Which Apple Watch will be announced next week?

Apple is expected to launch many new products Apple Watch(s). at next week’s event – it’s taking place on Tuesday, September 12 – and the Internet is talking. Rumors are swirling about design changes, potential new features and capabilities, and which of Apple’s three smartwatches will receive updated models.

It’s pretty clear that we’ll get a Series 9, and many recent rumors suggest we’ll get a second generation Extremely, also. Apple usually announces a new Apple Watch SE, but it looks like that will happen this year.

Here’s what we know so far.

The Series 9 will look very similar to the Series 8

Don’t expect a major design overhaul with the Series 9. Apple hasn’t significantly updated the design of its flagship smartwatch line in years and appears to have bought time with the introduction of the all-new Ultra last year. According to Apple analyst Mark GurmanSeries 9 hardware updates won’t be major.

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All Apple Watches will have the new S9 processor

Apple is expected to introduce the new processor – S9 – with its next-generation smartwatches. This is a big deal because the S6 (Series 6), S7 (Series 7) and S8 (Series 8) chipsets are all built on the same technology and deliver the same performance. Based on Bloombergby Mark Gurman, The S9 chip is very similar to the A15 chip found in Apple’s iPhone 13 series. This promises to bring a major performance upgrade to the company’s upcoming smartwatches as well as hopefully improved battery life.

The Series 9 could be an even more accurate running watch

One of the coolest features of the Apple Watch Ultra is its super accurate GPS. It has dual-frequency L1 and L5 GPS chips (whereas all other non-Ultra Apple Watches only have L1 GPS chips), giving the Ultra more valuable GPS tracking and navigation capabilities—especially in areas where it is difficult to receive signals, such as in cities, tunnels or even dense forests.

Since most of the new Apple Watch’s upgrades are within the system, there are rumors that Apple could bring its dual-frequency GPS to the Series 9 to make it an even more accurate smartwatch. more to practice. This will also help differentiate it further from the next SE, which will likely still have a single L1 GPS chip.

Apple Watch Ultra 2 will have a new dark color

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Apple is definitely working on a second-generation Apple Watch Ultra – but don’t expect it to be a major update. Most importantly, it will have Apple’s upcoming S9 processor (same as the Series 9) so it will be faster and more capable. The design of the new Ultra will probably be the same, but according to Bloombergby Mark Gurman it will be available in the new “black space” option. Ultra is currently only available in silver.

There are plenty of other upgrades that could be coming to future Apple Watch Ultra models. According to screen analyst Ross YoungApple wants to create a version with a microLED screen, which increases brightness, color and contrast. It’s worth noting that this technology isn’t ready yet – there are currently no wearables with microLED displays – and so we’ll likely have to wait a few more years for these microLEDs to appear on the Apple Watch.

There may not be a new Apple Watch SE

Overall, this is expected to be a year full of updates for the Apple Watch. And while the Series 9 and Ultra 2 are expected to get updated models with new processors, it’s unclear whether Apple will update its lowest-end model, the Apple Watch SE. There are very few rumors surrounding it and therefore it is very likely that Apple will delay until 2024 to release the next generation SE.

Series 9 could be the first 5G Apple Watch

Apple took a big step forward by bringing 5G connectivity to its iPhone line in 2020, but has yet to do the same with its smartwatches. An Apple Watch with an upgraded 5G chip would help future-proof it, as well as improve performance speeds when executing “Hey Siri” commands (which has been a major complaint of Siri for a long time). . The downside to 5G connectivity is that it will definitely drain the “all-day” Apple Watch battery faster. Rumors are rife that this could be the year Apple finally brings 5G to one of its smartwatches, although speculation remains rife.

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It is likely that Series 9 will have a new blood sugar sensor

There are rumors that Apple could introduce a new sensor for the Apple Watch, allowing it to non-invasively monitor your blood sugar levels. This will obviously be a big deal, especially for people with diabetes, but it won’t be ready in time for Series 9. According to BloombergApple’s Mark Gurman Apple is definitely working on bringing blood glucose monitoring to the Apple Watch, but it’s still a few years away.

When will these new Apple Watches be released?

The new Apple Watch models will be announced on September 12 at Apple’s big iPhone event. Traditionally, all of these devices will likely be pre-ordered that day and ship the following week (possibly starting September 19 or 20).