With Apple anticipated to unveil its 2022 Apple Watch lineup in just a few weeks, studies of a brand new third mannequin are gaining steam, offering extra hints at what this rugged sports activities model of the Apple Watch will appear to be.
Rumors of this new Apple Watch “Explorer Version” first appeared over a yr in the past, when Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman acquired wind of Apple’s plans to launch a ruggedized model of the Apple Watch designed for out of doors journey lovers.
It was an concept Apple had reportedly been contemplating for years — a minimum of way back to 2015. Nevertheless, as an alternative of releasing a devoted sports activities mannequin, Apple selected to give attention to the Apple Watch Sequence 2, which gained new “swim proofing” options and exercises focused at swimmers.
Whereas the Apple Watch has confirmed well-liked with sports activities lovers, it nonetheless can’t compete with the sturdiness of one thing like Casio’s G-Shock lineup. Over the previous couple of years, Apple has come to understand that it’s been dropping enterprise to out of doors sports activities followers who want one thing that may survive probably the most excessive adventures.
A number of sources have since confirmed that this would be the yr of the rugged Apple Watch, though it’s unclear what Apple will truly name it; the “Explorer Version” is reportedly how Apple was referring to the venture internally final yr, however Gurman hasn’t used that identify in his newer studies.
Nevertheless, what we do know is that this rugged Apple Look ahead to excessive sports activities aficionados will probably be launched alongside the Apple Watch Sequence 8 and certain a brand new Apple Watch SE, making this the primary yr that Apple has three new Apple Watch fashions to point out off.
Apple Watch ‘Explorer Version’ Options and Adjustments
In a latest article in Bloomberg, Gurman additionally offers further particulars on what we are able to count on from the brand new Apple Watch mannequin, together with a good bigger display.
- Based on Gurman, the display will measure “virtually 2 inches diagonally. This may supply 7 p.c extra display actual property than the Sequence 7, which already boasts a bigger show than its predecessors.
- The Apple Watch “Explorer Version” can have a show decision of 410 by 502 pixels, with the identical total sharpness as current fashions. That’s a rise from the 45mm Sequence 7’s 396×484 display.
- The Apple Watch Sequence 8 and Apple Watch SE will retain the identical 1.9-inch diagonal display because the Sequence 7.
- Apple will possible reap the benefits of the bigger display in watchOS 9 to point out extra element for issues like the brand new multi-sport exercises geared towards triathletes.
- The intense sports activities Apple Watch will probably be created from a robust steel materials relatively than aluminum for extra sturdiness. The display may also be much more shatter-resistant than the Apple Watch Sequence 7, which already improved over the Sequence 6.
- The brand new Apple Watch can also be anticipated to pack in a bigger battery than the usual Apple Watch Sequence 8 so athletes can “monitor exercises for longer durations of time.”
- It’s unclear if Apple will launch this rugged version in two sizes, as Gurman solely talked about the bigger two-inch display.
Moreover these variations, the Apple Watch “Explorer Version” is predicted to incorporate all of the options of the Apple Watch Sequence 8, together with the S8 processor and physique temperature sensor. Regardless of the brand new identify, the S8 chip isn’t anticipated to be any quicker than the S6/S7 that got here earlier than.
The Apple Watch “Explorer Version” will virtually definitely promote for a better price ticket than the Apple Watch Sequence 8; Gurman suggests it is going to be pricier even than Apple’s chrome steel fashions, which begin at $699. That’s across the similar worth because the Android Put on OS-powered Casio G-Shock GSW-H1000, however Apple virtually definitely intends to set a a lot larger bar for its first excessive sports activities Apple Watch.
[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]