Apple Watch to Receive Major Upgrade for 10th Anniversary, But Health Features May Be Delayed

Apple Watch to Receive Major Upgrade for 10th Anniversary, But Health Features May Be DelayedAs the fall of 2024 approaches, Apple is gearing up for the 10th anniversary of its iconic smartwatch, the Apple Watch. To celebrate this milestone, Apple is planning major upgrades for the Apple Watch lineup, including a larger display, a thinner body, and a new chip

Apple Watch to Receive Major Upgrade for 10th Anniversary, But Health Features May Be Delayed

As the fall of 2024 approaches, Apple is gearing up for the 10th anniversary of its iconic smartwatch, the Apple Watch. To celebrate this milestone, Apple is planning major upgrades for the Apple Watch lineup, including a larger display, a thinner body, and a new chip.

Larger Display, Thinner Body, and New Chip

Codenamed N217 and N218, the Apple Watch Series 10 will reportedly feature a larger screen. This means Series 10 users will have the option of a screen size comparable to the Apple Watch Ultra. In addition to the screen size upgrade, the new Apple Watch will be thinner, although its overall design might not change significantly.

The Apple Watch Series 10 and the new Apple Watch Ultra 3 will be equipped with a new chip, not only boosting performance but also potentially laying the groundwork for future potential AI features. However, Apple's upcoming AI feature suite, Apple Intelligence, is only planned to be available for iPhone, iPad, and Mac users, potentially expanding to Vision Pro in the future, but there are no immediate plans to bring the full service to the watch.

Challenges for Health Monitoring Features

Besides the visual and performance enhancements, health monitoring features are also a focus of this update. Apple has been developing technology to detect hypertension and sleep apnea, originally planned for release this year. However, this work has hit some snags. Reports suggest that after making progress on these features last year, Apple has encountered some serious hurdles.

The hypertension detection technology's test results during trials have not achieved the expected level of stability, which may lead to the feature being delayed until later this year. The sleep apnea monitoring feature faces even bigger challenges as it is related to an individual's blood oxygen saturation levels. Due to legal disputes with Masimo, the Apple Watch currently cannot directly measure these crucial metrics.

Apple Under Time Pressure

Apple is now at a critical juncture, needing to resolve the current technological challenges or find alternative solutions before September. One possible strategy is that Apple might argue that its oxygen reader can be used for health monitoring purposes not directly related to blood oxygen levels. Alternatively, Apple might choose to announce the feature ahead of time but delay its release, or completely postpone the launch plan.

Other Notable Aspects

Beyond the new features, Apple is exploring manufacturing changes as well. The company continues to test and discuss the possibility of using 3D printing technology to manufacture parts of the Apple Watch body. This could potentially accelerate production and help the environment by reducing materials usage.

Furthermore, Apple is working on a new version of its lower-cost Apple Watch SE. The company has tested a plan to replace the existing aluminum case with a hard plastic shell to reduce costs and compete more effectively with Samsung's cheapest watch, the Galaxy Watch FE, priced at $199. The SE series currently starts at $249.

Summary

Despite the upcoming 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, Apple faces some challenges. The delay in health monitoring features could impact consumer interest in the Apple Watch. However, Apple is also actively exploring new technologies and manufacturing processes to enhance the product's performance and competitiveness. Ultimately, whether the Apple Watch Series 10 will be a successful product depends on how Apple tackles these challenges and balances innovation with practicality.