Apple Watch Series 10 to Sport Larger Screen; Cheaper Watch SE Model May Arrive With Plastic Body: Mark Gurman

Apple Watch Series 10 might feature a display that is much larger than the company’s current generation model, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The smartwatch is expected to debut later this year as the successor to the Series 9 model that was unveiled in in 2023, and might not arrive with previously reported changes, such as the purported magnetic watch strap mechanism. Meanwhile, a new Apple Watch SE with a plastic body is said to be in the works as the company looks to compete with Samsung’s new Galaxy Watch FE model.

Apple Watch Series 10 to Sport Larger Screen, Faster Processor

In the latest edition of his weekly Power On newsletter, Gurman states that the Apple Watch Series 10 will arrive with a bigger screen than the Series 9 model. It is expected to arrive in two size options, codenamed N217 and N218, and one of them is said to feature the larger display.

The Cupertino company’s largest smartwatch model — the Apple Watch Ultra 2 — is available in a single a 49mm size option and features a 1.92-inch display. It is currently unclear whether the Apple Watch Series 10 will arrive with a display that is larger than the Watch Ultra 2 — recently leaked CAD renders suggest the Series 10 model could feature a 2-inch screen.

The Apple Watch Series 10 will also be equipped with the same processor that powers the third-generation Apple Watch Ultra model, according to Gurman. While Apple Intelligence features are not expected to make their way to the company’s smartwatches in the near future, he states that the new chip will “lay the groundwork” for artificial intelligence-powered features “down the road”.

Health Features on Apple Watch Series 10

Despite making headway with features like sleep apnea detection and blood pressure monitoring, they are unlikely to arrive with the Apple Watch Series 10 models, according to Gurman, who says that the company encountered “some serious snags”. It is also currently unclear how Apple will support the sleep apnea feature in the US, as it is tied to the blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) monitoring feature that was disabled due to an ongoing ban.

Similarly, the hypertension detection feature did not prove to be as reliable as the company would have liked during testing, which means that it might not be available on the device when it is launched later this year. Instead, Gurman says that the company could “postpone the release beyond this year” and display blood pressure trends (similar to body temperature monitoring) instead of precise readings.

Apple Watch SE Could Feature Plastic Body to Cut Costs

In order to compete with the recently launched Samsung Galaxy Watch FE, which starts at $199 (roughly Rs. 16,600), the iPhone maker is reportedly developing a new Apple Watch SE model that will use a plastic body, instead of aluminium.

Apple last launched an updated version of its Watch SE model in 2022, and a third-generation model could make its debut later this year. However, it is currently unclear whether the switch to a new material for the smartwatch chassis will result in a lower price, though more details about the purported device could emerge in the coming weeks ahead of its anticipated debut.