Gurman: Apple Planning Major 'Apple Watch X' Redesign to Introduce New Band System and More

Sunday August 13, 2023 11:43 am PDT by Hartley Charlton

Apple is planning a complete revamp of the Apple Watch for the device's tenth anniversary, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

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In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman dubs the overhauled device "Apple Watch X," similar to 2017's iPhone X that celebrated ten years of the iPhone. Since the original Apple Watch was unveiled in 2014 and launched in 2015, Gurman is unsure whether the Apple Watch X will be released in 2024 or 2025.

Apple is apparently working on a thinner casing for the Apple Watch X, as well as different ways for bands to attach to the device. The mechanism for connecting bands to the Apple Watch's casing has remained the same since the device's introduction, allowing bands to be compatible throughout different generations of the Apple Watch.

Individuals involved in developing new Apple Watch models told Gurman that the existing band system takes up a large amount of space that could be better utilized for bigger batteries or other internal components. As such, Apple is now considering a magnetic band attachment system, but it is currently unclear whether it will be ready or present on the Apple Watch X.

The Apple Watch X could also coincide with Apple's introduction of microLED display technology, which surpasses the color and clarity of existing OLED screens. It may also be the first Apple Watch to feature blood pressure monitoring.

Gurman added that the Apple Watch Series 9 is due to be only a "minor refresh," similar to the incremental updates that the device has received in recent years. The new devices are expected to receive faster processors and new color options, but will otherwise be largely the same as the existing models. Gurman says it is "arguably the most minor upgrade in the product's history."

As a result, Apple has recently been considering switching the Apple Watch away from an annual upgrade cycle to offer more substantial updates less frequently, Gurman says. He noted that the iPad started with an annual upgrade cycle, but this has now slowed to a refresh around every 18 months or so.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 11

Tags: Apple Watch X, Bloomberg, Mark Gurman

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Top Rated Comments

HeavenDynamic

38 months ago

Thinking about the 50+ official Watch bands I bought since 2015

Score: 80 Votes (Like | Disagree)

TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️

38 months ago

That’s good stuff!

Hopefully, battery life can be extended to 7 Days on a single charge.

Score: 66 Votes (Like | Disagree)

tomtad

38 months ago

This is nonsense. Gurman talks about making the watch chassis thinner. I mean if anything they’ll be wanting to make it thicker unless some magical battery has been invented given battery life isn’t exactly one of the Watches strong suits.

And the magnetic attaching bands have two major flaws which is why they didn’t go this route in the first place. It would make your watch easy to steal, just grab your watch and it will detach. And you won’t be able to have your watch strap tight for workouts.

Clearly if Apple was going to fundamentally change the watch straps they’d have done it will the launch of the Ultra. And they stuck with the same mechanism so it’s clearly not changing any time soon.

This is complete fiction from Gurman other than it being likely a redesign for the Watch is coming next year. And given it’s been the same for a number of years now anyone could make a good guess at that.

Personally I’d look to the Ultra for any changes. Think we’ll see a flat display with a subtly redesigned chassis along with some new materials/finishes/bands and maybe a new sensor. But it won’t be thinner and the bands won’t be magnetic.

Score: 55 Votes (Like | Disagree)

btrach144

38 months ago

How would magnets take up less space than the current system? They'd have to be really strong, and thus heavy and bulky.

This seems off

Edit: someone with hairy arms is going to have arm hair pulled out non stop.

Score: 54 Votes (Like | Disagree)