Apple is reportedly re-evaluating the future of the Apple Watch and considering some of the most significant changes to its wearable lineup since the product was introduced.
- Apple Wants to Reinvent Its Wearable Lineup
- Screenless Fitness Devices Are Under Consideration
- Apple Has Considered a Round Apple Watch
- New Screen Types and More Sizes Could Expand the Lineup
- Apple Could Go Above Ultra and Hermès
- More Affordable Options Below or Alongside Apple Watch SE
- AI Could Become Central to Apple’s Wearables
- Growing Competition Is Driving the Rethink
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple’s industrial design team has been exploring a broader rethink of its smartwatches, including different display types, new sizes, devices without screens, additional premium products, and more affordable options.
The company has not yet decided which direction it will ultimately pursue, meaning many of the concepts being studied may never become commercial products.
Apple Wants to Reinvent Its Wearable Lineup
Gurman compared the potential Apple Watch transformation with the design change represented by Apple’s first foldable iPhone.
The objective is reportedly to create something capable of transforming the Apple Watch for a new era rather than simply making annual improvements to the existing rectangular smartwatch.
Apple is said to be determined to reinvent the lineup as competition in wearable technology continues to grow.
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Screenless Fitness Devices Are Under Consideration
One of the most notable concepts under evaluation is an Apple Watch-style wearable without a display.
Apple is reportedly taking renewed consumer interest in screenless fitness bands and smart rings seriously.
A screenless device could focus more heavily on health and fitness tracking while reducing dependence on notifications, apps, and constant interaction with another display.
Such a product could also give Apple another way to compete in wearable health without requiring every user to purchase a traditional smartwatch.
Apple Has Considered a Round Apple Watch
Apple has also discussed the possibility of giving the Apple Watch a circular display.
That would represent a major departure from the rounded-rectangle design used by every Apple Watch generation since the product’s debut.
However, Gurman cautioned that a round Apple Watch is unlikely to actually reach the market.
The concept therefore appears to be one of several directions Apple has explored rather than a confirmed product roadmap.
New Screen Types and More Sizes Could Expand the Lineup
Apple is not only examining the overall shape of the watch.
The company is also considering Apple Watches with different types of displays and a wider range of sizes.
Expanding the available form factors could allow Apple to address different groups of users rather than relying on a relatively similar smartwatch design across the entire lineup.
Apple Could Go Above Ultra and Hermès
At the high end, Apple has reportedly considered creating new premium variants positioned above the existing Apple Watch Ultra and Hermès models.
Such products could push the Apple Watch further into the luxury and specialist segments.
The report does not specify the materials, pricing, features, or branding Apple might use for these models.
More Affordable Options Below or Alongside Apple Watch SE
Apple is also exploring the opposite end of the market.
The company has considered adding even more affordable wearable options in addition to the Apple Watch SE.
That approach could allow Apple to reach users interested primarily in activity and health tracking who do not need the complete feature set of a standard Apple Watch.
AI Could Become Central to Apple’s Wearables
Apple’s longer-term plans reportedly include making its wearable products significantly more focused on artificial intelligence.
That strategy is linked to ambitious plans to revamp the Health app over time.
A more AI-driven health platform could potentially make better use of the large amount of activity, sleep, heart rate, workout, and other health information collected by Apple’s devices.
The report does not provide a launch date or detailed feature list for the planned Health app changes.
Growing Competition Is Driving the Rethink
Apple’s renewed interest in screenless trackers and smart rings reflects changes in the broader wearable market.
Consumers now have more choices beyond traditional smartwatches, including smaller devices designed primarily to collect health and fitness data without placing another interactive screen on the body.
Apple has not yet settled on the final structure of its future wearable lineup.
Gurman believes the eventual Apple Watch overhaul could be as significant for the product as the transition from a conventional slab-style iPhone to a foldable device.
Apple is also reportedly hoping the strategy can reinvigorate its Wearables, Home and Accessories business segment, which has struggled to generate growth in recent years.
