When it announced watchOS 9, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman said that Apple set the stage for a round of Apple Watch updates. He claimed that there will be three new Apple Watch variants, including a ruggedized model for extreme sports.
Apple Plans to Release Three New Apple Watch Variants
In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman reported a plethora of new products that Apple plans to introduce in the coming months. Among these products will be three new variants of the Apple Watch.
Just to recall, the are currently three Apple Watch models available in the market, in addition to older Apple Watch variants sold used or refurbished. The latest of these is the Apple Watch Series 7, which the Cupertino-based company released in October 2021. With the announcement of watchOS 9, it is logical for Apple to soon release the Apple Watch Series 8. According to Gurman, Apple plans to do so this fall. In fact, he expects three new Apple Watch variants. These include a standard Apple Watch Series 8, an updated low-end Apple Watch SE, and a ruggedized Apple Watch geared towards extreme sports.
Watch Series 8 Will Have the Same Specs as the Series 7
Gurman also said that those who expect a faster chip in the upcoming Apple Watch variants might be a little disappointed. He claimed that Apple will give the Series 8 the same specs it gave on the Series 7. But he added that Apple will bring a faster chip in the 2023 Apple Watch.
Gurman added that the Apple Watch SE will have the same screen size as the current model, meaning it won’t be upgraded to the larger screen sizes on the Series 7. The good news here is that the new Apple Watch SE will have the same chip as the Series 7. Therefore, it will be an upgrade to the processing chip of the current SE, which is the same used for the Series 5.
New Features for New Extreme Apple Watch
With regards to new features, we’ve already written about the improved workout app on the watchOS 9. Gurman reiterated some of these upgrades, including multisports tracking, elevation tracking, training zones, and new running metrics. According to Gurman, those are features that seemed relevant to an extreme sports watch. We don’t think so, though. Those features can also be accommodated by the standard Apple Watch and are not necessarily meant for a ruggedized watch.