Apple launched the first version of its Apple Watch back in 2015 and a new rumor suggests that the company is considering a new model with ruggedized design that would make it ideal for extreme sports.
The report, from Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, says that people familiar with the matter believe that an Apple Watch could be coming with a rugged casing that will suit athletes, hikers or, I suppose, the terminally clumsy.
Gurman claims that the idea of a sportier Apple Watch is not new and was previously considered after the original Watch appeared. At launch, the smartwatch came in aluminum, stainless steel and gold finishes. The watch glass was not as strong on the aluminum models as on the stainless-steel and gold which used sapphire crystal instead.
So, the ruggedized version, if it happens, could switch to a tougher display cover perhaps.
It could have a rubberized cover which would be tougher in extreme sports (or, again, if you’re just naturally clumsy). Apple doesn’t make the Watch in gold any more but has added ceramic (some years) and titanium as alternative finishes. Both are tough, but rubber would add a sportier feel as well as different protection.
Apparently, this project is internally referred to by some as the Explorer edition—I like the sound of that—and it’s expected that it would have the same functionality inside, with the same features and apps, as the regular Watch. The differences would all be external.
The earliest date for such a Watch to be launched would be 2021, but 2022 is also a possibility. If it is this year, I’m sure it would follow Apple’s usual release schedule of a September announcement.
If you ask me to guess, I’d say 2022 is more likely as this is the first whisper of such a new Watch. That said, Apple surprised me with the Apple Watch SE when it released it last September: I was expecting it to come some time this year.
Let’s also remember that the first Apple Watch that was clad in aluminum was called Apple Watch Sport. That could be revived as the official name for the rubberized model.
And, to add, nothing is certain. Even Bloomberg says that the idea might be dropped completely. After all, the aluminum Watch with an optional rubberized case might be deemed just as effective rather than a whole separate product line.
We’ll see. If this is a goer, I’d expect more rumors to appear in the coming weeks and months. Stay tuned.
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