It’s getting close to that time of the year where Apple unveils its latest and greatest hardware that takes the world by storm for the next year or so. The Apple Watch Series 7 arrived with a lot of hype, only to fall a bit short on delivery. It offers a larger display than the Series 6, but aside from a few other minor changes, it’s pretty much the same Watch.
But that could all change with the Apple Watch 8. Apple’s upcoming smartwatch is expected to be quite different from the norm, and could potentially bring the drastic design changes that we were expecting with last year’s model. Today, we’re taking a look at all of the rumors to give you an idea of what to expect with the Apple Watch Series 8.
Before the Apple Watch Series 7 was announced, there were quite a few rumors suggesting Apple was going to implement a redesign of its popular smartwatch. Instead of the rounded edges and curves, the Series 7 would adopt an iPhone 13-like design with flattened edges that are ever-so-slightly curved to meet the glass.
As is obvious now, those design changes never came to fruition, and now more rumors are appearing that suggest Apple will adopt this new design with the Series 8. The front glass is said to be completely flat, which could lead to an even larger screen than the 1.61-inch or 1.77-inch displays found in the current generation.
It’s also possible that this new flat-edged design is meant for an all-new Apple Watch 8 model. There have been rumors and rumblings about a potential “Sport Edition” Apple Watch that would feature a different design, along with improved durability and sweat resistance. However, there have yet to be any concrete rumors outside of the fact that Apple is potentially working on a different Watch model. That being said, Apple is likely to retain the 41mm and 45mm size options for whatever Series 8 models end up being released.
Apple Watch 8: Specs
One of the more surprising facts about the Series 7 is that it uses the same chipset as the Apple Watch Series 6. This marks the first time that Apple didn’t update the processor for an all-new model, despite making some changes to the design, culminating in a larger display.
It seems that the Series 7 was a “one-off”, as reports claim Apple is working on a new custom-designed chipset for the Apple Watch 8. This new processor would not only provide faster performance but could also vastly improve activity tracking to be more accurate across the board. It’s unknown whether Apple would increase the amount of onboard RAM or storage, but it wouldn’t come as much of a surprise if that turns out to be the case.
Apple Watch 8: Health Features
Keeping with the trend of improvements, Apple has been reportedly working on a new body temperature sensor for its smartwatch. This sensor was canceled at the last minute with the Series 7 but is very likely implemented as the “big new feature” coming to Watch owners. However, at the time of this writing, it all comes down to whether Apple’s algorithm can meet requirements before the Apple Watch 8 goes into production.
Your Apple Watch has already been capable of tracking your sleep for a few years at this point. But Apple is attempting to integrate even more new features, such as the ability to detect sleep apnea and different sleeping patterns. This would be a first for the smartwatch market, giving Apple yet another enticing health-focused feature to try and lure people to the Apple Watch. However, we would hope that Apple also integrated a larger battery so that we could enjoy these new features without needing to charge the Watch every day.
Apple Watch 8: Release Date and Price
As we have seen in recent years, the Apple Watch 8 is expected to make its debut alongside the iPhone 14 lineup. Apple usually holds its biggest event for the fall, meaning that an announcement in September is likely, with the Watch 8 and new iPhone going on sale a week or two later.
Even with the supposed changes coming in the form of new health sensors and a new processor, Apple is expected to keep the Watch 8’s pricing the same. This means the smaller WiFi-only version would start at $399 with Aluminum, and the 45mm WiFi-only variant would start at $429. Pricing would go up depending on the type of band that you order, along with the case material and whether you wanted to have LTE built-in.
Andrew is a freelance writer based on the East Coast of the US.
He has written for a variety of sites over the years, including iMore, Android Central, Phandroid, and a few others. Now, he spends his days working for an HVAC company, while moonlighting as a freelance writer at night.
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