Alongside the iPhone 14 and Apple Watch Series 8, Apple is rumored to unveil an all-new Apple Watch. And no, we aren’t talking about the Watch SE 2. Apple is tipped to be working on an extreme version of its wearable that could be called the Apple Watch Pro to compete with the sports-focused Garmins of the world.
Lately, Mark Gurman of Bloomberg has been sharing information about the upcoming Apple Watch Pro in bits and pieces. Here’s everything we know about the wearable so far.
Design and hardware
The current Apple Watch Series 7 comes with a water-resistance rating of 50 meters and lasts a day. But Apple isn’t satisfied with the regular Apple Watch Series, as it wants to appeal to extreme sports-focused athletes. The new Apple Watch Pro will be designed for people who are currently using a Garmin for their activities.
According to previous reports, the Apple Watch Pro will offer a larger, more shatter-resistant display. It could get a rugged case made of titanium. It will be “a good bit bigger than the standard Apple Watch,” says Gurman. As for the display, it could be up to 7% larger.
Moreover, the new wearable will offer a fresh look for the first time since Apple updated the Watch design in 2018. Before you assume, it won’t have flat sides, which were rumored to be introduced in the Series 7. In fact, the new design will be an evolution of Apple’s current rectangular shape.
The Apple Watch Pro is also said to offer longer battery life, which is an important aspect if it wants to be taken seriously by outdoor sports enthusiasts. Earlier rumors said that the Apple Watch Pro will have a longer battery life but didn’t detail how Apple would achieve that. However, a newer report states that the smartwatch could last multiple days on one charge via a new low-power mode. It remains to be seen what functionalities will be limited with the new low-power mode, but we’re certainly intrigued to learn more.
Software
There is no word if Apple will be offering special features in the software with the Watch Pro. However, if we are to speculate, the company is likely to bring additional sports modes and fitness tracking options.
Apart from those possible additions, the underlining OS will likely be the same as what we’ll get on the Apple Watch Series 8 — which is WatchOS 9. One of the outstanding features for me was the presence of Apple Medications on the WatchOS 9 Beta. The new option in the Health app allows you to keep track of your medicines, vitamins, and supplements by letting you create a medications list, set up schedules and reminders, and view all the medicine-related information.
Other latest features include a bunch of new watch faces. Although, we will reportedly get Apple Watch Pro-exclusive watch faces too. WatchOS 9 also brings updates to the workout app, better sleep tracking, and more.
Price and release date
Apple will be replacing its expensive, more luxury-focused Apple Watch Edition variants with the Apple Watch Pro. For reference, the Watch Series 7 with a titanium case (instead of aluminum or stainless steel) starts at $849. It gives you a sapphire crystal over the screen for further protection. Plus, you get a single, cellular variant.
Apple is likely to price the Watch Pro a bit more than the Watch Editions. The Apple Watch Pro price could go up to $1,000. That said, Apple will really need to deliver on the additional features and new design if it wants to tempt people to spend a thousand bucks on a wearable, especially when top models from Polar and Garmin cost around $500.
What about the Apple Watch Series 8?
Alongside the Apple Watch Pro, we’re also expecting the Apple Watch Series 8 this year. It will supposedly join the iPhone, MacBook Air, and Pro with flat sides. The device is likely to come in two sizes of 41mm and 45mm, with 1.7 and 1.9 inches of display sizes, respectively. It will be powered by the same chip as the Watch Series 7.
“For those hoping for a faster chip in this year’s Apple Watch, I’m told the S8 chip will have the same specifications as the S7, which was also the same as the S6. Next year’s models, however, are slated to get an all-new processor,” Gurman wrote.
The Watch Series 8 is said to have a compass, GPS, a blood oxygen sensor, an electrocardiogram (ECG), a gyroscope, and additional similar functionality. While the temperature sensor should appear in Series 8, the blood-pressure technology and glucose monitoring aren’t coming any time soon. It is likely to cost the same $399 as the Watch Series 7.
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