Apple Watch SE 2022 with always-on display and SoC upgrade on the cards as alleged price and specs leak

The Apple Watch SE 2022, which has also been called the Apple Watch SE 2, is expected to be released in the second half of this year, possibly around September. The tipster LeaksApplePro (via iDropNews) has provided plenty of details about the upcoming smartwatch, including its supposed price tag, design, and key specifications. It appears the Apple Watch SE 2022 will retain the design of the 2020 model and come in 40 mm and 44 mm size options.

While the design looks like it’s going to stay the same, there are plenty of changes with the hardware specifications. Potential buyers will be pleased to learn that the Apple Watch SE 2022 will purportedly come with an always-on display out of the box, so no software trickery will be required for those who find the presence of this function to be a purchase dealbreaker. On top of that, the leaker mentions improved audio, an ECG-monitoring sensor, and the potential for fast-charging support.

It is reported that the Apple Watch SE 2022 will sport an S7 chip, which is basically a renamed S6 processor that was “updated” for the release of the Apple Watch Series 7. However, regardless of being either an S6 or S7, this is still an upgrade from the 2020 Watch SE that has the slower S5 SoC (1.59 GHz vs. 1.80 GHz for the newer parts). As for price, the source reckons the Watch SE 2022 will start at US$299, which is a US$20 bump up from the US$279 required for the first-generation Apple Watch SE.

Buy the Apple Watch SE (2020) on Amazon