Another hint Apple tested a black Apple Watch Ultra before scrapping the plans and focusing only on the Natural Titanium color has surfaced on the web. After an FCC image with a black Apple Watch Ultra was discovered last year, an X user posted images of an Alpine Loop prototype designed for this non-existent model.
This blue Alpine Loop prototype (via MacRumors) featured an anodized black titanium hook and lugs, which is the part that needs to match the Apple Watch color. For example, the orange Alpine Loop available at the Apple Store matches the current Apple Watch Ultra chassis color.
The last time we discovered so many pieces of evidence of a new color for an unreleased device was with a gold version of the iPhone X six years ago. In that case, Apple later released this color with the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max.
That said, I believe this means Apple is actually trying to release a black Apple Watch Ultra in the future. Although we don’t know why the company scrapped the plans, it’s possible that this device could scratch easily and lose its color, which is something that happens with colored titanium iPhone 15 Pro models. With that, the company decided to wait longer to introduce a color variation for its most rugged Watch.
Thankfully, with so many rumors that Apple was planning to introduce a black Apple Watch Ultra in late 2023, we can only dream that it will eventually come true. That said, I really hope Apple releases a darker Apple Watch Ultra in a future iteration of this product.
At this moment, the next major upgrade for the Apple Watch Ultra is expected for 2025 or 2026, once the display gets bigger and brighter with a microLED technology. For this year’s Apple Watch, attention is turned to the Apple Watch Series 10/Apple Watch X.
