Apple’s plans for a redesigned plastic Apple Watch SE are facing big challenges, putting the project in jeopardy. The design team doesn’t like the look of the plastic model, and the operations team is finding it difficult to make the casing materially cheaper than the current aluminum chassis.
These setbacks have cast doubt on whether a plastic Apple Watch SE will ever reach the market. The redesign was initially hoped to reduce production costs and make the device more appealing and affordable for younger users. A plastic chassis could have let Apple offer the Watch SE in a range of vibrant colors, similar to the iPhone 5c.
The current Apple Watch SE, released in 2022, starts at $249 in the U.S. A plastic version was thought to come in at a lower price point, possibly around $200, making it a more attractive option for families or first-time smartwatch users. However, the hoped-for cost savings have not materialized, with the plastic version reportedly costing about as much as the current metal/nylon version to produce.
This news marks a change from earlier reports, which said that Apple was exploring a plastic design as part of a strategy to market the Watch SE as an alternative to smartphones for children, especially in light of school phone bans. The company had been highlighting tools like parental tracking and communication to support this approach.
It remains unclear whether Apple will pursue a kid-focused model in a future iteration or if they will be able to overcome these challenges in time for a new version to debut in late 2025.