Although Apple still refuses to release sales figures for the Apple Watch, it’s no secret that the device has become incredibly popular in recent years. With the Apple Watch Series 3 — which saw the inclusion of LTE functionality — sales of Apple’s wearable truly exploded. In a revelation that didn’t come as a surprise to many, Tim Cook a few months ago revealed that Apple Watch sales during the 2017 holiday season were record-breaking. Since then, Apple executives have made a number of cryptic yet revealing remarks about the ever-increasing popularity of the Apple Watch.
Though most people will be naturally focused on Apple’s iPhone announcement this coming Wednesday, there’s a strong chance Apple will also take some time to unveil the Apple Watch Series 4. Suffice it to say, the next-gen Apple Watch is poised to boost sales even further. And while we know a bit less about the next-gen Apple Watch as compared to Apple’s 2018 iPhone lineup, the few Apple Watch rumors we’ve seen thus far are reason enough to get excited.
The most exciting aspect regarding the next-gen Apple Watch is that it will usher in the most significant redesign to the device since its inception. Specifically, the next-gen Apple Watch will boast noticeably smaller bezels and, in turn, will boast a significantly larger and nearly edgeless display without requiring a larger casing.
Here’s exact to-scale drawings of Apple Watch Series 4 based on the rumors. Note the 38mm screen will be bigger than the current 42mm screen! 😱 pic.twitter.com/lh9VqPMQ7g
— Ryan Jones (@rjonesy) July 11, 2018
About two weeks ago, a marketing image of the upcoming Apple Watch leaked online, thus providing us with an extremely vivid look at what the next-gen Apple Watch will look like. Right off the bat, you can notice a huge reduction in the size of the bezels. And with the extra screen real estate, you can’t help but notice a bump in the number of complications on the display, thus providing users with even more information at a quick glance. Beyond that, Apple has mercifully gotten rid of the hideous red dot that signified the LTE-enabled Apple Watch model and replaced it with a much more subtle and tasteful circular red ring on the digital crown.
We’ve also seen reports that the next-gen Apple Watch design could feature solid state buttons, a design which would further serve to improve the device’s overall water resistance. Even more intriguing is that such a design would free up some internal space and, as a result, allow Apple to incorporate a slightly larger battery in the process. While this particular design choice is said to be on Apple’s roadmap, it remains unclear if we’ll see it in 2018 or on the Apple Watch Series 5.
On a related note, watchOS 5 should also usher in some interesting new features, including the ability to activate Siri simply by raising one’s wrist to their face, native podcasts support, a walkie-talkie mode, and automatic workout detection.
As far as a release date is concerned, new Apple Watch models typically become available shortly after their unveiling. So if history is any indication, you will likely be able to pick up an Apple Watch Series 4 sometime in September.
Some Apple Watch mockups that made the rounds a few weeks ago can be viewed below.
