iWatch Said to Be at 'Engineering Verification Test' Stage, Components Now in Production

Apple's iWatch has reached the "engineering verification test" (EVT) stage of development and will likely beginning shipping in 2015, according to a new report from Digitimes. While components for the device are said to be in production, sources close to the matter stated the device must also head to production verification testing (PVT) before entering mass production.

Digitimes also claims Apple is "unlikely" to unveil the iWatch during its upcoming September 9 media event, which contrasts with reports from the likes of Re/code and Bloomberg last week stating that the device would be introduced alongside the iPhone 6. A previous report suggested Apple would be debuting the device at an October event, but Re/code noted the company later ended up changing its plans.

However, an early 2015 launch for the iWatch has been suggested by a number of sources, as part leaks for the device have also been non-existent to this point. Recent rumors have suggested the device will include an array of sensors to track health and fitness-related metrics, and will be positioned as an iPhone accessory that tightly integrates with iOS 8.