Apple Watch Pro could ditch the current rectangular form but it won't be for everybody
Apple has a spate of products lined up for the next twelve months, including the iPhone 14 range, new Apple watches, a revamped HomePod, a new Apple TV, M2-powered iPad Pros, a budget iPad with a USB-C port, a new M2-fueled Mac Pro, the oft-rumored mixed-reality headset, a 15-inch MacBook Air, M2 and M2 Pro Mac minis, new AirPods Pro, and M2 Pro and M2 Max-based MacBook Pros. In the latest edition of his Sunday newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman talks in detail about the rugged smartwatch model that might be known as the Apple Watch Pro.
The Apple Watch Pro will reportedly be targeted at athletes. Per earlier reports, it will have a 2-inches display, which would make it larger than the Apple Watch Series 8 which is likely to retain the 1.9-inch screen of its predecessor. This will result in a 7 percent larger screen area than the current model and Apple could utilize it to show more fitness-related metrics.
The Apple Watch Pro is also rumored to have a bigger battery than the regular model to allow users to track workouts for a longer period of time and it may feature a rugged metal casing. The display could be shatter-resistant.
The Series 8 and the Pro are also highly likely to have a thermometer for detecting fever and both will reportedly be powered by a new S8 chip, which will not be much different from last year's S7, which was based on the 7nm S6.
Meanwhile, Qualcomm has announced new chips based on the advanced 4nm manufacturing tech, which could give Android smartwatches a performance edge over Apple's 2022 watches and prevent them from becoming the best smartwatches of 2022.
Gurman has today reiterated that the Apple Watch Pro will have a longer battery life than the current lineup. He adds that it could offer multiple days on one charge. This will be made possible by a new low-power mode for apps and features which will help conserve battery life. Samsung is reportedly also gearing up to launch a Pro watch model which may last three days on a charge.
Gurman also says that the Pro could be "a good bit bigger than the standard Apple Watch" and "might only appeal to a subset of customers". That would be a bummer for those with petite hands and even those who are not a fan of chunky watches.
This model could also feature the first redesign since 2018 and may flaunt a fresh look. That doesn't mean it will be circular like Samsung and Google's watches. Instead, it is rumored to be an evolution of the current rectangular shape.
The watch is unlikely to have the rumored flat sides that some insiders had expected to debut last year. The Pro model is likely to feature a high-end titanium material to make it durable.
Apple, being Apple, will reportedly charge a jaw-dropping amount of money for the Watch Pro. According to an earlier report, it will be more expensive than the current standard stainless steel variant and could start at around $900 or $999.
Apple will presumably announce the Watch Pro, Watch 8, and a budget SE model in September alongside the iPhone 14.
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