New 'Solo Loop' Style Bands Optimized for Apple Watch Series 4 and Later

Apple has new band styles for the Apple Watch out today, called the Solo Loop and Braided Solo Loop. In the details on each band's store page, Apple points out that these bands are aimed at the Apple Watch Series 4 and later watches.

solo loop compatibility
The reason for this is because these new bands come in eighteen different size options. Apple gives customers a printable tool to find their perfect fit for the Solo Loop bands on Apple.com.

Once you print the tool out and wrap it around your wrist, Apple gives you a number of 1-12, which corresponds to which case size (40mm or 44mm) and band size you'll need. There is some overlap between 40mm and 44mm case sizes, increasing the band size count to eighteen.

printable apple watch tool
These sizing options omit the older Apple Watch case sizes of 38mm and 42mm. To keep things simple, Apple is noting that the bands are only compatible with modern models of the Apple Watch, essentially including Apple Watch Series 4 and later.

Still, these new bands should technically fit on the equivalent 38 and 42mm casings from Series 3 and earlier, but you may have to size up a bit to account for the slightly smaller casing if you want to use one of these bands with an older watch. We should get more detailed information about fit and compatibility for these new bands once they start arriving to customers later this week.

Catch up on today's news by reading our full coverage on the Apple Watch Series 6.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch 10, Apple Watch SE
Related Forum: Apple Watch

Popular Stories

Generic iOS 18

iOS 18.3 Coming Soon: Here's What's New

Monday January 13, 2025 5:33 am PST by
iOS 18.3 is currently in beta for developers and public beta testers. So far, the upcoming iPhone software update is very minor in scope. Below, we outline what is new in iOS 18.3 so far. The only potential new feature coming to iPhones with iOS 18.3 so far is robot vacuum support in the Home app, but this functionality is not yet live. Apple is laying the groundwork for the feature,...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature Single Camera 1 Redux

'iPhone 17 Air' Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Wednesday January 15, 2025 7:16 am PST by
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the "ultra-thin" device. Overall, the "iPhone 17 Air" is shaping up to be a mixed bag. Due to its thinness, the device is expected to have some limited specifications compared to the iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, only a single speaker, no SIM...
new magsafe charger

Apple Releases Updated MagSafe Charger Firmware

Tuesday January 14, 2025 11:30 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware designed for the 25W MagSafe Charger that is compatible with the iPhone 12 and later and the latest AirPods and Apple Watch models. The updated firmware is version 2A143, up from the 2A138 firmware that the accessory shipped with. In the Settings app, you'll see a different version number than the internal firmware number. The 2024 MagSafe charger was...
iPhone 17 Pro Dual Tone Feature 1

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 8 New Features

Thursday January 9, 2025 5:45 am PST by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. iPhone 17 Pro concept based on rumors Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of January 2025: More aluminum: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models ...
HomePod mini and Apple TV

HomePod Mini 2 and New Apple TV Launch Timeframe Narrowed Down

Sunday January 12, 2025 4:11 pm PST by
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman recently reported that Apple plans to release new HomePod mini and Apple TV models this year, and now he has provided a more precise timeframe. In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said Apple is currently aiming to launch the new HomePod mini and Apple TV models "toward the end of the year." That timeframe suggests the devices will be released at some point...
severance new york promo 1

Apple Promotes Severance Season 2 Premiere With Lumon Industries Pop-Up and Visits From Actors

Tuesday January 14, 2025 3:47 pm PST by
Ahead of the season two premiere of hit TV show Severance, Apple is marketing the show with a fun Severance pop-up at the Grand Central Terminal in New York City. Apple has assembled a glass cube with workstations that are identical to the setups that Lumon employees use on the show, complete with employees "working," doing yoga, playing catch, throwing paper airplanes, sipping coffee, and...
airpods pro 2 gradient

AirPods Pro 3 Expected This Year: Here's What We Know

Wednesday January 8, 2025 7:05 am PST by
Despite being released over two years ago, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 continue to dominate the wireless earbud market. However, with the AirPods Pro 3 expected to launch sometime in 2025, anyone thinking of buying Apple's premium earbuds may be wondering if the next generation is worth holding out for. Apart from their audio and noise-canceling performance, which are generally regarded as...
2024 iPhone Boxes Feature

Apple Changes Trade-In Values for iPhones, iPads, Macs, and More

Thursday January 16, 2025 6:45 am PST by
Apple today adjusted estimated trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models in the U.S., according to its website. Some values increased, while others decreased. The changes were not too significant, with most values rising or dropping by $5 to $50. We have outlined some examples below: Device New Value Old Value iPhone 15 Pro Max Up to $630 U ...

Top Rated Comments

iamMacPerson Avatar
57 months ago
‘Only compatible with modern models of Apple Watch’.

Ummm they still sell the Series 3...
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple_Robert Avatar
57 months ago

What? I’ve never had a band start to smell, and I don’t clean them nearly as often as I probably should.
Given your username, I am rather surprised that is the case. :P
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HiVolt Avatar
57 months ago
It's too bad they didn't simply say "if you're wearing your band on this hole on 40 or 44mm watch, this is the size you need"

referencing the sport bands of course.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Chewie16 Avatar
57 months ago
Did you guys notice that this band is made from silicone and not fluoroelastomer?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Stromos Avatar
57 months ago

The sport bands are made out of fluoroelastomer due to their lower allergic reaction rates. IIRC Apple made a point of this when they released them.

Silicone on the other hand is a common allergy nuisance.

The Watches all use the same slot, the only difference is a very minor difference in the corner radius.

How can it be that they are not compatible with all models?
Think its more likely the sizes are different on the watch itself. So the sizing tool isn't going to be accurate.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JimmyBanks6 Avatar
57 months ago

Think its more likely the sizes are different on the watch itself. So the sizing tool isn't going to be accurate.
If that was the case you would think Apple would just release two sizing tools depending on your model though.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)