The Apple Watch Series 8 may be as disappointing as the current-generation Apple Watch Series 7, with fresh information claiming that the new wearable will sport the same chip from two generations but with a different name.
Apple Watch Series 8’s SoC Will Be Given a New Name, but Will Be the Same Silicon, Expect New Hardware From the Apple Watch Series 9
Irrespective of the countless reports that have come through, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman mentions in his Power On newsletter that the Apple Watch Series 8 will not see a chip upgrade. The new SoC will be called the S8, but apart from a different name, it will maintain the properties of the old one found in the Series 7 and Series 6. When the Apple Watch Series 7 launched a while back, we reported that it houses the same chipset as the Apple Watch Series 6.
This revelation can also mean that the Apple Watch Series 8 will not be upgraded with new hardware such as body temperature measurement, blood glucose monitoring, and other additions, though we can expect minor changes like enhanced activity tracking. The Apple Watch Series 8 is said to arrive in three variations, and if customers are looking for a chip upgrade, Gurman recommends waiting for the Apple Watch Series 9 next year.
“As I’ve reported, Apple is preparing three new variations: a new low-end SE, a standard Series 8 and a rugged edition aimed at extreme sports.
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 an all-new processor.
The SE will stick to the screen size of the current model, rather than moving up to the larger Series 7 size. But it may get the same S8 chip as the Series 8, an upgrade from the S5 in the current SE from 2020.”
The Apple Watch Series 8 itself will reportedly arrive in three sizes, but there is no confirmation if this model will get a design change that includes flat edges like the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 series. In short, the upcoming smartwatch may not be as compelling of an upgrade, which is disappointing, but you cannot expect technology companies like Apple to continue bringing in astronomical changes to devices every 12 months.
After all, there is only so much you can cram into the minuscule space of an Apple Watch, and that too takes time and countless resources.
