Apple has asked its Asian suppliers to make up to six million units of its three Apple Watch models for the first quarter, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
Taiwan-based Quanta Computer, the sole assembler of the Apple Watch, started mass production earlier this year to get ready for an April launch, the WSJ said.
Thousands will work round the clock during the Chinese New Year holidays at Quanta's factory in Changshu, China, the newspaper reported, quoting one person.
Apple said it does not comment on rumour or speculation. The iPhone maker's shares rose as much as 1.9% to a record high of $129.45 on the Nasdaq on Tuesday morning.
The entry-level Apple Watch Sport model accounts for half the production order, while the mid-tiered Apple Watch will count for a third, one person told the WSJ.
The high-end Apple Watch Edition with 18-karat gold casing is expected to have relatively small orders in the first quarter, but Apple plans to produce more than one million units per month in the second quarter, the WSJ reported, citing the person.
The Apple Watch, starting at $349, can receive phone calls and messages, play music, serve as a digital wallet to pay for goods, and monitor heart rates via special sensors.
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