The Apple Watch Series 8 is set to be available in a refreshed selection of color options available across all available casing finishes. The main rumor about the Apple Watch Series 8's color options comes from information shared by the leaker known as "ShrimpApplePro" earlier this year.
Overall, the Apple Watch Series 8 is expected to be available in a significantly reduced number of color options, with at least two Apple Watch Series 7 finishes reportedly set to be discontinued. Unlike the iPhone 14 lineup, which is rumored to headline with an all-new Purple color, the Apple Watch Series 8 is not expected to receive any completely new color options compared to previous years.
The Apple Watch Series 8 is rumored to feature the "S8" chip, a body temperature sensor for enhanced sleep tracking and fertility planning, and a Low Power Mode to prolong battery life.
Apple Watch Series 8 (Aluminum)
According to the information, the aluminum Apple Watch Series 8 will eliminate the Series 7's Blue and Green finishes, making PRODUCT(RED) the only non-neutral option still available on the Apple Watch:
Apple Watch Series 7
- Midnight
- Starlight
- PRODUCT(RED)
- Blue
- Green
Apple Watch Series 8
- Midnight
- Starlight
- PRODUCT(RED)
- Silver
The rumor also suggests that Apple will revive the Silver finish from the Apple Watch Series 6 and earlier. After the announcement of the Apple Watch Series 7 last year, the device's color options came under fire by some customers and pundits on social media.
With the Apple Watch Series 7, Apple replaced Silver and Gold with Starlight and Space Gray with Midnight – a change that was simultaneously made on the iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13. Starlight attracted particular ire, with some fans of the previous Silver option criticizing Starlight for being too warm, while some fans of Gold found it to be too desaturated.
Since then, Apple swapped the Silver color options on new versions of the iPad Air and iPad mini for Starlight, leading to speculation that Silver aluminum would only be available with "Pro" devices like the iPad Pro and MacBook Pro. This uncertainty was seemingly brought to an end with the launch of the M2 MacBook Air, which is available in Midnight, Starlight, Space Gray, and Silver, appeasing fans of all of these more neutral shades.
While Starlight critics may be pleased with the return of Silver, Space Gray fans may not be so fortunate with the Apple Watch Series 8, with there being no rumors of that particular color shade returning this year.
A more recent rumor from ShrimpApplePro claimed that the PRODUCT(RED) aluminum Apple Watch Series 8 will feature a "new shade" of red, differentiating it from the PRODUCT(RED) aluminum Apple Watch Series 7 that launched last year.
Apple Watch Series 8 (Stainless Steel)
Apple is rumored to offer the stainless steel Apple Watch Series 8 in the same three color options as the Series 7: Gold, Silver, and Graphite – the same selection of stainless steel finishes that the company has now offered for two successive Apple Watch generations.
Gold has not always been a mainstay of the stainless steel Apple Watch lineup, with the finish only being introduced with the Apple Watch Series 4. As such, fans of gold and some customers who own Apple Watch bands with gold trim may be pleased to hear that there will reportedly still be a Gold stainless steel Apple Watch Series 8, especially as there is no sign of a Gold aluminum model returning this year.
Apple Watch Series 8 'Pro' (Titanium)
Apple is expected to launch a high-end Apple Watch model this year featuring an all-new ruggedized design, a five to seven percent larger display, a larger battery to enable longer workout times, and potentially a flat display.
Like the Apple Watch Edition models from recent years, this new Apple Watch variant is expected to feature a casing made of titanium. Currently, there is no specific information about what color options this high-end Apple Watch could be available in.
The only indication about the device's finish comes from the existing titanium Apple Watch Edition models, which are available in Space Black and natural Titanium, but it is possible that Apple could offer completely different color options for this high-end device.
Color Option Rumors
Color option rumors are typically an area of low accuracy for Apple rumors, likely since color options are chosen relatively late in Apple's product development process. Last year, Max Weinbach and Ukrainian e-commerce website KTC said that the iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13 would be available in Black, Blue, Purple, Pink, White, and PRODUCT(RED), while the the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max would be available in Black, Silver, Gold, and Bronze. The Purple, Black, and Bronze color options did not emerge, while the actual new shade of Sierra Blue was largely unexpected.
ShrimpApplePro, the leaker behind the alleged Series 8 color options, has a growing reputation in the Apple rumor community, providing the first look at the iPhone 14 Pro's "pill and hole-punch" True Depth camera array, thinner bezels, and exact dimensions. It is worth noting that amid rumors about a design with flat edges, ShrimpApplePro correctly said that the Apple Watch Series 7 would feature a rounded design like the Apple Watch Series 6, but with thinner display bezels. This may make the leaker's information more credible, but only time will tell what color options the Apple Watch Series 8 models will actually be available in.
Apple is expected to unveil the Apple Watch Series 8 at an event on Wednesday, September 7 alongside the iPhone 14 models. For more information about the iPhone 14 lineup's color options, see our detailed "Everything We Know" guide.
