As we reported yesterday, Apple's super-thin OLED iPad Pros are just the beginning of a new drive for extreme slimness across the entire mobile product range – and one of those products tipped for a thinner design is the Apple Watch. Now, a new report says that the redesign could be coming sooner than expected.
According to respected industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the Apple Watch 10 will get a bigger display and a significantly thinner case. The smaller Apple Watch will grow from 41mm to 45mm, and the larger one will grow from 45mm to 49mm. That's the same size as the Apple Watch Ultra 2, but the thinner design should make it look less like a hockey puck.
Apple Watch 10: a new colour could be coming too
Writing on Medium, Kuo says that Apple is also considering a new colour option in a black or very dark colour. However, that's subject to sales meeting Apple's targets.
One thing Kuo doesn't mention in the post is the rumoured Apple Watch X, which was reportedly going to feature a radical redesign to commemorate the tenth Apple Watch generation; other rumours said that the redesign would include a new magnetic strap system. Interestingly, that system was described as making the Apple Watch case thinner, so it could well be part of the forthcoming redesign.
I'm not a great fan of thinness for the sake of it, but a thinner Apple Watch would be very welcome: while it's a cute enough design it does sit much more proud on the wrist than any other watch I've ever worn, and that makes it more prone to snagging on things and getting bashed accidentally; I've lost more than one Apple Watch glass to accidents.
The Apple Watch 10 is expected to launch in the usual September/October time slot this year, and it'll be able to take advantage of the improved features in watchOS 11 including automatic nap detection, improved customisation, pregnancy tracking and Live Activities.
Although previously rumoured, a microLED display isn't expected to appear in the standard Apple Watch this year. And blood sugar monitoring, another persistent rumour, may not make it either: that's proved tricky to implement.
