Apple is reportedly considering an Apple Watch with a round display, among a number of radical new design ideas as it explores shaking up the smartwatch scene.
The word comes from the reliable Apple watcher Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who’s sources say a circular display is just one of many options Apple is considering, as well as jumping on the recent trend for screen-free displays – including a wristband or a smart ring.
Apple is considering an overhaul to its smartwatch lineup in light of the industry’s transition to screen-free devices and other new form factors, Gurman writes in the latest Power On newsletter, adding that a “broader rethink of its smartwatches” could be on the horizon.
He adds that Apple is considering adding multiple different price points, including potentially adding more options at the higher end of the market. Gurman adds that software advancements will form a major part of the eventual strategy, which may see Apple’s shelved plans for an AI health coach resurrected and built upon.
The report does say that the revamp won’t be coming any time soon – indeed, this year’s Apple Watch hardware refreshes are said to be incremental once again – but it does sound like Apple is very much at a crossroads with its wearable tech strategy given the traction of display-free warbles like the Oura Ring and the Whoop Strap and subsequent interpretations from other companies.
In the decade-plus history of Apple’s primary wearable, the Apple Watch design has remained largely unchanged. They have become larger and thinner and the bezels have certainly shrunk. In the case of the Apple Watch Ultra, it got a little more rugged too.
Since the beginning of the smartwatch era, there has been debate among the major manufacturers over the best shape for the watch face. Samsung has gone from a round watch to a squarer circle (a squircle, if you will), while Google’s Pixel Watch series has remained round throughout.
A circular Apple Watch could feel a little bit out of place and I genuinely cant see Apple deviating from its existing form factor. Gurman himself reports that a round-faced Apple Watch may never emerge despite the current internal discussions. Some kind of display free wearable though? That’s definitely plausible. The latest generation AirPods Pro already have a heart rate sensor capable of capturing workout data, so this is in line with Apple’s thinking.
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