Apple Watch SE will become even cheaper - with a new version with plastic instead of aluminum

Apple Watch Series 10 is set to feature a larger display and a new chip, but the new health monitoring features are now in question. Meanwhile, the Apple Watch SE model has a chance to become cheaper due to a new plastic casing. This information was reported by Mark Gurman from Bloomberg.

He added that the design of the Apple Watch Series 10 is "unlikely to be significantly different" from its predecessor, but the new model will be thinner. Meanwhile, the Apple Watch Ultra model will not receive a new design this year.

The new Apple Watch Series 10 models will be available in two case sizes with the codenames N217 and N218. They will have larger displays, and one of the models will have a screen approximately the same size as the Apple Watch Ultra.

The Apple smartwatches in 2024 will have a new processor. Despite the fact that it may "lay the groundwork for some future artificial intelligence enhancements," the chip will not work with Apple Intelligence, and there are currently no plans to implement a "full initiative" in the Apple Watch.

Apple is developing features for detecting hypertension and sleep apnea for the Apple Watch. These diagnostic features were planned to be launched in 2024, but Gurman says the company "faced some serious difficulties." The hypertension detection feature proved to be unreliable during testing, and there are doubts about its integration into the updated design. Therefore, it may be postponed until next year.

The sleep apnea detection feature is based on detecting blood oxygen saturation. However, Apple Watches in the USA cannot currently measure blood oxygen levels due to an ongoing legal dispute with Masimo. Therefore, the launch of the sleep apnea detection feature will depend on the resolution of the Masimo dispute, and it too may be postponed.

Apple is also reportedly continuing to test and discuss the prospects of using 3D-printed casings for some Apple Watch models. This could speed up production and reduce material usage.

Mark Gurman also stated that Apple is developing a new budget-friendly version of the Apple Watch SE with a plastic casing instead of an anodized aluminum casing. This approach will help reduce costs. The current version of the Apple Watch SE is sold for $249, but competitive Samsung Galaxy Watch FE is sold for $199.

Source: macrumors 1, 2