Apple Watch could look very different in the future, we might even get an Apple Fitbit rival

Apple could redesign the Watch from 2027 on, with one eye on the rise of other wearables

Apple Watch Series 11 review
(Image credit: Matt Kollat)
Quick Summary

Apple could finally change the design of its Watch, with other form factors and models reportedly being considered.

It could even introduce its own display-free fitness tracker, to take on the likes of Fitbit and Whoop.

Apple is reportedly considering a radical redesign for its Watch and could possibly introduce other fitness wearables.

The Apple Watch has maintained a familiar design since it first launched in 2015, with only the Watch Ultra deviating slightly, but Apple expert Mark Gurman suggests that could be about to change.

According to Gurman in the latest issue of his Power On newsletter, increased competition both in the smartwatch space and from other wearables companies, like Oura and Whoop, has given the company food for thought.

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Its industrial design team, he says, has been "exploring a broader rethink of its smartwatches".

It is allegedly considering other form factors, such as a Fitbit or Whoop-style fitness device with no display. And different display shapes and sizes are also under consideration.

There's a thought that it will return ceramic back to the lineup, to complement aluminium and titanium at the premium end, and Gurman suggests that more affordable models could be introduced "besides the current SE model".

Could this result in a round-faced Apple Watch, a bit like the forthcoming Pixel Watch 5? That's a possibility. Many buyers have requested a round Watch in the past, so it's bound to be in Apple's thinking.

Of course, any radical changes won't be seen this year, with the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 expected to be unveiled in just a few weeks.

Those are likely to be very similar to previous models, but with a renewed focus on Siri AI – the new AI-powered version of Siri launching with iOS 27 and WatchOS 27.

We don't yet have an exact date for Apple's September event, where it is also expected to unveil the much-rumoured iPhone Ultra, but we'll bring you more when we have it.

Rik Henderson
News Editor

Rik is T3’s news editor, which means he looks after the news team and the up-to-the-minute coverage of all the hottest gadgets and products you’ll definitely want to read about. And, with more than 35 years of experience in tech and entertainment journalism, including editing and writing for numerous websites, magazines, and newspapers, he’s always got an eye on the next big thing.

Rik also has extensive knowledge of AV, TV streaming and smart home kit, plus just about everything to do with games since the late 80s. Prior to T3, he spent 13 years at Pocket-lint heading up its news team, and was a TV producer and presenter on such shows as Channel 4's GamesMaster, plus Sky's Games World, Game Over, and Virtual World of Sport.

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