The Apple Watch goes on sale, prompting speculation that Apple is about to release the next generation of its popular wearable.
The Apple Watch is currently on sale at several North American retailers including Best Buy, Target and B&H, which has the wearable at $100 off. The Apple Watch Sport model costs $249, while the 42mm version of the devices costs $299. At Apple's own stores, it should be noted, the Apple Watch has not been discounted.
Some fans of the Apple wearable have suggested that this means that an Apple Watch 2 is on the way and that Apple and its retail partners are trying to 'clear house' before the next watch goes on sale. They also point to the fact that there has been lots of speculation about the future of the Apple Watch recently.
For example, a new patent filed by Apple with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) hinted at a feature that would allow notifications on an iPhone to play at an 'appropriate' volume, using audio samples from the Apple Watch to gauge what that appropriate volume may be. Sources within the supply chain of the Apple Watch 2 have also claimed that the device will begin mass production in mid-2016.
Perhaps the biggest hint that an Apple Watch 2 is on the way, however, is that Apple plans to host an event in March. While a new, smaller iPhone and a new iPad seem like the most likely announcements, some have said that Apple will use the event to show off the Apple Watch 2 as well.
TechCrunch disagrees with this theory though, saying that it's "unlikely" that the Apple Watch 2 will be unveiled soon. Instead, the publication hypothesizes that Apple is "firing with both barrels to capture market share as quickly as possible". By getting people invested with the Apple Watch brand now, says TechCrunch, "chances are you're going to buy another one down the road in a couple of years".
The publication also notes that the Apple Watch went on sale not long before Valentine's Day, which suggests that retailers think the device is a good gift, and not necessarily that a new generation of the wearable is about to be revealed. Instead, TechCrunch says that there could be "new bands and partnerships with fashion companies" during Apple's March event, but "it's going to be the same watch".
Watch the reveal of the first Apple Watch below: