Apple Watch X: Everything we know about Apple’s next smartwatch
Apple’s annual fall event, where new iPhone and Apple Watch models are unveiled, is likely just a few months away. This year marks 10 years since Apple announced its first smartwatch , and rumor has it the company’s popular wristwatch will get a major overhaul to commemorate the occasion.
The Apple Watch X (unofficial name) could come with a sleeker design and a new mechanism for magnetically attaching bands. According to multiple Bloomberg reports, we could also see additional health features like blood pressure monitoring. The name echoes 2017’s iPhone X, which saw a dramatic change from Apple’s previous design and coincided with the device’s 10th anniversary.
Apple could unveil the Apple Watch X, alongside the latest iPhone, at its annual launch event in the fall. However, the Watch X could also debut in 2025, considering the first-generation Apple Watch shipped in 2015, even if it was announced in 2014.
Until then, here’s what you can expect, based on the most reliable sources.
read more: What Happened to the Apple Watch Being About Fashion?
Apple Watch: Bigger screen, slimmer design
The Apple Watch’s screen has been getting bigger and bigger — and this year it could be getting that again, or at least the option to have a larger size. According to a report from June report by noted Apple analyst Min Chi Kuo, Apple will offer larger display sizes for the next-generation Apple Watch, from 41mm to 45mm and from 45mm to 49mm. Meanwhile, the Apple Watch design will become slimmer, Kuo said.
Apple Watch X: New Health Technology
After a fashion twist, Apple has had success positioning the Apple Watch as a health device. Apple has introduced several new health tracking tools in recent years, including blood oxygen monitoring, temperature monitoring, and new software features for cyclists and runners. It’s worth noting, however, that the blood oxygen feature is no longer available on the new Series 9 and Ultra 2 watches sold in the US due to an ongoing patent dispute.
Next year’s Apple Watch could see the addition of a few additional health-tracking features, potentially further expanding its usefulness as a wellness and fitness device. Apple could add a new feature that can show when a person’s blood pressure is high, according to a November article from Bloomberg. It will reportedly come with a blood pressure diary so people can note when the elevation occurred. But it won’t give exact systolic and diastolic readings, Bloomberg reported.
The report also suggests that the Apple Watch could get a new system for detecting sleep apnea by monitoring a person’s sleep and breathing habits. This would be a significant expansion of the Apple Watch’s current sleep-tracking features, which are limited compared to those from Oura, Fitbit and others.
Apple is also reportedly developing a way to check blood glucose levels without pricking your finger, using infrared and other sensors. However, it’s unlikely to make it to the Apple Watch this year, if it ever does.
Sleep tracking has gained a number of sleep stages with WatchOS 9.
Apple Watch X: Blood Oxygen Feature?
Given the current patent dispute, it’s unclear whether the Apple Watch X will include blood oxygen monitoring. Currently, the Apple Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 do not ship with the feature in the U.S. The International Trade Commission recently ruled that the blood oxygen sensors in the Apple Watch 9 and Watch Ultra 2 infringe patents held by medical device maker Masimo.
Apple Watch X: Magnetic Straps
If you own or have ever owned an Apple Watch, you know that the bands slide into the edges of the chassis and snap into a locking mechanism. After a decade or so, that could change with the Apple Watch X. As early as this year, Apple could introduce a mechanism that allows the bands to magnetically attach to the watch face. This would apparently help free up internal space for other components, like larger batteries.
Read more: How Apple Watch X could make Apple’s smartwatch even better
Apple Watch
For years, there have been rumors that the Apple Watch would feature a microLED display. It’s possible that we’ll finally see those rumors come to fruition this year or next.
Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman expects microLED to appear on the Apple Watch X, but it’s unclear whether the smartwatch will debut this year or next. But a report from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says the wait could be longer. According to Kuo, the Apple Watch will have a microLED display in 2025 or 2026, but not in 2024.
MicroLED is more power efficient than the OLED technology currently used on the Apple Watch. But it’s also brighter and more responsive than OLED displays, which should allow for more consistent viewing from all angles.
Apple Watch in the future
Apple has been investing heavily in the health and wellness category, as it aims to position the Apple Watch as a health tracker. By adding new health features and improving its display technology, Apple could attract more customers who want a smartwatch that can help them stay healthy and fit. The company is reportedly working on a non-invasive glucose monitoring feature, which could change the way millions of people around the world check their blood glucose levels, which currently requires people to prick their finger as part of the process.
Look at this: Apple Watch patent dispute not over yet – what happens next?
