The third iteration of the Apple Watch SE could reportedly be launched as a smartphone alternative for kids. The Apple Watch SE 3 is rumored to ditch the aluminum body for rigid plastic, a decision supposedly taken to keep the smartwatch’s price down.
But why? According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in his Power On Newsletter, by using plastic, not only will Apple be able to keep the price below $200, but it could also market the product suited for children and as an alternative to smartphones for young kids. Given that, if one has the cellular model, it can do anything an iPhone can, well, at least the basics.
The use of plastic will also help Apple differentiate the Apple Watch SE from the regular Apple Watch models. The target audience for the Apple Watch SE 3 is young kids, so thanks to the plastic casing, Apple will be able to play with colors and offer the watch in more vivid, kid-friendly colors.
The only issue I see is that one needs to have an iPhone to use their Apple Watch, and given that Apple wants kids to own this instead of an iPhone, it makes me think that Apple might be planning on some changes, or else I don’t see it working they way they intend it to work.
The first Apple Watch SE was introduced in September 2020. Almost two years later, Apple launched the second-generation Apple Watch SE.
The only difference between the Watch SE and the regular Apple watches was that the SE model lacked some of the health features. As for the upcoming model, one differentiator could be the plastic casing. Besides, it could feature a 1.61-inch display and be powered by an updated S9 chip.
If you want to use the Apple Watch as a mobile device, we recommend you check out Cake and TinyPod.