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Apple is planning a smartwatch with a bigger screen and a sturdy metal body to arrive later this year.
The new Apple Watch is aimed at affluent extreme sports and will feature a screen that measures nearly two inches diagonally, according to a Bloomberg report. It is expected to have a screen with 7% more screen area than the largest Apple Watch 7.
Apple has historically introduced new versions of the Apple Watch in September alongside new iPhone models. This September, it is expected to release the standard Apple Watch 8 with the same dimensions as the Apple Watch 7, the rugged sports watch, the new budget Watch SE models and four iPhone 14 models.
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The Apple Watch 7 comes with a 41mm display (352 by 430 pixels) or a 45mm display (396 by 484 pixels). It features thinner bezels than the Watch 6, giving it more screen real estate, and runs on the S7 chip.
Apple has touted the Watch 7 as “the most durable Apple Watch yet” due to its crack-resistant crystal front. It was also the first Apple Watch with an IP6X rating for dust resistance and had a water resistance rating of up to 50 meters.
But the Apple Watch for extreme sports will be even more durable. It will apparently use a “strong metal material” compared to the current aluminum frame and feature a more shatter-resistant screen. The display will have a resolution of around 410 by 502 pixels, according to the report.
It will have a larger battery than the standard Apple Watch so athletes can track workouts for longer, according to Bloomberg’s sources.
Longer battery life could also improve the Apple Watch’s appeal against Garmin’s popular rugged smartwatches like the Fenix 7 and Epix, which can last more than a week on a single charge.
Apple announced watchOS 9 in June at WWDC, showing off new Workout app features like custom interval workouts, a Multisport workout type for triathletes when switching between swimming, cycling and running, and new running metrics.
All new Apple watches to be announced this year will use the S8 processor with similar performance to the S7 and S6.
It’s not known what Apple’s starting price will be for the rugged watch, but Bloomberg believes it will likely be above the $699 starting price for the standard stainless steel Apple Watch. Apple also sells the Watch 7 in a titanium case for $799, while the base model with an aluminum case starts at $399.
Apple still dominates global smartwatch shipments by a large mile, but competitors are emerging as lower-priced devices gain traction in various markets. Counterpoint Research estimated that Apple Watch models will account for 30% of all smartwatches sold globally by 2021. Samsung, its closest competitor, had a 10.2% share, while Garmin, in sixth place, had from 4.6%. Smartwatch sales grew 24% year over year.
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