Apple is widely expected to reveal three new models of smartwatch this Wednesday, 7 September, alongside the new iPhone 14 and 14 Pro at a media event called Far Out.
With just 48 hours to go, we’re gathering up the last few leaked and rumours ahead of the big reveal itself. As ever, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman and his Power On newsletter has plenty of gossip to tide us over until the event begins.
Doubling down on earlier rumours, Gurman says the Watch Series 8 will be Apple’s first to feature a body temperature sensor, which will be used to enable new women’s health and fertility functions.
Above this, Apple is expected to announce a new model of smartwatch called the Watch Pro. Gurman expects this version to be priced at $900 to $1,000, and compete against flagship fitness watches from Garmin. As well as the new temperature sensor of the Watch Series 8, the Watch Pro is expected to have a larger and more rugged design, a bigger battery and a new low-power mode to increase battery life.
Gurman says the smartwatch will have a display that is “noticeably larger” than other models, along with redesigned watch faces and extra health- and fitness-tracking features. The high price and larger size won’t appeal to everyone, Gurman admits, adding that older Apple Watch straps “may not look flush with the device, but the new case is designed so existing bands can still work.”
Rumoured for some time now, the so-called Watch Pro is expected to appeal to mountain bikers, hikers and marathon runners who demand more features, a tougher case and longer battery life than what’s offered by any other model of Apple Watch. Although unlikely to be a best-seller, the Watch Pro will see Apple directly take on fitness watches from Garmin, Polar and Casio’s G-Shock division for the first time.
Gurman added: “I expect this watch to come in at least $900 to $1,000, topping the current Apple Watch Edition. For comparison, Garmin’s high-end watches cost between $1,000 and $1,500 [£850 to £1,270].”
Lastly, Apple is expected to announce a new model of Watch SE on Wednesday. This is expected to retain the same design as the current model, but with the new S8 chip of the Watch Series 8.
We haven’t got much longer to wait, with Apple’s Far Out event kicking off at 6pm BST on 7 September. If the company follows its usual schedule, we can expect pre-orders to open this Friday, 9 September, then the first deliveries to arrive with customers a week later, on 16 September.
