New Apple Watch 2 release date, UK price and specs rumours: Front-facing camera | Built-in GPS | Cellular connectivity | September 2016 release | Thinner with better battery life

New Apple Watch 2 release date, price and specification: Release date

Update 20 June 2016: Digitimes reckons a recent increase in supply of Apple Watch components is a sign that the launch of the next watch will be in September 2016, alongside the next iPhone. This is based on analysis of Apple’s famously complex hardware supply chain and can’t be taken as gospel – but we hope these rumours are true.

Although there is no solid release date for the second-generation Apple Watch 2, we now expect it to be announced in September 2016. We had hoped that we would get our first glimpse at the second-generation Apple Watch at the March 2016 event, but instead Apple used it to show off new watch straps as a ‘Spring’ collection, and surprised us with an Apple Watch price drop. (We also saw a new Phone SE and a9.7in iPad Pro.)

You can find out more about the new Apple Watch straps and pricing in our Apple Watch buying guide, or continue reading for all of the Apple Watch 2 rumours we’ve seen so far.

Another rumour regarding the release date of the Apple Watch 2 comes from China – more specifically, the chairman of Quanta, Barry Lam. Quanta manufactured the first-generation Apple Watch, and we expect it’ll also be the manufacturer of the second-generation device, so when the chairman announced a general release date window at an investors meeting, people paid attention.

According to reports, Lam claims that we’ll be seeing limited stock of the Apple Watch 2 near the end of Q2 2016, with more stock becoming available in Q3 2016. Based on this, it looks like the Apple Watch 2 will have a possible June 2016 release date, which falls in line with the analyst claims above.

Apple launches new Apple Watch straps at 21 March event

Although the Apple Watch 2 didn’t get a mention at Apple’s March 2016 event, but the smartwatch didn’t go entirely unnoticed. Apple announced that the Apple Watch was the number one selling smartwatch in the world, and that people loved the fact that changing the strap changed the look of the watch. With that being said, Apple announced a flurry of new Apple Watch bands including £39 nylon bands available in seven colours, some of which can be seen below.

New Apple Watch 2 release date, price and specification: Design and build

We’ve got an idea of when to expect the Apple Watch 2, then. But what will it look like?

New design(s)

Update 1 August: Current rumours suggest that the Watch 2 will be thinner than its predecessor. This comes from TPK Holding informing Digitimes that Apple are moving away from a glass-on-glass panel to a ‘One Glass Solution’. This would allow for a small amount of space to be increased within the watch’s frame. Some are even suggesting that it can be up to 40% thinner. However, we’re doubtful its size will be drastically cut, as it will be used to accommodate a bigger battery.

Apple is said to be exploring more variations of the Apple Watch, beyond the Sports, Steel and Edition tiers available with the first-gen Apple Watch. It’s said that the company is planning to introduce new models that should sit between the most expensive steel Apple Watch (£949) and the cheapest Apple Watch Edition (£8,000).

The gap between the top of the middle price band and the bottom of the top price band has always looked rather wide, and Apple seems to be looking to attract customers willing to pay between £1,000 and £8,000 for an Apple Watch: which is potentially quite a lot of people.

However, it’s unclear how the new tiers will differ from current models. It’s been suggested that the new tier could feature more advanced bands or new materials including tungsten, palladium, titanium or even platinum.

Despite what’s been said about potential new models, according to reports in April 2016 from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities, the Apple Watch 2 might not actually adopt a new design, with only the internals getting some love from Apple. We’ve come to expect incremental specs improvements to hardware from the company in iPhones and iPads of recent years, so it’s not outside the realms of possibility that this is the option Apple will go with.

Apple Watch 2 design rumours: Third-party battery straps

We’d all also had our eyes on a cool company called Reserve Strap. Its clever design made use of the Apple Watch’s accessory port in a strap with a battery that allowed the watch to, it’s claimed, hold a charge for up to a week. However, the companyannounced its disappointment recently that in a change to the Apple External Accessory Protocol in Apple’s watchOS 2.0.1 update, the accessory port will no longer support the Reserve Strap’s functionality.

For those who had pre-ordered the strap, the company advises that if you don’t upgrade your OS, you’ll be OK – but for all those who will no doubt want to it seems, for now, the battery boost idea will have to go back to the drawing board.