An Apple Watch Series 6 on display at the company’s flagship store in Sydney.
Photographer: David Gray / Bloomberg
Photographer: David Gray / Bloomberg
Apple Inc. is considering launching an Apple Watch with a sturdy case, designed for athletes, hikers and others who use the device in more extreme environments, according to people familiar with the issue.
The technology giant in Cupertino, California, has internally discussed the introduction of such a Watch variant earlier in 2021 or 2022 at the earliest, said people, who asked not to be identified while discussing private issues.
This is at least the second time Apple has made a robust smartwatch. After launching the first version of the Apple Watch in 2015, the company weighed a new model to better attract athletes with extreme sports. The current version is still popular with runners, hikers and swimmers, and Apple has added more sports and activity tracking features through its annual refresh cycle. In any case, Casio Computer Co. and other watchmakers have seen strong sales from more robust product models with additional protection.
Smartwatch Market
The Apple Watch is leading everyone else in this fast-growing technology industry
Source: Counterpoint research
If Apple goes this time, the rugged version would be an additional model similar to how Apple offers a lower-cost option called the Apple Watch SE and special editions co-branded with Nike Inc. and Hermes International. Sometimes nicknamed Apple’s “Explorer Edition”, the product would have the same functionality as a standard Apple Watch, but with an additional impact.resistance and protection in the vein of Casio’s G-Shock watches.
Read more about Casio’s G-Shock line here.
The Casio G-Shock is considered one of the most popular watches ever created.
The latest Apple Watch models are already water resistant up to 50 meters – at the top end for most smart watches. But Apple could make a new device more “robust” by giving it a rubberized exterior that would be useful for environments where current aluminum, titanium and stainless steel housings could be prone to damage.
The development of the new Apple Watch could eventually be canceled or delayed, people familiar with the problem said. An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment.
Apple is also working on new swimming tracking features for the Apple Watch. The company usually launches new models in September. Last year, it launched a lower-cost Apple Watch SE and added a faster processor and blood oxygen sensor with the Apple Watch Series 6.
The Apple Watch has become one of Apple’s most important products, although the company does not disclose its earnings. fiscal year. This has made it the most successful category of Apple products apart from the iPhone. Apple had 40% of the smartwatch market in the last quarter of 2020, according to Counterpoint research.