Again in early July, Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman began a rumor that Apple deliberate to make its subsequent Apple Watch SE in plastic. Which appeared like an intriguing however odd notion… till this month, when the identical leaker revealed why that is slated to occur.
Apple, Gurman claims within the newest version of his Energy On e-newsletter, is redesigning the SE in plastic as a part of an effort to make the product “extra kid-friendly.” Other than potential impacts on price and sturdiness, the plastic materials “might enable for a greater array of colours.”
That’s an interesting prospect. Previously, Apple has often used cheaper variations of its merchandise as a testing floor for brighter, extra vivid coloration palettes: notably the “unapologetically plastic” iPhone 5c, which got here in emerald inexperienced, sapphire blue, coral crimson, and an excellent brilliant yellow, and the later and equally vivid iPhone XR.
However this precept has by no means been utilized to the Apple Watch, regardless of the presence of a budget-focused SE mannequin since 2020. The SE is available in Midnight, Starlight, and silver, with no enjoyable various finishes to select from. Maybe it is because the iPhones 5c and XR had been felt to be unsuccessful (notably the previous), or maybe Apple wished to keep up the Apple Watch’s premium, stylish picture. Regardless of the purpose, it seems just like the plan is about to alter.
The Apple Watch SE was launched in 2020 alongside the Sequence 6 as a lower-cost various beginning at $279. In comparison with that mannequin, the SE was lacking a number of sensors (ECG, blood-oxygen) and didn’t have newer options such because the always-on show and U1 ultra-wideband chip. It obtained a minor replace in 2022 with a more recent processor and a decrease $249 beginning value, and it nonetheless lacks lots of the newer Apple Watch options, together with a bigger show, temperature sensor, and double-tap gesture.
For all the most recent information and rumors as we get nearer to the launch this fall, together with the third-gen Apple Watch SE, try our frequently up to date Apple Watch 2024 superguide.