The Apple Watch has been an enormous success for the corporate, just about tying up the wearables sector on the first try. With 2023 nicely underway, we’re trying ahead to seeing what Apple will do with the subsequent era of its digital timepiece. So, right here’s all of the information, rumors we’ve found concerning the Apple Watch Sequence 9 in addition to our expectations for the brand new gadget.
Replace 8/15: Added details about the Apple Watch X rumors for 2024.
Apple Watch Sequence 9: Launch date
Apple has a launch schedule for its Watches that, in the event you’ll pardon the pun, runs like clockwork. For years now, its newest iterations have made their debut within the second or third week of September, often alongside the brand new iPhones, with on-sale dates a couple of week and a half later:
- Apple Watch Sequence 8: September 7, 2022
- Apple Watch Sequence 7: September 14, 2021
- Apple Watch Sequence 6: September 15, 2020
- Apple Watch Sequence 5: September 10, 2019
- Apple Watch Sequence 4: September 12, 2018
- Apple Watch Sequence 3: September 12, 2017
It appears extremely unlikely that Apple will change the cadence this 12 months, so we anticipate the Apple Watch Sequence 9 to launch at an Apple occasion in September 2023. The newest rumors counsel the occasion will both be held on Tuesday, September 12, or Wednesday, September 13, with the brand new Watch happening sale on September 22.
Will there be a brand new Apple Watch Extremely?
The 2 loudest voices amongst Apple watchers: Mark Gurman of Bloomberg and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo each say Apple is planning to launch a second-gen Apple Watch Extremely within the fall.
A report from Kuo in mid-July 2023 mentions {that a} new Apple Watch Extremely is coming someday within the second half of this 12 months, whereas Gurman wrote in June that the second era of the Apple Watch Extremely will arrive later in 2023 alongside the brand new Watch Sequence 9. Gurman wrote: “There can be two Apple Watch Sequence 9 fashions and an up to date model of the Extremely (the watches are codenamed N207, N208 and N210).”
Will there be a brand new Apple Watch SE?
The Apple Watch SE isn’t prone to be up to date till 2024. It’s often the case that the SE is on a bi-annual replace schedule. The primary launched in 2020, the second in 2022, and the third is predicted in 2024.
What concerning the Apple Watch X?
In August 2023, Gurman reported that Apple is planning a serious redesign for the tenth anniversary of the Apple Watch in 2024. It’s anticipated to deliver a number of upgrades, together with a mini-LED show, new magnetic band locking mechanism, and a thinner design. Gurman says it is going to be a “splashy improve” and “the largest overhaul but,” much like the iPhone X in 2017.
Apple Watch Sequence 9: Worth
Once more, Apple has been remarkably per its pricing technique for the Apple Look ahead to U.S. consumers. Nonetheless, 2022 noticed European nations take the brunt of a number of value will increase. As such, the U.Okay. noticed the baseline mannequin rise by £50:
- Apple Watch Sequence 8: $399/£419
- Apple Watch Sequence 7: $399/£369
- Apple Watch Sequence 6: $399/£379
- Apple Watch Sequence 5: $399/£399
- Apple Watch Sequence 4: $399/£399
With a value rise in Europe already in place, we’d anticipate the Sequence 9 to have an identical value because the Apple Watch Sequence 8 it replaces. So, it needs to be round $399/£419.
The Apple Watch Extremely prices $799/£849 and we don’t anticipate that to vary for the second era.
Apple Watch Sequence 9: watchOS 10
One factor we all know for positive concerning the Apple Watch Sequence 9 is that it’s going to ship with watchOS 10. This implies you’ll be able to anticipate a couple of new watch faces—presumably a pair which might be unique to the brand new mannequin—and a brand new characteristic or two.
Following WWDC on June 5 we bought a preview of plenty of new options and apps coming within the Apple Watch software program, from a brand new approach to navigate and redesigned apps throughout watchOS 10. There can be new Clocks to select from and new Watch faces in addition to new apps and updates to present apps, together with the Compass and Maps app and new Well being options. Examine watchOS 10 in our separate story.
We anticipate that watchOS 10 can be obtainable for obtain round September 8. Will probably be obtainable to put in on Apple Watch Sequence 4 and newer.
Apple Watch Sequence 9: New options
The Apple Watch Sequence 9 isn’t anticipated to be a serious improve over the 2022 fashions. In response to a tweet from Mark Gurman in April 2023, the Apple Watch Sequence 9 upgrades can be “something however main,” with the brand new mannequin “poised for a extra modest 12 months.” However even with out main adjustments, there are nonetheless a number of doable new options that will make the Apple Watch Sequence 9 a worthy improve.
Design
No adjustments are anticipated for the Apple Watch Sequence 9 design, nonetheless, some adjustments could also be coming to the design of the Apple Watch Extremely.
One upcoming change coming to the Apple Watch Extremely could possibly be to the display dimension. A DigiTimes report again in February advised that the Extremely display dimension might improve from 1.9 inches to 2.1 inches because of slimmer bezels. Moreover, a report by Gurman in July raised the potential for a new “darkish titanium” shade for the Apple Watch Extremely, which was initially deliberate for the first-gen mannequin.
