Apple Watch SE With Plastic Design Now in 'Jeopardy' for Two Reasons

There might not be a plastic Apple Watch SE this year after all, according to the latest word from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

apple watch se 2022
In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said the plastic Apple Watch SE is now in "jeopardy" for two reasons: design and cost issues.

"The design team doesn't like the look, and the operations team is finding it difficult to make the casing materially cheaper than the current aluminum chassis," he said.

Gurman first mentioned the possibility of a plastic Apple Watch SE last year.

An even more affordable Apple Watch SE with a colorful plastic design could have been appealing to parents who are looking to purchase an Apple Watch for their children.

The current Apple Watch SE was released in 2022. In the U.S., it starts at $249.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch SE 3
Related Forum: Apple Watch

Popular Stories

streaming black friday 2025

Black Friday Streaming Deals Include Big Savings on Disney+, Hulu, Apple TV, and More

Monday November 24, 2025 8:03 am PST by
We've been focusing on deals on physical products over the past few weeks, but Black Friday is also a great time of year to purchase a streaming membership. Some of the biggest services have great discounts for new and select returning members this week, including Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These New Features to Your iPhone

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:50 am PST by
iOS 26.2 is currently in beta testing. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics for Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date. Keep reading...
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

iOS 27 Will Reportedly Have Two Key Upgrades

Sunday November 23, 2025 8:48 am PST by
iOS 27 will reportedly have two major elements: quality improvements and new AI features. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that iOS 27 will be similar to Mac OS X Snow Leopard, in the sense that Apple is focused on improving "quality and underlying performance" over adding new features. Gurman said there is one exception to this rule, though, as he expects...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: iPhone 18 Pro Looks Like a Huge Upgrade

Friday November 21, 2025 9:10 am PST by
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through all of the new features and improvements expected to come to next year's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos Apple's next-generation iPhones are less than ten months away and we already have a good idea about what to expect based on corroborated leaks, rumors,...
General Black Friday Deals 25 Red

Apple Black Friday Deals Available Now on AirPods, iPads, Accessories, and More

Friday November 21, 2025 8:48 am PST by
We're only a few days away from Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When...
Apple Shopping Event 2025

Apple Announces 2025 Black Friday Event, Here's What You Can Get

Thursday November 20, 2025 6:28 am PST by
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 28 through Monday, December 1 in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Thailand, and others. During the shopping event, customers can get an Apple gift card with...
hikawa phone grip stand apple%402x

Apple Launches Second Limited-Edition iPhone Accessory in a Month

Friday November 21, 2025 3:53 am PST by
Apple has begun selling the Hikawa Phone Grip and Stand, a new limited-edition iPhone accessory designed with accessibility in mind. Designed by LA-based Bailey Hikawa to celebrate the 40th anniversary of accessibility at Apple, the grip uses magnets to securely snap onto any iPhone with MagSafe. Apple says it can be removed with ease, and doubles as a stand with two different viewing...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone to Debut These Two Breakthrough Features

Wednesday November 19, 2025 7:26 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in fall 2026, and it's shaping up to include two standout features that could set it apart from the competition. The book-style foldable will reportedly feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera built into the inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. That...
apple news banner

Apple News Loses CNN

Monday November 24, 2025 7:56 am PST by
American multinational news company CNN has abruptly pulled its content from Apple News, Semafor reports. CNN quietly removed its stories from Apple News over the weekend and there is no longer a feed from the network to subscribe to in the app. This effectively ends its distribution agreement with Apple while the two sides negotiate new terms. Discussions are apparently ongoing and CNN's...

Top Rated Comments

Plutonius Avatar
9 months ago
If you are already spending that much money, who wants plastic to save a little money ?

Just give me a better battery life and I'll be happy.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Velin Avatar
9 months ago
Aluminum is one of the most abundant elements. Forget the plastic. Aluminum is superior. Instead, find a way to lower the costs to produce the Watch case. Pass those savings on to everyone.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
surfzen21 Avatar
9 months ago
And the battle of giants continues.



Attachment Image
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AlexStudios Avatar
9 months ago
Mark my words.

If they still manage to release it anyways but jack up the price by just a little bit more, you know there’s something not right at Apple.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
titanium69 Avatar
9 months ago
The quality might be cheaper… but the price won’t be
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HowEver Avatar
9 months ago

Ancient analog quartz watches from 70s/80s have a battery life up to 10 years. Apple Watch, released almost 10 years ago, can't even last 1 week without recharging. The main issue is the screen: A watch only really needs MOVEMENT. Apple should hire a skilled horologist. And maybe they could release a Special 10th Anniversary Edition in April?
Your definition of a watch is out of date, if not time, for many people.

And there are still lots of watches like you describe, old ones, new ones.

btw do you use a Mac Plus still?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)