Apple Watch Supply Constrained By Faulty Taptic Engine [WSJ]

Supply of the Apple Watch at launch was constrained by a faulty taptic engine, reports the WSJ. The part made by one of two suppliers was found to be defective resulting in limited availability of the smartwatch.

The part involved is the so-called taptic engine, designed by Apple to produce the sensation of being tapped on the wrist. After mass production began in February, reliability testing revealed that some taptic engines supplied by AAC Technologies Holdings Inc., of Shenzhen, China, started to break down over time, the people familiar with the matter said. One of those people said Apple scrapped some completed watches as a result.

Notably, taptic engines produced by Japan's Nidec Corp did not experience the same problems and so Apple moved nearly all of its production of the component to the company. However, it's expected to take Nidec some time to increase production levels.


The taptic engine is one of the unique features that Apple created especially for the Apple Watch. It uses a motor to move a small rod back and forth, creating the sensation of tapping. The engine also lets you send your heartbeat to others.

It’s called the Taptic Engine, a linear actuator inside Apple Watch that produces haptic feedback. In less technical terms, it taps you on the wrist whenever you receive an alert or notification, or press down on the display. Combined with subtle audio cues from the specially engineered speaker driver, the Taptic Engine creates a discreet, sophisticated, and nuanced experience by engaging more of your senses. It also enables some entirely new, intimate ways for you to communicate with other Apple Watch wearers. You can get someone’s attention with a gentle tap. Or even send something as personal as your heartbeat.

In the company's recent earnings call, CEO Tim Cook revealed that Apple is starting to improve its supply of the device. "We were able to deliver more customers an Apple Watch over the weekend than we previously anticipated." Cook says that the watch could launch in additional countries by late June.

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