Partners: Expect Revolutionary Apple Watch Details From Monday's Event

Apple has charged ahead this year with record-breaking holiday-quarter smartphone sales, but partners are anticipating even more from the Cupertino, Calif.-based company's product line during its special event on Monday.

At the "Spring Forward" event, solution providers are itching to learn more enterprise-related details about the company's newest cutting-edge product, Apple Watch, and whether the new wearable will open up channel opportunities.

"I think the Apple Watch is very interesting," said David Felton, founder of Norwalk, Conn.-based solution provider Canaan Technology. "I think it will appeal to end users across the board. For consumers, it will provide a second screen for the iPhone. But for the enterprise, Apple Watch could also be an interesting product because business employees can be constantly notified about email and scheduling."

[Related: Channel Partners Scoping Out Direction In Wearables Market]

During the wearable's debut in September, CEO Tim Cook informed eager audiences that Apple Watch would have display options for an 18-karat and aluminum model, as well as various colored straps and an iOS-based interface. He also announced the watch will be sold in two sizes, 38 mm and 42mm.

Though no further information has been revealed so far about the Apple Watch, partners envision that it will come equipped with enterprise-related features, such as productivity apps and interactive facets like a fingerprint reader.

"There's no question that it will be more successful than other smartwatches, because Apple is huge in the consumer market," said Felton. "I think the smartwatch will initially be a consumer product, and then it will be herded into the enterprise environment. I hope they'll come out with interesting apps for the enterprise, or an interactive type of camera."

Raul de Arriz, national government sales manager for Apple specialist Small Dog Electronics, Waitsfield, Vt., said he expects Apple to explain pricing and distribution parameters for the wearables, and hopes for the announcement of partnerships with new channels for the sales of the Apple Watch.

"I hope for other interesting announcements and updates on the ecosystem front," he said. "[I expect] updates to the iOS 8 to be announced ... along with new watch software, and more details about health-tracking features."

The smartwatch market is young but filled with competitors, such as Motorola, Samsung and LG. At Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, this week, several smartwatches were unveiled, such as Pebble Time and LG Watch Urbane.

But partners and analysts think that the Apple Watch will popularize the market through its loyal consumer fanbase.

A recent study by market research firm Strategy Analytics forecast global smartwatch shipments to grow from 4.6 million units in 2014 to 28.1 million in 2015 and, of that,15.4 million units will be from the Apple Watch.

In addition to the Apple Watch, de Arriz said he expects further details to be announced about other products, such as Apple TV content.

Partners also hope that more will be revealed about Apple's home automation software and connected devices, such as CarPlay, a car-based music service, and HomeKit, Apple's framework in iOS 8 for communicating with, and controlling, connected home accessories.

Apple's "Spring Forward" event will take place on Monday in San Francisco, at 10 a.m. PDT.

PUBLISHED MARCH 6, 2015