A new leak suggests Apple Watch fans hoping for a fresh look in 2026 may have a longer wait ahead.
Instead of a major overhaul next year, Apple is expected to stick to smaller tweaks in 2026 and save a full redesign for 2028. That would push any significant visual shift well beyond the next few release cycles and hints that Apple may wait until after the 20th anniversary iPhone arrives in late 2027 before it shows off a new watch exterior.
The leak comes from Instant Digital’s Weibo post, which frames 2026 as an iterative year and points to 2028 as the point when a new look finally arrives. That account also cools earlier chatter that Apple was preparing a more significant visual update sooner.
There has actually been conflicting noise around this topic for months. Back in August, DigiTimes said at least one 2026 model could get notable exterior changes tied to new sensors. And that claim kicked up fresh speculation about longer-term projects like noninvasive blood glucose monitoring.
That feature is still believed to be years away as Apple keeps shrinking the tech to fit a wearable footprint, so a big redesign built around it may not be practical yet. However, the new leak lines up with that reality and hints that Apple will keep refining internals while the shell stays familiar.
Previous reporting also floated ideas that have not fully materialised. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman mentioned a thinner case and a magnetic band system as part of a potential revamp.
The Series 10 did slim down, but no magnetic attachment arrived, and this year’s Series 11 kept the silhouette largely the same. There is even code evidence that Apple has tested Touch ID for a 2026 watch, although that could live under the display and leave the outer design unchanged.
As with any leak, it is worth cautioning that this timeline is not set in stone. Instant Digital has been right on some details before, like the Yellow iPhone 14 and 14 Plus finishes and the Titanium Milanese Loop for Apple Watch Ultra 2, but has missed on others.
Still, if the account is correct this time, the near-term story is steady hardware with sensor and software gains, and the big style shift waits until 2028.
