There could be more than one new Apple Watch in the pipeline before 2022. In addition to the Apple Watch 8, Apple is rumored to launch a new model that will be even bigger and much more robust to appeal to sports enthusiasts.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported in December 2021 that Apple could release an Apple Watch with a “rugged casing,” which could appeal to users who participate in extreme events and sports. Such a watch would presumably have an exterior that is more scratch and impact resistant to better compete with the robust watches from Casio and Luminox.
We’ll go through all the rumors about this new Apple Watch category below. A new Apple Watch SE is also said to be coming, which we will discuss separately.
Apple Watch Pro: name
There are a few possible names that Apple could choose for this new category of Apple Watch. It’s been reported that Apple will discontinue the edition name (which doesn’t really work for the type of watch being rumored), so here are the ones we think are most likely:
Apple Watch Pro – Pro is a brand that Apple uses to highlight the pro features of its Macs and iPhones and iPads, so it would make sense to come to the Watch. Apparently Apple has considered the name Apple Watch Pro in the past. (Update: Mark Gurman also chose Apple Watch Pro as the most likely name in his July 10 newsletter).
Apple Watch Max – Max is another brand Apple uses to highlight pro features, and Max has nice sports connotations.
Apple Watch Sports – Apple is said to have designed this watch for sports enthusiasts, but there is already an Apple Watch Sports Band and Sports Loop, and the sports-focused Apple Watch Nike editions, which tend to be cheaper. so we’re not sure if it will use the name again.
Apple Watch Extreme – Extreme would be a good name as it reflects extreme sports and the idea of extra power very well.
Apple Watch Explorer Edition – Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman suggested that this watch had been given this nickname during early development.
The Apple Watch Pro is expected to adopt a new look to match the larger screen.
IDG
Apple Watch Pro: Release Date
The new Apple Watch will be released this fall. It is widely expected that Apple will launch the new Apple Watches during the iPhone 14 event on Wednesday, September 7. Apple has sent out invites to the event, called Far Out, which begins at 10 a.m. PT. The watches are exempt from going on sale the following week.
Apple Watch Pro: Design and Size
The rumors suggest that the Apple Watch Pro will be different from all the Apple Watch variants released so far, with a different design and look.
How big will the Apple be? Inquire?
In October 2021, Ross Young of Display Supply Chain Consultants tweeted suggesting that Apple will launch a three-size option for the 2022 Apple Watch.
In July, Young added the new size to his forecast, indicating that this new Apple Watch screen size could be 50mm. At 50mm, the watch face will be 5mm larger than the largest Apple Watch 7. It will measure almost 2 inches.
Current watch sizes are 41mm and 45mm, which is already the largest Apple has made. If the third option is around 50mm, it could rival the largest wristwatches from Invicta and Citizen.
If the new watch is designed for lovers of extreme places, it’s likely made of a metal that’s sturdier than aluminum, with higher water resistance, and other features that make it better suited to extreme sports, such as better durability and a shatter-resistant screen. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has indicated it will have a “rugged metal case,” though in March 2021 he suggested it might be covered in a rubbery material, similar to Casio’s G-Shock watches.
While all Apple Watches come in aluminum and stainless steel, the Apple Watch Pro is expected to feature an increasingly stronger metal body.
IDG
What will the new Apple Watch Pro be made of?
Mark Gurman and others have suggested that this Apple Watch will be made of robust material. In his July 10 newsletter, Mark Gurman suggested it will be made from a non-aluminum metal material “probably titanium, as it is much more durable than steel.”
Do old bands work on the Apple Watch Pro?
Almost every band Apple has released since the original Apple Watch has worked on every model, with a few exceptions. Even with the increase in size from 38mm to 45mm, Apple has managed to keep support through all the different releases, although that could change with the Apple Watch Pro. A post on Weibo in August claimed older bands aren’t compatible with the Apple Watch Pro duo for its size, and Gurman added that some bands may be compatible with the new watch but “don’t fit as well or look as seamless.” look .”
Apple Watch Pro: Fitness Features
One of the benefits of the larger screen, which is claimed to measure 50mm (almost 2 inches), is that there will be 7 percent more screen than the largest current Apple Watch. Gurman writes that “Apple could use the larger screen area to display more fitness stats or information on watch faces at once.”
Gurman also writes that this new Apple Watch “will also improve tracking metrics such as elevation during walking workouts and data while swimming.”
Gurman’s sources also indicate that better battery life will allow athletes to keep up with workouts for longer.
Another new feature would be the ability to measure a user’s body temperature to detect a fever, this would also be coming to the Apple Watch Series 8.
Apple Watch Pro: processor and battery
Processor
In all respects, the S7 chip in the Apple Watch Series 7 is the same as the S6 chip. The bad news is that the chip in the Apple Watch Series 8, and also the Apple Watch Pro as we call it, is reportedly no better than the S7. Mark Gurman wrote in July, “All new Apple Watches will use an S8 processor with similar performance to the S7 chip in the Apple Watch Series 7, which was similar to the S6 in the Apple Watch Series 6 from two years ago.”
Battery
One of the bonuses of the new larger Apple Watch that is reportedly in the pipeline is the potential for a larger and more durable battery. The current Apple Watch has a battery life of 18 hours.
In addition, it has been reported that a new power-saving mode will be coming in watchOS 9, although it could be exclusive to the new Series 8 models.
Older bands that work with the Series 7 watch may not be compatible with the Apple Watch Pro.
Jason Cross/IDG
Apple Watch Pro: Price
We expect the price of this new larger watch to be higher than the entry-level Apple Watch Series 8, but because Apple sells watches with different bands, it’s probably not the most expensive watch and band combination you can buy. With the Series 7 starting at $399 / £369 for the 41mm and $429 / £399 for the 45mm mode, we expect the rugged model to likely cost more, perhaps $499 / £499.
However, it may come at a higher price than that. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, in his July 10 newsletter, made a price prediction based on the current price for the Apple Watch Edition (an Apple Watch Series 7 in a titanium case). That model starts at $849, but Gurman thinks Apple will price the new watch even higher: “I wouldn’t be surprised if it starts closer to $900 to $999,” he wrote.