Backing previous rumors about a cellular Apple Watch, CNBC is reporting that the device will arrive in September alongside three new iPhones. A source with knowledge of the development said the new Apple Watch with an embedded SIM will launch at the same time as the full version of watchOS 4, delivering new music features and Siri-based watchface capabilities that will directly benefit from being able to operate untehtered to an iPhone. Well-connected KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said both LTE and non-LTE version of the Apple Watch 3 will appear this year — although he was less specific as to when — and expects the devices to maintain the current form factor rather than implementing a drastic redesign. [via 9to5Mac]
Apple could have another Apple Watch surprise up its sleeve before the next version of the device launches, with CNBC claiming the company is in talks with insurance proivider Aetna to provide “free or discounted” Apple Watches to the company’s 23 million members. Aetna’s corporate wellness program already offers an Apple Watch to its 50,000 employees, but sources claim Apple has been holding secret, invitation-only meetings with companies like Aetna and hospital chiefs from around the country. Apple is reportedly working on a whole new set of sensors to monitor a wide range of health conditions and recently overtook Fitbit as the top-selling fitness tracker. Fitbit has been selling its fitness trackers to companies and insurance providers for years with the pitch that bringing health costs down justifies the cost of the devices, and Tim Bajarin, president of Creative Strategies, said, “This is a logical step for Apple’s broader distribution of their watch, and this type of partnership has been on their radar from the beginning.”
