Next-gen Apple Watch in the works with new design, larger display

Although the Apple Watch makes up a relatively small overall proportion of Apple’s revenue and doesn’t quite carry the “rock star” status of its iPhone line, the device has put Apple on top of the wearables market and made it the largest maker of watches by revenue — no mean feat. Although internally upgraded since its launch in April 2015, it hasn’t received a redesign. That could be set to change this year, according to a new report.

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a remarkably high accuracy rate with his predictions about Apple’s product plans, says we can expect the first major redesign of the Apple Watch with the launch of Series 4 in the third quarter of 2018. Chief among the changes will be a 15 percent larger display, possibly thinner bezels and a “more trendy form factor design.” More advanced health sensors are also a distinct possibility.

According to Kuo, the introduction of the Series 4 Apple Watch will drive sales for the device in the vicinity of 22-24 million units in 2018, which would amount to a 30 percent increase in sales year-over-year. Ultimately, Kuo estimates that Apple will settle into annual devices sales volume of around 50 million units. While less than half of Apple’s annual iPhone sales volume, expect Apple to dominate the wearables market for the foreseeable future.

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