A new report claims that the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is going to land in the second half of 2023, with 3D printed parts coming as part of its new manufacturing process.
According to prolific insider Ming-Chi Kuo, "Apple is actively adopting 3D printing technology, and it’s expected that some of the titanium mechanical parts of the 2H23 new Apple Watch Ultra will be made by 3D printing."
Kuo did not specify which parts will get the 3D printing treatment, but says the ones that are in line for the new process "still have to go through the CNC process for back-end processes." If successful, it would improve both production costs and time for Apple Watch Ultra 2.
Apple Watch Ultra 2
According to Kuo, Apple Watch is coming between now and December 2023, although it's likely it would debut alongside Apple Watch Series 9 and the iPhone 15.
The Apple Watch Ultra is the company's best Apple Watch thanks to its rugged design, immense battery life, and vibrant screen that has seen it become a popular hit amongst all-comers, not just those with a passion for the great outdoors. Mark Gurman, another top insider, has previously leaked that Apple Watch Ultra 2 is coming later this year.
At the same time, Apple will release watchOS 10 to the public, after a couple of months of beta testing. New features include big changes to the interface, an all-new smart stack widgets feature, as well as Control Center activation, and a hiking workout.
The current Apple Watch Ultra is $799 and has not seen any significant discounts since its release. While a new release would bring the price of the first model down, it's unclear whether Apple would target the same price point for the next model, or whether upgrades might push the price up. With a September launch likely, we don't have long to find out.
