People say that the company is working on a version of its smartwatch that is more durable and made for athletes and serious trainers.
This fall, Apple is likely to add a “pro” level to the Apple Watch. Mark Gurman, who writes the Power On newsletter for Bloomberg, says that Apple is planning a high-end version of its wearable to help it compete with the best fitness watches on the market.
A “pro” version of the Apple Watch could have a bigger screen that can’t break, better tracking for hiking and swimming, a longer battery life, and a more durable body. Gurman thinks that its body could be made of titanium, which is already used in some training-focused smartwatches like Garmin’s.
This “pro” version of the Apple Watch should have a 2-inch screen, while the already-rumored Apple Watch Series 8 will be the same size as the current Apple Watch Series at 1.9 inches. Gurman said in a previous newsletter that this would give the watch about 7% more screen space than current models. The “pro” Apple Watch will probably have a resolution of 410 by 502 pixels, and the extra space on the screen could be used to show more fitness information.
Garmin seems to be the main competitor for this Apple Watch, which Gurman said will be made to “appeal to athletes who do extreme sports.” It might also appeal to people who want something with a bigger screen and more features than what Apple has right now. Gurman says that inside Cupertino, this version of the Apple Watch is called N199.
Smartwatches that run apps have different features than fitness watches because fitness watches have more sensors for tracking body metrics. A fitness watch, like the Garmin Epix, isn’t just an extension of a phone. Instead, it has more accurate GPS, real-time tracking of stamina, longer water resistance, and a display that’s better for the outdoors.
Gurman also hints that this could be the end of the Apple Watch Edition, a more expensive version of the Apple Watch made of titanium. But, as was said, a new Apple Watch SE and an updated Apple Watch Series 8 are due this fall. The Series 8 is likely to have updated displays for the 41mm and 45mm sizes, a new chip, and a way to track body temperature. The SE, on the other hand, is likely to replace the Series 3 as the cheaper model. To keep the price low, it probably won’t have a sensor to measure body temperature.
The reason for the season is the name “pro.” Last week, the “pro” version of Samsung’s smartwatch got out, which shows that the only good smartwatch for Android will be a direct competitor for iPhone users. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro might also come in titanium, but we don’t know much else about it besides that it looks like the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic.
In the coming months, we hope to learn more about both Apple and Samsung’s smartwatches.