Apple has been predicted to release the next Apple Watch in three sizes by a display analyst who however stopped short of providing more information about what the third size might be.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Display analyst Ross Young calls for three Apple Watch sizes in 2022
- Young didn’t comment on what he thought the third size would be
- Our take: The third size would be a rumored rugged Apple Watch
Apple Watch Series 8 may come in three sizes
Writing on his Twitter, Young asked his audience whether they would like to see “a bigger display” on Apple Watch Series 8 in 2022? “Don’t be surprised if there are 3 sizes next year,” he added. As MacRumors observes, this is the first we’ve heard of the possibility of any Apple Watch potentially being available in more than two sizes.
My hope is a g-shock variant with 46mm screen. It can be square but have the material be that of a g-shock. I make do by using a screen protector and @SpigenWorld bumper but to have at least the bumper part built in would be nice.
— N.E.R.D. (@DatGeekDad) October 13, 2021
Don’t discard his claim as meritless. In the past, Young provided accurate information in terms of screen sizes, display technologies and resolutions for some Apple products ahead of launch.
All sizes of the Apple Watch models
Apple has so far released watches in the following sizes (denoting how tall the display is):
- Original Apple Watch, Series 1, Series 2 and Series 3
- 38mm (1.337-inch screen, 272×340 pixels)
- 42mm (1.533-inch screen, 312×390 pixels)
- Apple Watch Series 4, Series 5, Series 6 and SE
- 40mm (1.549-inch screen, 324×394 pixels)
- 44mm (1.757-inch screen, 368×448 pixels)
- Apple Watch Series 7
- 41mm (1.691-inch screen, 352×430 pixels)
- 45mm (1.901-inch screen, 396×484 pixels)
Young wouldn’t share his thoughts on what the third size might be. Here’s a wild idea of our own.
46mm is probably the max, else will look like having a tray on your wrist 😂
— Zak (@zakbrownz) October 12, 2021
The third size might be a rugged Apple Watch
A look at past rumors gives us a viable answer to this mystery, with Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman saying that the next Apple Watch models due in 2022 would include a new rugged model called Apple Watch Explorer or Apple Watch Explorer Edition. A rugged Apple Watch would feature extra protection and impact resistance “in the vein of Casio’s G-Shock watches”.
It would be primarily marketed to athletes and fans of extreme sports.
If such a device is coming, it’d be bulkier due to a rugged casing and have a bigger screen to improve visibility and readability. So this device could be your third Apple Watch size in 2022. Read: Featured rugged cases for Apple Watch Series 6
Young also predicted that the 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro models scheduled for unveiling at Apple’s “Unleashed” event next Monday will have mini-LED displays supporting twice the refresh rate at up to 120Hz. Supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, both reliable sources in terms of breaking Apple news, said earlier that the upcoming Mac notebooks will sport mini-LED displays and be powered by Apple’s new M1X chip.