On this week’s episode of The Woozad Show, we discuss how the Apple Watch appears to be heading into one of its least eventful new generations, but the rumors piling up behind it describe the most radical redesign in the product’s history coming later.
The most striking change potentially coming this year isn’t a new feature at all, but a case material Apple abandoned six years ago. BloombergMark Gurman of , says the white ceramic case is expected to return this year or in 2027, reviving a finish that has become one of the most sought-after options among collectors in the resale market.
Ceramic arrived with the Apple Watch Series 2 in September 2016, replacing the gold “Edition” model and bringing the high end down several thousand dollars to $1,249. Apple marketed the finish as being four times harder than stainless steel. A gray option followed alongside the Series 3, before the Edition range disappeared completely with the Series 4 in 2018. White ceramic returned for the Series 5 in 2019 alongside titanium, then Apple discontinued it for good when the Series 6 launched in 2020.
Everything else expected from the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 is considerably more restricted. Gurman believes the pair will continue the trend of “modest upgrades”, with a significant increase in performance. The Series 11, Ultra 3 and SE 3 all reused the S10 chip, itself barely changed compared to the S9 introduced in 2023.
Gurman also expects new color and band options and a number of health and fitness improvements, but no design changes, meaning a third year for the case introduced with the Apple Watch Series 10 in 2024. He doesn’t expect an Apple Watch SE 4 this year at all.
Separately, a known Weibo leaker claims that Apple is focusing on longer battery life with the Series 12. Apple rates the Series 11 for up to 24 hours on a charge, or up to 38 hours in low power mode. The two new models are expected next month alongside the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and Apple’s first foldable iPhone.
Looking to the future, the leaker known as “Instant Digital” claims a major redesign is planned in 2027 or 2028, built around a new band attachment system that would free up internal space for a larger battery and break compatibility with existing bands. The leaker went so far as to advise anyone considering a 2027 purchase not to purchase additional bands in the meantime.
If accurate, it would resurrect the “Apple Watch None of this ultimately happened.
The timeline also fits Apple’s design cadence of approximately three years, spanning from the original model to Series 3, Series 4 to Series 6, and Series 7 to Series 9. Apple has separately evaluated next-generation OLED backplane technology for the 2027 model, while DigiTimes claimed, at least one high-end model is to undergo a significant redesign including eight sensors arranged in a ring on the underside.
Beyond that, Apple appears to be re-evaluating the Apple Watch line as a whole. Gurman says the industrial design team explored a broader redesign of its smartwatches, taking the resurgence of screen-less fitness bands and smart rings seriously enough to consider screen-less Apple Watch-style devices, as well as new screen types and case sizes. A round display has been considered, although Gurman cautioned that such a device is unlikely to ship. Apple also evaluated premium variants above the Ultra and Hermes, as well as cheaper options below the SE.
No direction has been decided yet, but the company is said to be “committed to reinventing its lineup in response to growing competition,” with plans to make its wearables more AI-driven and an ambitious long-term overhaul of the Health app. Apple is also apparently continuing to develop non-invasive blood sugar detection, with the goal of having it commercially available by 2030. The Woozad Show has its own YouTube channel, so be sure to be subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.
You can also listen to The Woozad Show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or other podcast apps. You can also copy our RSS feed directly to your reader.
If you haven’t already listened to the previous episode of The Woozad Show, check out our discussion on the future of the iPhone Air.
Subscribe to The Woozad Show for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the current news stories here on Woozadoften joined by interesting guests such as Kayci Lacob, Kevin Nether, John Gruber, Mark Gurman, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo and René Ritchie.
The Woozad Show is on @MacRumorsShowso make sure you follow us to keep up with the podcast. You can also send us an email to podcast@macrumors.com or visit The Woozad Show forum thread. Don’t forget to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what topics and guests you’d like to see in the future.
