Despite speculation pointing to Apple releasing a completely redesigned Apple Watch in 2026, a leaker on Weibo recently relayed that next year’s Apple Watch design will be largely similar to current models. This, however, shouldn’t be taken to mean that Apple is pumping the breaks on a completely revamped Apple Watch. Rather, Apple is reportedly pushing back its massive redesign by a few years. According to the leaker, a new Apple Watch design may not arrive until “the year after the iPhone’s 20th anniversary.”
In other words, don’t expect an Apple Watch redesign to hit stores anytime soon. Apple’s 20th anniversary iPhone is slated for release in 2027, which is to say that a revamped Apple Watch is at least 2-3 years away. Incidentally, the leaker adds that the Apple Watch redesign will be fully compatible with existing bands. This certainly makes sense given that many existing Apple Watch owners might think twice about upgrading if bands they already paid for would be rendered useless.
A look at the rumored Apple Watch redesign
Details surrounding the rumored Apple Watch redesign have been somewhat scarce. A Bloomberg report from 2023 claims that Apple has been working on a completely revamped mechanism to connect watch bands to the device itself. The new design will purportedly use magnets and take up less space. The benefit to consumers is that Apple can use the extra space for a bigger battery.
There have also been scattered reports that Apple is working on an Apple Watch design with a microLED display. A microLED display offers users a number of improvements, including more vibrant colors and a much brighter display. Further, microLED display technology accomplishes all this while using less battery power.
There have been rumblings that Apple may have scrapped plans for an Apple Watch with a microLED display, but it’s also possible that the design may have simply been pushed back a few years. Lastly, we’ve also seen rumors that Apple’s ambitious Apple Watch redesign will include upwards of eight sensors on the underside of the display.
The holy grail of Apple Watch features
Non-invasive blood glucose monitoring has long been considered the holy grail of rumored Apple Watch features, and with good reason. If Apple actually figures out a way to allow users to measure their glucose levels via non-invasive means, it would represent a momentous medical achievement. No such product exists today, and while some startup companies have developed various prototype devices, every single one has been hampered by a number of issues that proved challenging to solve.
A few years ago, I talked to an engineer who was working on a non-invasive blood glucose monitoring device. One lingering problem was that the sensor system on the device was incredibly sensitive to sunlight and needed complete darkness to deliver truly accurate measurements. Naturally, this limitation is an obvious drawback for a device meant to be worn on one’s wrist. On top of that, the sensor’s ability to function was also hampered by a user’s body hair.
It’s no secret Apple has been working on non-invasive glucose monitoring for well over 15 years at this point. In turn, the company also has some of the top medical minds and scientific researchers tackling the issue. Still, most experts today don’t believe non-invasive glucose monitoring is going to arrive anytime soon, especially on a device as minuscule as the Apple Watch. A Bloomberg report from earlier this year noted that while Apple’s work on the “the project remains active and has reached key milestones, the company is still many years away from delivering the feature.”
