A “major overhaul” is in store for the 2027 Apple Watch, including a new system for connecting bands, claims a well-known leaker.
In a set of recent posts, the leaker known as “Instant Digital” appears to be repeating previous rumors about an “Apple Watch X” model, which was rumored to sport a fresh design and a brand new system for attaching watch bands.
The leaker repeats rumors about how the way the band attaches to the case would change, creating more internal space for a larger battery. The leaker went on to advise that anyone planning to buy a new Apple Watch in 2027 should hold off on buying extra bands in the meantime.
The “Apple Watch X” rumor goes back to a 2023 report from Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman. He said Apple has plans for a total revamp of its Apple Watch for the popular wearable device’s tenth birthday. Gurman called the device the “Apple Watch X,” which is the same naming convention Apple used for the tenth anniversary iPhone X model.
Gurman said Apple is working on a thinner casing for the Apple Watch X, as well as working on different mechanisms for attaching bands to the device’s casing, which has remained the same since the device’s introduction, allowing bands to be compatible throughout all of the different generations of the Apple Watch.
Gurman said his sources tell him that the existing band system takes up a large amount of space that could be better put to use to allow for bigger batteries or other internal components. He said Apple was investigating a magnetic band attachment system.
The Apple Watch X could also introduce the use of microLED display technology for the Apple Watch X, in place of existing OLED screens. The anniversary model may also be the first Apple Watch to boast blood pressure monitoring.
This year’s Apple Watch Series 12 is expected to use the same design that debuted with the Series 10 in 2024, which included a thinner case, a larger display, and a metal back that folds the antenna into the housing.