I’ve been wearing an Apple Watch almost every day since the first Apple smartwatch was released in 2015, so it goes without saying that I’m looking forward to the launch of the 10th generation device at the expected Apple September event next month.
The Apple Watch Series 10, or perhaps Apple Watch Series X, will surely mark an important milestone for the product that more or less defines the wearable technology category.
I’ve been following rumors about the Apple Watch 10 since the release of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 last year. Now, probably just a few weeks away from the official announcement—expected for September 10 based on a leak—we’ve heard quite a few rumors about Apple’s next smartwatch. But we also have an idea of what to expect based on precedent.
So will the Apple Watch 10 / Apple Watch X be the best Apple Watch yet? Check out my latest YouTube video to see the top rumors you should know about, or read below to learn about the 3 potential upgrades I’m most excited about.
Watch on
New sizes to choose from
The flagship Apple Watch 10 will likely start at $399 but will come in two sizes, with the larger likely starting at $429. However, there’s a good chance those specific sizes will be different this year.
Whether intentional or not, Apple has maintained a three-year cycle for design changes. The last time the Apple Watch design was changed was for the Apple Watch Series 7, when the display grew by 20% – that was three years ago. That means the Apple Watch 10 may be in for a more drastic change than the Apple Watch 9 or Apple Watch Series 8.
According to a report by renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the displays could grow from 41mm and 45mm to 45mm and 49mm. Leaked CAD renders suggest that the Apple Watch 10 could be up to 2 inches, which is about the same size as the Apple Watch Ultra.
Sleep apnea detection
We don’t usually get as much information about the Apple Watch up front as we do about smartwatches from companies like Samsung and Google. However, there was an early hint that the next Apple Watch would monitor and alert to signs of sleep apnea and high blood pressure.
Bloomberg’s Apple source Mark Gurman recently said that these features may be delayed due to a lack of reliability during testing. In addition, sleep apnea monitoring relies on the blood oxygen sensor, which may be held up due to the legal battles with health-tech company Masimo.
Apple is fighting back against Masimo’s lawsuit despite backlash from patent authorities. However, since health is a key part of the Apple Watch, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Apple Watch 10 comes with a redesigned blood oxygen sensor that doesn’t conflict with Masimo’s and also has an exciting feature like sleep apnea detection.
Better battery efficiency
According to a report from The Elec, the Apple Watch 10 could finally see an increase in battery life. Apple is apparently considering incorporating LTPO thin-film transistor technology into the device’s display, which could significantly improve the display’s power consumption.
Ideally, this means that even at the same current brightness level, the watch will last longer than previous versions. I’m not holding out too much hope – I’ve been disappointed in that regard before – but I still think it would be groundbreaking if the Apple Watch could last a little longer.
