The Apple Watch ceramic case could be making a comeback this model year or next, and Apple is also considering a variety of radical designs of the Apple Watch lineup, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
Ceramic Is Back! (Maybe)
Gurman’s comments came in the latest edition of his “Power On” newsletter. Gurman expects a return of the ceramic case option for the Apple Watch this model year or next. The ceramic option hasn’t been offered for the Apple Watch since it was dropped for debut of the Series 4 lineup in 2018. The original ceramic Apple Watch Edition debuted with the Series 2 back in September 2016, selling for the low low price of $1,249 (well, it’s a low low price when compared to the $17,000 price tag of the Gold Edition it replaced).
Apple marketed the ceramic finish (which was made from a a compressed zirconia and alumina powder polished with a diamond slurry) as being four-times as hard as stainless steel. The Series 3 brought a gray ceramic option, but Apple dropped that option with the Series 4 in 2018, when Apple dropped all high-end case options for that model year.
Gurman says to expect only modest upgrades to the Apple Watch lineup in the upcoming Series 12 and Ultra 4 lineups, including under-the-hood improvements that should provide the first real jump in performance in years.
Gurman says Apple is also working on new colors and bands, as well as a series of new health and fitness-related upgrades.
A New Apple Watch Design?
Gurman also said Apple is mulling over a list of new designs for the Apple Watch lineup, as it scrambles to adapt to the increasing popularity of screenless fitness bands and smart rings. Gurman says those options are “cheaper, lighter and, for many people, more fun and convenient to use.” He says Apple’s industrial design team has been “exploring a broader rethink of its smartwatches” for quite a while.
Directions being considered include new Apple Watches with different types of screen and various new sizes, or even Apple Watches with no display, or ::GASP!:: an Apple Watch with a round screen! (Gurman says don’t hold your breath waiting for a round screen though.)
Additions to both ends of the lineup are also under consideration, with premium options that would be priced above the Ultra and Hermès models, and more affordable options like the Apple Watch SE at the lower end of the price range.
Gurman says Apple also has plans for more AI features, including long-term plans to revamp the Health app.
The Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 are expected to debut in September, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and Apple’s first foldable iPhone.
