Apple Watch could use a redesign

In terms of design, not much has changed with the Apple Watch. Since its introduction in 2015, every subsequent watch has adhered to roughly the same look. Tthe hat could change from next year. Apple Prophet Ming-Chi Kuo noted in a report now that next year, we should expect both “innovative health management functions” and “improved form factor design” for the 7 Series.

It is potentially huge! While you would certainly expect expanded health features given the recent trend for wearable devices over the past few years, I was pretty much convinced Apple never would. already change what the Apple Watch would look like.

If you have aligned series 0 up to Series 6 and the Watch SE, most people would have a hard time telling them apart. There are some visual clues. Series 3, for example, introduced the red dot on the digital crown to note that it had cellular connectivity. The Series 4 changed that to a more subtle red outline, which carried over to subsequent models, as well as a better screen. The 4 series also changed size from 38mm to 40mm (and from 42mm to 44mm), but if you can see it at a glance, you must have superhuman vision. The Series 5 comes with an always-on screen and the Series 6 has introduced new colourways. If you put them upside down, you could probably tell the difference between old and newer Apple Watches based on the sensor network. Newer models also have a side button that protrudes less. But seriously, I’m the one scraping the barrel. They are all square! They have the same button layouts! For the most part, the really big changes with each Apple Watch have been internal.

There are advantages to keeping the same design. At this point, a square smartwatch display with rounded edges is iconic, and there’s absolutely no shortage of copiers. Plus, one thing Apple has consistently said year after year is that the vast majority of Apple Watch sales are to new users, which means most haven’t had time to be very tired yet. of this design. Keeping things consistent also helps Apple control the supply chain, and for users who are upgrade, it means they can keep the same peripherals and accessories. From an app perspective, it’s also easier for developers. If Apple moved away from the square display, developers would have to rethink their apps to conform to the new shape.

But … Apple should still consider doing a redesign. the Apple Watch SE is thinner than most smartwatches at 10.4mm. It’s awesome! But it’s also a constraint when it comes to adding a more robust battery, which would allow richer sleep tracking. While watchOS 7 first introduced native sleep tracking, it’s incredibly basic compared to metrics offered by competitors like Fitbit. Comparatively, the Fitbit Sense has a thickness of 12.4 mm and allows an autonomy estimated at more than 6 days. This extra 2mm is not noticeable – take it from someone who wore both devices simultaneously.

Also, while it can be a pain for developers, providing a circular screen option would be great. Not only is it a more classic and elegant look, but I have heard many readers, colleagues, and friends complain that the square screen is just not their cup of tea. Partly because the square display makes each bracelet too thick and fleeting, but also when you compare the Apple Watch to the Samsung galaxy watch 3, the latter is only one magnificent watch that offers many of the same features.

Granted, the last reason Apple should consider a redesign is selfish. As I mentioned earlier, I’m really sick of all the wearable device makers (other than Samsung) that only make Apple Watch clones. From a design standpoint, this led to the category being so boring to watch. I’m tired of collecting phrases in the dark corners of my mind that are synonymous with “This looks like an Apple Watch”. Christ, if Apple did something, something new, the train would apparently follow. That would buy us at least a few product cycles finally a little different. Just as Apple getting FDA clearance for the Series 4 ECG feature spurred several other companies to do the same, Apple discovered a new hardware design for wearable devices could inspire much-needed innovation in the smartwatch category. .

It’s a bit confusing that Apple does not have considered a redesign of some sort. After all, the design from one iPhone to another changes dramatically. In the end, we’ll have to wait and see what the “improved form factor design” described by Kuo actually means. For all my postulates, it could also mean something as iterative as getting rid of the physical side button in favor of an inductive button. If it ends up being the case, I might pull out my hair.