Apple Watch Series 7 in titanium. Will the next titanium watch be a completely new design?
David Phelan
We are said to be seeing a lot of new Apple Watches this fall. And one of them stands out as the most exciting: an all-new addition to the range that will be much stiffer than the others and will suit those who love extreme sports. But among the intriguing news, a new report has a big price surprise.
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According to Mark Gurman in his latest Power On newsletter, the super-rugged Apple Watch will be very different from the current model, the Series 7. This means that Apple is “ready to give the Apple Watch its ‘Pro’ level.” That makes sense. After all, there are models like the iPhone Pro, MacBook Pro, Mac Pro, AirPods Pro and iMac Pro, so why not the Apple Watch Pro?
Gurman wryly points out that the addition of the Pro suffix means different things, but one change is consistent: a higher price.
Many of Gurman’s comments today have been stated by him and others before: you can read my full review of the latest details here. These include a larger display, a more shatter-resistant front, better tracking for swimming and transitions, longer battery life, and a more premium metal finish.
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Gurman now specifies that he thinks the new metal will likely be titanium. Personally, I was hoping for the return of ceramics to the assortment. Gurman has an interest in what the new watch will be called. After all, there were rumors of an Apple Watch Sport, Apple Watch Max, Apple Watch Plus, and Apple Watch Explorer. That last one always sounded a little weak to me.
Gurman says: “Given that the rugged Apple Watch, internally codenamed N199, will be aimed at extreme sports enthusiasts and consumers who are generally interested in Apple’s professional offerings, I think the company will likely choose the Apple Watch Pro name and marketing. Apple already touts the durability of its current watches, so it’s clearly a selling point that it believes is clicking with consumers.
This makes sense to me and certainly meets the expectations of Apple users for a higher price.
So what will happen to the current premium end of the range, the Apple Watch Edition, which currently comes in a titanium finish? Gourman thinks he will drop out. “The move to a new Apple Watch will likely mean the end of the Apple Watch Edition.”
That may well be true, although I’m slightly tossing around the idea that Apple Watch Edition could be the name of the new model as well.
However, previous Edition models were identical in design and features to regular watches, with the premium metal justifying the extra price. Or maybe the Apple Watch Edition could continue alongside this new Apple Watch Pro.
Gurman claims that a new Apple Watch SE will replace the existing model at a price of $279. That may be true, but with the 3 Series expected to drop from the lineup, I’d think there’s some room for the original SE to become an entry-level model instead of disappearing.
Finally, Gurman reveals the price he expects Apple to charge, and it’s a little teary. The current edition Apple Watch costs $849 for the larger, 45mm model. But the new ‘Pro’ model will cost much more, it claims. Gurman says, “Given that the new high-end Apple Watch will have a slightly larger display, new sensors and higher-end materials, I wouldn’t be surprised if it starts closer to $900 to $999 .”
If true, then the starting price for the Pro Watch will be roughly the same as the Pro iPhone.
I’m not sure I think that’s right. My feeling is that Apple will want the Apple Watch Pro to be more affordable than this one. We’ll find out in the coming months.
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