviously isn’t set in stone, his research notes are typically quite reliable. Like every other Apple device, we won’t see official word until the launch, but more and more rumors will likely surface, and become more credible, as the release of the ‘Apple Watch 2’ grows closer.

Learn More: How to Set Up and Use Apple Pay on iPhone and Apple Watch

What upgrades would you like to see on the Apple Watch 2? Let us know in the comments below.

[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]