KGI's Kuo: Series 3 Apple Watch won't support stand alone phone calls at launch

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Just yesterday, an inside source allegedly from Apple told CNBC that the Series 3 Apple Watch would be able to receive and initiate calls without having to be paired to an iPhone. Speculation has the wearable getting unveiled as soon as next month, alongside the 2017 iPhone models. In addition to making and taking stand alone calls, the new wearable should also be able to stream music even when not paired to an iPhone. Many tech fanatics, excited about the idea of a stand alone Apple Watch, are getting ready to purchase the wearable sometime before 2017 comes to an end.

However, this morning reliable Apple analyst Ming Chi-Kuo told his clients "not so fast." In an email message that he sent to them, Kuo said that he doesn't expect to see the new Apple Watch support stand alone calls immediately upon its launch. Before this feature takes place, the analyst says that Apple must first improve the "user experience of data transmission" on the timepiece. As a result, Kuo doesn't expect the Apple Watch to have the ability to make or take phone calls by itself this year.

Kuo does see the Apple Watch supporting VoIP services like Skype and FaceTime. The analyst points out that FaceTime audio is already available on current Apple Watch models. He also expects the lack of internal space inside the Apple Watch to force the company into using an embedded eSIM instead of a regular SIM card. The eSIM will be set so that an Apple Watch will share the same phone number belonging to the user's iPhone.

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The analyst says that despite the legal issues between them, he expects that Apple will still use Qualcomm's chips to power the Series 3 Apple Watch. Kuo says that the latter's chips are superior to those offered by Intel, and use less power. In his note to clients today, Ming-Chi Kuo told them that despite rumors to the contrary, there are no obvious changes in the Series 3 form factor. He also pointed out to clients that while LTE connectivity is the main selling point for the Series 3 Apple Watch, not all markets will support LTE service for the device.

source: MacRumors

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