Multiple Reports Allege Apple Watch Series 7 Production Has Hit A Snag

The first publication to report on this delay was Nikkei Asia, which claims that the all-new design of the Apple Watch Series 7 is causing some trouble for Cupertino's manufacturing partners. Manufacturers reportedly "encountered critical challenges in reaching satisfactory production performance," which is directly attributed to "the complexity of design, which is significantly different from that of previous generations of the watch."

Small-scale production allegedly kicked off last week. However, it has already halted so that Apple engineers and suppliers can work together to fix any fitment issues prior to mass production. It's unknown at this time how long this reassessment period will last, but it will no doubt result in delays for the next-generation smartwatch.

Nikkei Asia's reporting was backed up by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who says that the all-new design will "likely leading to shipment delays or supply constraints."

This year's Apple Watch Series 7 will feature a wholly rethought exterior design that abandons the gentle curves for flat edges more in keeping with the iPhone 12/13 design language. It's also reported that the smartwatches will be available with slightly larger 41mm and 45mm cases. Apple last increased the display size with the Apple Watch Series 4 back in 2018.

Despite the all-new exterior, it's expected that the vast ecosystem of watch bands dating back to the original Apple Watch will still work with the Apple Watch Series 7. In addition, the smartwatch family will be powered by a new S7 SoC, and a new lamination process will allow the display to appear closer to the cover glass (which has typically been Ion-X on cheaper models and sapphire on the more expensive variants). Other features tipped for the Apple Watch Series 7 include expanded ultra-sideband (UWB) communications support and increased battery life.