In July 2023, a Webo put up claimed that the Apple Watch Extremely will weigh lower than the present mannequin, which might point out a thinner or smaller case. It’s unclear whether or not the Sequence 9 watches can even have a lighter weight.
3D printing
One other change that could possibly be coming to the 2023 household of watches is using 3D-printed components for manufacturing. This rumor comes from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who says that Apple is planning to undertake 3D printing expertise for “among the titanium mechanical components” of the next-generation Apple Watch Extremely. It’s not clear whether or not that is strictly for the Extremely or can be used for some Sequence 9 parts as nicely.
The transfer to 3D printing ought to allow Apple to chop manufacturing instances and prices and if it really works out nicely the corporate might undertake the method for extra merchandise sooner or later, based on Kuo.
S9 chip
In case you have a look at the tech specs for each new Apple Watch, you’ll see a brand new chip listed. The Sequence 8 has an S8 chip, the Sequence 7 has an S7, and the Sequence 6 has an S6. The one factor that’s bizarre is that they’re all the identical chip with completely different names. Gurman reported in July that the S9 chip will deliver “vital velocity enhancements.”
Whereas the S6 delivered a 20 p.c increase in efficiency over the Sequence 5, the S7 and S8 are rebranded variations of the identical processor based on teardowns and Apple’s conspicuous fee of any form of efficiency enhancements. However the S9 is rumored to be primarily based on a brand new A15 design that brings a lift in efficiency and battery life, and perhaps a Neural Engine constructed into the chip.
New well being sensors
Apple has been working for years on a non-invasive approach to monitor glucose ranges with no need further tools. A report in February claimed {that a} secret staff inside Apple has reached a number of “main milestones” within the venture, and the characteristic is now thought-about to be at a “proof of idea” stage. Nonetheless, it’s unlikely that it’s going to seem on this 12 months’s watch and will nonetheless be a number of years away.
Different doable sensors for inclusion could possibly be an electrodermal exercise (EDA) sensor for measuring stress ranges and a bioimpedance sensor for measuring physique composition.
MicroLED show
There have been loads of rumors about Apple probably utilizing MicroLED shows on numerous gadgets over the previous few years, however the strongest are focusing on the Apple Watch as the primary gadget to make the swap. In any case, the Apple Watch was the primary gadget to have an OLED display—years earlier than the iPhone—so it’s possible that Apple will debut its MicroLED display on the Apple Watch too. Switching to microLED brings quite a few benefits: the panels are thinner, brighter, higher-res and extra power-efficient, and have sooner response instances.
Nonetheless, we might have a little bit of a look ahead to microLED watches, with the primary to undertake the expertise being the Apple Watch Extremely.
At one stage it was believed that the next-generation Apple Watch Extremely would sport a microLED at launch, however that change was predicted for 2024 and a brand new Apple Watch Extremely is now anticipated in 2023. Evidently Apple has encountered manufacturing issues with the brand new display expertise, so the Apple Watch Extremely mannequin with a microLED show is now thought unlikely to launch till 2026, based on analysis firm TrendForce. Therefore we’re prone to be ready for the Third- or 4th-generation Apple Watch Extremely earlier than microLED options.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Motion button
Might we see the Motion Button come to the Apple Watch Sequence 9?
Final 12 months Apple launched the all-new Apple Watch Extremely with a dizzying array of options and parts. The most recent member of the Apple Watch household featured a extra rugged design, flat edges, and a barely bigger show (49mm vs 45mm on the Apple Watch Sequence 8), together with a stunning new characteristic: the Motion button.
The Motion button is situated on the alternative facet of the Digital Crown and would simply match on the Apple Watch Sequence 9. On the Extremely you’ll be able to set it to set off particular duties comparable to a stopwatch, exercise, or flashlight, performance that will be a wonderful improve to the present Apple Watch design.
Twin-Frequency GPS
Just like the iPhone 14 Professional, the Apple Watch Extremely upgraded its GPS to incorporate the L5 band along with the usual L1 for sooner and extra exact location monitoring. Even in the event you’re not mountain climbing in steep terrain, the additional band can be useful in busy metropolis areas the place the usual Watch can battle. Apple has a behavior of introducing new options on high-end fashions after which trickling them all the way down to the lower-end fashions, and we expect that very nicely might occur right here.
The Apple Watch might quickly have an excellent higher show. Will it debut with the Sequence 9?
Foundry
5G
To date, Apple Watches are one of many few remaining Apple gadgets that hasn’t been up to date to 5G—even the high-end Apple Watch Extremely has 4G LTE. With the Apple Watch shifting nearer towards full independence, having the quickest connection obtainable looks as if a good suggestion. We’re positive there are little doubt a couple of issues to beat, however Apple tends to be good at that.
We’ll preserve updating this text as extra info turns into obtainable, so make sure you verify again often. Within the meantime, in the event you can’t wait till September, right here’s our roundup of the greatest Apple Watch offers presently round.
Additionally learn: Each new Apple product coming in 2023 and When is the subsequent Apple Occasion?