I’m a happy Apple Watch SE 2 owner who has been using the wearable religiously for the past year. That includes using the smartwatch to help me run marathons. That meant more strain on the Apple Watch battery, but it manages to register my full races.
What I’m getting at is that the Apple Watch SE’s 41mm display is enough for me. As much as I fantasize about the Ultra, I appreciate the smaller footprint of the 41mm model. I’ll likely transition to an Apple Watch Series 10 this fall, as the new generation is rumored to bring a key health feature I want: Blood pressure sensing support.
But if a new report is accurate, Apple will give the Apple Watch Series 10 a major redesign, offering me another reason to upgrade. The Apple Watch Series 10 models will supposedly be thinner and will deliver another display upgrade regarding size.
Many Apple Watch Series 10 rumors have mentioned the redesign. We learned the 10th-anniversary model will be thinner than its predecessors, a feature I’m excited about. It might mean the Apple Watch Ultra gets thinner in the coming years. Unfortunately, however, the rumors also said the current Apple Watch bands might not fit the Series 10 models.
Ming-Chi Kuo’s latest report seems to be among the first that actually mentions the specific new display sizes coming to the Apple Watch Series 10. He also notes the thinner profile of the upcoming Apple Watch models:
The Series 10 will feature form factor upgrades, including larger screen sizes (increasing from 45mm/41mm to about 49mm/45mm) and a thinner design.
There’s no question that a larger display is even better. You can place more complications on the screen or read the contents more easily. I explained a few years ago that the 41mm size I currently use is about as big as the 42mm display of the original Apple Watch. That was the largest Apple Watch model, with the smaller one coming in at 38mm.
An upgrade to 45mm for the smallest size would be incredible if combined with the thinner profile. You’d get a larger, less bulky wearable than the Apple Watch Ultra. Hopefully that’s the case, that is. As for the battery life, I’d expect it to be just as good, or slightly better than before.
I’ll upgrade to an Apple Watch Series 10 for the new health features this fall. I planned to stick with the 41mm size for the foreseeable future. But if Kuo’s report is accurate, then the 45mm size might be my next upgrade.
Kuo also said the Apple Watch Ultra design will remain roughly the same. If product yields meet expectations, the color options will change. Apple may launch a dark version this year.
More interesting is the detail concerning manufacturing. Apple will supposedly introduce 3D printing technology in Apple Watch manufacturing in the second half of the year. We’ve heard of such plans before, and the company seems ready to go forward. Initially, it’ll 3D print Apple Watch components. Kuo says that Apple could eventually 3D print entire Apple Watch cases in the future.
