With Apple anticipated to unveil its 2022 Apple Watch lineup in a couple of weeks, stories 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 like.
Rumors of this new Apple Watch “Explorer Version” first appeared over a yr in the past, when Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman obtained wind of Apple’s plans to launch a ruggedized model of the Apple Watch designed for out of doors journey fanatics.
It was an thought Apple had reportedly been contemplating for years — a minimum of way back to 2015. Nonetheless, as a substitute of releasing a devoted sports activities mannequin, Apple selected to concentrate on the Apple Watch Collection 2, which gained new “swim proofing” options and exercises focused at swimmers.
Whereas the Apple Watch has confirmed fashionable with sports activities fanatics, 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 essentially 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 really name it; the “Explorer Version” is reportedly how Apple was referring to the challenge internally final yr, however Gurman hasn’t used that identify in his newer stories.
Nonetheless, what we do know is that this rugged Apple Look ahead to excessive sports activities aficionados can be launched alongside the Apple Watch Collection 8 and sure 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 Modifications
In a current article in Bloomberg, Gurman additionally offers extra particulars on what we will anticipate from the brand new Apple Watch mannequin, together with a fair bigger display.
- Based on Gurman, the display will measure “nearly 2 inches diagonally. This is able to supply 7 p.c extra display actual property than the Collection 7, which already boasts a bigger show than its predecessors.
- The Apple Watch “Explorer Version” may have a show decision of 410 by 502 pixels, with the identical general sharpness as current fashions. That’s a rise from the 45mm Collection 7’s 396×484 display.
- The Apple Watch Collection 8 and Apple Watch SE will retain the identical 1.9-inch diagonal display because the Collection 7.
- Apple will seemingly 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 acute sports activities Apple Watch can be produced from a robust steel materials slightly than aluminum for extra sturdiness. The display may even be much more shatter-resistant than the Apple Watch Collection 7, which already improved over the Collection 6.
- The brand new Apple Watch can be anticipated to pack in a bigger battery than the usual Apple Watch Collection 8 so athletes can “observe 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.
Apart from these variations, the Apple Watch “Explorer Version” is predicted to incorporate all of the options of the Apple Watch Collection 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 nearly actually promote for the next price ticket than the Apple Watch Collection 8; Gurman suggests it is going to be pricier even than Apple’s stainless-steel fashions, which begin at $699. That’s across the identical value because the Android Put on OS-powered Casio G-Shock GSW-H1000, however Apple nearly actually intends to set a a lot increased 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.]