Bloomberg: Apple May Launch Rugged Apple Watch Model for Extreme Sports as Soon as This Year

Apple is weighing up the possibility of launching an Apple Watch with a rugged casing that's made for use in extreme environments, according to a new report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

apple watch 6s 202009
From the report:

Apple Inc. is considering launching an Apple Watch with a rugged casing aimed at athletes, hikers and others who use the device in more extreme environments, according to people familiar with the matter.

The Cupertino, California-based technology giant has internally discussed introducing such a Watch variation later in 2021 or 2022 at the earliest, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private matters.

As noted by Gurman, this isn't the first time Apple has considered a rugged smartwatch. The company mulled releasing a model to appeal to extreme sports athletes alongside the original Apple Watch, which launched in 2015.

If Apple goes ahead this time, the rugged version would be an additional model similar to how Apple offers a lower-cost option called the Apple Watch SE and special editions co-branded with Nike Inc. and Hermes International. Sometimes dubbed the "Explorer Edition" inside Apple, the product would have the same functionality as a standard Apple Watch but with extra impact-resistance and protection in the vein of Casio's G-Shock watches.

The latest Apple Watch models are water resistant to 50 meters, but Gurman suggests that Apple could make a new device more "rugged" by giving it a rubberized casing, making it more resistant to damage in extreme environments compared to the current lineup of aluminum, titanium, and stainless steel cases.

Despite actively considering such a model, Gurman includes the usual caveat about rumored future products by noting that his sources say it could be ultimately canceled or delayed.

Apple is also working on new swim tracking features for the Apple Watch, according to the report, although no additional details were given.

Apple typically launches new Apple Watch models in September, but rumors are thin on the ground when it comes to a Series 7 model. According to Korean site ETNews, Apple will add blood glucose monitoring capabilities to the Apple Watch Series 7 using a non-invasive optical sensor.

Other rumors indicate a future version of the Apple Watch may adopt solid state buttons that don't physically click but instead provide haptic feedback to users when the buttons are touched, but it's not clear when this is coming.

Related Forum: Apple Watch

Top Rated Comments

jyw104 Avatar
39 months ago
If they go rugged (and presumably an enlarged case), make the battery bigger. No good doing extreme sports/endurance events without worrying about the battery conking out halfway through.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
firewire9000 Avatar
39 months ago
I would love to see an Apple Watch more like a Casio G-Shock.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
scubachap Avatar
39 months ago
I've often wondered why they haven't done this. They could probably own the dive computer market in a couple years. (One universal device that you swop and change deco software as you needed using apps.) Garmin are dipping their toes into the water (sorry!) with their descent but it feels proprietary and eye wateringly expensive.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iBluetooth Avatar
39 months ago
This makes sense as the market gets larger.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Abazigal Avatar
39 months ago

But to your point, the rest look terrible outside of their intended use case.
Garmin watches look that way for reason. They are hardy and designed to take knocks without losing a sweat. It's also why I switch back to my old g-shock watch whenever I had to go back for my 2-week military training every year in the past, because I was afraid of accidentally damaging my apple watch while moving heavy equipment or during outfield exercises, didn't want to fuss over battery life and needed a device with a second hand to time-hack.

Apple's smartwatches are intended to look trendy and fashionable and you would ideally be as comfortable wearing them to a fancy dinner as much as you would go swimming with it. I am not sure Apple can maintain its fashion aspect while retaining the metallic finish.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mike_Trivisonno Avatar
39 months ago
Make a rugged iPhone next!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

reset password request iphone

Warning: Apple Users Targeted in Phishing Attack Involving Rapid Password Reset Requests

Tuesday March 26, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
Phishing attacks taking advantage of Apple's password reset feature have become increasingly common, according to a report from KrebsOnSecurity. Multiple Apple users have been targeted in an attack that bombards them with an endless stream of notifications or multi-factor authentication (MFA) messages in an attempt to cause panic so they'll respond favorably to social engineering. An...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18: What to Expect From 'Biggest' Update in iPhone's History

Wednesday March 27, 2024 11:10 am PDT by
At least some Apple software engineers continue to believe that iOS 18 will be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone. "The iOS 18 update is expected to be the most ambitious overhaul of the iPhone's software in its history, according to people working on the upgrade," wrote Gurman, in a r...
maxresdefault

Apple to Launch New iPad Pro and iPad Air Models in May

Thursday March 28, 2024 11:07 am PDT by
Apple will introduce new iPad Pro and iPad Air models in early May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman previously suggested the new iPads would come out in March, and then April, but the timeline has been pushed back once again. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple is working on updates to both the iPad Pro and iPad Air models. The iPad Pro models will...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2024 Event for June 10 to 14

Tuesday March 26, 2024 10:02 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 35th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14. As with WWDC events since 2020, WWDC 2024 will be an online event that is open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. WWDC 2024 will include online sessions and labs so that developers can learn about new...
apple maps 3d feature

Apple Maps May Gain Custom Routes With iOS 18

Tuesday March 26, 2024 3:10 pm PDT by
Apple may be planning to add support for "custom routes" in Apple Maps in iOS 18, according to code reviewed by MacRumors. Apple Maps does not currently offer a way to input self-selected routes, with Maps users limited to Apple's pre-selected options, but that may change in iOS 18. Apple has pushed an iOS 18 file to its maps backend labeled "CustomRouteCreation." While not much is revealed...
General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple

Apple Releases Revised Versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 With Updated Build Number

Wednesday March 27, 2024 5:59 am PDT by
Apple on late Tuesday released revised versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 with an updated build number of 21E237, according to MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. The updates previously had a build number of 21E236. The revised updates are available for all iPhone and iPad models that are compatible with iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, but they can only be installed via the Finder app on macOS...
applephilschiller

Apple's Phil Schiller Works 80 Hours a Week Overseeing App Store

Wednesday March 27, 2024 2:03 pm PDT by
With the App Store and app ecosystem undergoing major changes in the European Union, The Wall Street Journal today shared a profile on App Store chief Phil Schiller, who is responsible for the App Store. Though Schiller transitioned from marketing chief to "Apple Fellow" in 2020 to take a step back from Apple and spend more time on personal projects and friends, he is reportedly working...