It looks like the upcoming Watch Series 8 could be the biggest Apple smartwatch yet, with a screen even larger than that of the 45mm Watch Series 7.
This is according to both Ross Young of Digital Supply Chain Consultants and Jeff Pu of Haitong International Securities. Both analysts believe the new Apple Watch 8 will feature a display that is slightly larger than its predecessor.
But we’re only talking about a very small increase, at around five percent, or just 0.089 inches, increasing the total to 1.99 inches.
This increase is unlikely to be a major selling point of the new Apple Watch. Instead, we suspect this is a byproduct of Apple changing the design of its wearable. As has been rumoured for some time now, the Watch Series 8 is tipped to have a new, flat-sided design.
It looks like flattening the screen from its current, slightly curved look will cause it to grow slightly to the new 1.99-inch form factor.
The latest claim comes from Young, who has previously said Apple is working on three sizes of Watch Series 8 instead of the usual two. Answering a question about these screen sizes on Twitter, Young said: “New size is larger, 1.99”.”
As for where claims of a flat-fronted Apple Watch first came from, that was the work of a leaker known as ShrimpApplePro, who said in May that a “flat front glass display” would be featured on the Watch Series 8. The same leaker was previously correct in saying how the Watch Series 7 would have the same design as the Series 6.
Claims of a slightly larger screen have also been backed up by analyst Jeff Pu, who said in an investor note, seen by MacRumors, that Apple component supplier Luxshare will be the “sole supplier” for a “high-end” model of Apple Watch with a 2-inch display, due later this year.
Talk of Apple preparing three models of Apple Watch for 2022 tallies with previous claims that the company is working on a more rugged version of the wearable. Potentially sitting above two regular models of Watch Series 8, this could feature the slightly larger screen and see Apple go after Garmin and Casio in the rugged smartwatch market.
Apple is likely to reveal the Series 8 smartwatch family at a launch event in September.
