According to Gurman, it is "sounding increasingly likely" that the next-generation Apple Watch SE models will use a rigid plastic material instead of aluminum. Plastic can keep costs down, and could appeal to parents who are looking for an Apple Watch for their children.
Apple in July launched a new website that encourages parents to purchase a cellular Apple Watch for their children. The "Apple Watch For Your Kids" campaign highlights the benefits of Apple Watch for younger wearers, such as location tracking, options for calling parents, and activity tracking. Adults can set up watches for their kids with their own iPhone, and there are features for keeping it from being used during school.
With plastic, Apple could also offer the Apple Watch SE in a range of fun colors that are not possible with aluminum. Apple used to sell a plastic iPhone 5c, for example, and it came in vibrant blue, yellow, pink, and green colors. Plastic would also better differentiate the Apple Watch SE from the standard Apple Watch models as the current Apple Watch SE is basically a modified version of the aluminum Apple Watch without the latest features.
The current Apple Watch SE models sell for $250, but shifting to plastic may allow Apple to offer the device at a lower price to better compete with companies that offer more affordably priced smart watches.
The Apple Watch SE could be refreshed as soon as this year.
Monday December 9, 2024 10:06 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today seeded the second release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS 15.2 updates to developers and public beta testers for testing purposes, a week after releasing the first RCs. The first iOS 18.2 RC had a build number of 22C150, while the second RC's build number is 22C151. Release candidates represent the final version of beta software that's expected to see a ...
Wednesday December 11, 2024 5:23 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today announced that iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 will be released today following more than six weeks of beta testing.
For the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models, the update introduces additional Apple Intelligence features, including Genmoji for creating custom emoji, Image Playground and Image Wand for generating images, and ChatGPT integration for Siri. There is...
Monday December 9, 2024 4:48 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple's forthcoming iPhone SE 4 will feature a single 48-megapixel rear camera and a 12-megapixel TrueDepth camera on the front, according to details revealed in a new Korean supply chain report.
ET News reports that Korea-based LG Innotek is the main supplier of the front and rear camera modules for the more budget-friendly ~$400 device, which is expected to launch in the first quarter of...
Thursday December 5, 2024 11:48 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple seeded the release candidate version of iOS 18.2 today, which means it's going to see a public launch imminently. Release candidates represent the final version of new software that will be provided to the public should no last minute bugs be found, and Apple includes release notes with the RC launch.
The iOS 18.2 release notes provide a look at all of the new features that are coming...
Monday December 9, 2024 7:36 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple plans to remove the notch from the MacBook Pro in a few years from now, according to a roadmap shared by research firm Omdia.
The roadmap shows that 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models released in 2026 will have a hole-punch camera at the top of the display, instead of a notch. It is unclear if there would simply be a pinhole in the display, or if Apple would expand the iPhone's...
Friday December 6, 2024 4:42 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple is set to release iOS 18.2 in the second week of December, bringing the second round of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update brings several major advancements to Apple's AI integration, including completely new image generation tools and a range of Visual Intelligence-based enhancements. There are a handful of new non-AI related feature controls...
Thursday November 28, 2024 3:30 am PST by Tim Hardwick
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...
Monday December 9, 2024 1:28 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Norwegian payment service Vipps has become the world's first company to launch a competing tap-to-pay solution to Apple Pay on iPhone, following Apple's agreement with European regulators to open up its NFC technology to third parties.
Starting December 9, Vipps users in Norway can make contactless payments in stores using their iPhones. The service initially supports customers of SpareBank...
