Kuo: New Apple Watch Ultra to Launch This Year With 3D-Printed Parts

The second-generation Apple Watch Ultra will launch later this year and feature 3D-printed mechanical parts, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

apple watch ultra sandy
In a post published on Medium earlier today, Kuo said that his latest survey of Apple's supply chain indicates that "Apple is actively adopting 3D printing technology." Specifically, "some of the titanium mechanical parts of the 2H23 new Apple Watch Ultra will be made by 3D printing."

The components could include the Digital Crown, Side Button, and Action Button, as these are the only mechanical parts of the Apple Watch Ultra. These titanium parts are currently CNC machined.

The change has the potential to improve production time and reduce costs. If shipments from suppliers go well, Kuo believes more Apple products will adopt 3D printing technology in the future.

Until now, only Bloomberg's Mark Gurman had said that Apple would release a second-generation Apple Watch Ultra alongside the Apple Watch Series 9 models later this year. Thus, Kuo's latest report seems to add further credibility to the belief that the Apple Watch Ultra will follow the same annual update cycle as the standard Apple Watch series.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch Ultra 2
Related Forum: Apple Watch

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Top Rated Comments

Premium1 Avatar
21 months ago
Reduce costs.... Just not for the consumers.
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macsplusmacs Avatar
21 months ago
Apple Watch Ultra 2040:

Apple just sends you the watch plans and your print out your watch on your 3D printer that is next to your Kurieg 9000
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
21 months ago
I don't have a good feeling about this. However, I just hope it's still durable and rugged!
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
boyreinvented Avatar
21 months ago
There’s a huge difference between using an industrial metal 3D printer and a Ultimaker printing plastic as a hobby.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Bleuperrr Avatar
21 months ago

I don't think I really understand the difference between manufacturing a specific/custom element of a device and 3D printing it, in this context.
Is the difference that one is cut from a block of material, while the other is built up from a base material?
That's basically correct. One shaves a block down to the end product the other builds the product up using basically metal dust 3D printed to make the part. The cool thing with 3D printing is you can make parts that are impossible to make with CNC. 3D printed titanium is also stronger in tensile strength. Not to mention the wasted material CNC has. I'm surprised Apple hasn't done this sooner honestly.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BGPL Avatar
21 months ago
Reducing costs with 3D printed parts on their flagship, most robust watch for the most serious outdoorsman. Makes sense.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)