That LTE Apple Watch you’ve been wishing for is probably not coming any time soon — but the new version will have GPS tracking as previously rumored, so at least there’s that.
According to a report from Bloomberg, Apple ran into trouble with battery life for a version of the incoming Apple Watch 2 with cellular connectivity. All that data transferring decimated the wearable’s small battery. From Bloomberg:
The source of the delay is that current cellular chips consume too much battery life, reducing the product’s effectiveness and limiting user appeal, according to three of the people. Apple has begun studying lower-power cellular data chips for future smartwatch generations.
But the second iteration of the Apple Watch will have GPS, which will be positioned as an upgrade for health tracking. A new GPS chip will be able to better monitor your location and communicate the information directly to Apple’s network via satellites. It should improve the accuracy of activities like walking, running or biking.
The current Apple Watch relies on an accelerometer and self-reporting to help it gauge your current workouts.
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It’s still believed we’ll see a new Apple Watch this Fall, though we’re not clear on when it may be released.
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