Gurman: Apple Watch X to be a substantial upgrade, Series 9 a snoozefest

Apple is expected to launch a couple of upgraded Apple Watch models alongside the launch of the iPhone 15 series in September. Unfortunately for customers hoping for something new from Apple, it looks like it will be more of the same with the line up looking largely unchanged from a design perspective. While new color options are on the cards for what will be the Watch Series 9 and the Watch Ultra Series 2, Apple is also expected to finally refresh its flagship Watch silicon, which it has stuck with unchanged for the past three years.

While new silicon will undoubtedly bring benefits in terms of launching apps more quickly, delivering a lag-free user interface and boosting battery life, it is undoubtedly disappointing to see the same fundamental design language rehashed once again on the Watch Series 9, in particular. Things are set to change, however, in either next year or in 2025 with the launch of a “Watch X” as per Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman who is expecting Apple to do an all-new design for its 10th anniversary model.

According to Gurman, just like the iPhone X was a major upgrade for the iPhone line, Watch fans can expect big changes. Sources suggest the Watch X will be significantly thinner while Apple is also investigating alternative ways of attaching bands to the new device. Gurman says people familiar with the Watch X development have said that the current way of connecting bands takes up considerable chassis space, space that could otherwise be given over to a larger battery or other components such as sensors. To this end, a magnetic system is being considered.

Other changes that we might expect to see in the Watch X include microLED displays, which are more expensive to produce, but deliver better visuals than the already excellent OLED panels found on Apple’s current top tier smartwatches. Apple has already announced that it is adopting microLED panels in its upcoming Reality Pro headset. Gurman also thinks that Apple could bring blood pressure monitoring to the Watch X, which is a feature that is already available on competing devices from Samsung. Undoubtedly the rumor mill will continue to generate tidbits on the lead up to its eventual launch in the next 12-24 months.

Purchase the Watch Series 5 (renewed) from Amazon for just $189.