A report a few days ago claimed that Apple will employ a different processor design for the Apple Watch Series 7 this year, which will decrease the chip’s size. The S7 System-in-Package (SiP) design will reportedly feature a double-sided SiP from Taiwanese supplier ASE Technology that will allow Apple to reclaim more internal space for the battery. Coupled with a purported Apple Watch Series 7 redesign, this unconfirmed detail suggested that Apple might be interested in extended the battery life of the 2021 Apple Watch models. All current models offer a battery life estimate of 18 hours, or one day of usage, and that’s the usual expectation for any new Apple Watch model. A different interpretation of that supply chain rumor is that Apple is simply looking to ensure that the next-gen Watch can still deliver the same 18 hours of battery life despite all the new features Apple will be adding.
Now, a new report out of China seems to reinforce the idea that Apple might indeed be looking at extending the Apple Watch Series 7’s battery life.
The new report from the Economic Daily News also mentions supply chain rumors that appear to be of the same variety as last week’s reports. The news site says the smaller S7 chip will free up internal storage space for a larger capacity battery or additional health sensors.
While some of the earliest Apple Watch Series 7 rumors claimed that the new device will sport advanced sensors like a blood glucose sensor, more recent leaks indicated that Apple had postponed these features for future models. It’s unclear at this time whether the new Apple Watch will feature any additional sensors on top of what’s already available from the wearable.
The EDN report mentions the Apple Watch Series 7 redesign rumors, saying that the new wearable will be the same size as the previous generation. But the report also says the Apple Watch Series 7 will feature flat sides like the iPhone 12. The screen will have thinner bezels, and the smartwatch will support UWB connectivity, just like the iPhones. The story also claims the new Watch model will be available in green, a brand new color for Apple’s wearables.
It’s unclear whether EDN has its own sources or is simply recapping the most recent Apple Watch Series 7 rumors we’ve seen elsewhere. MacRumors points out that Apple has increased the Watch’s battery capacity in recent years without changing the battery life estimate. The 44mm Apple Watch Series 6 model features a 1.17Wh battery that’s 3.5% larger than the Series 5 battery. The 40mm Apple Watch Series 6’s battery is 8.5% larger than the Series 5. But Apple kept adding new features to the Watch and improving the screen experience, so the battery size increases were not enough to allow Apple to improve battery life estimates.
An Apple Watch that can last more than a day on a single charge would be a huge upgrade, especially when compared with devices from the competition that often tout multi-day battery life. Those devices aren’t as sophisticated, so the battery life comparisons aren’t necessarily fair.
All of this is speculation at this point, and Apple will not confirm new Apple Watch specs anytime soon. The Apple Watch Series 7 will probably launch alongside the iPhone 13 series, with the unveiling event expected to occur in mid-September.
