Apple is reported to not only be working on the Apple Watch Series 10 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, but it is also working on the successor to the Apple Watch SE. The Apple Watch SE lineup is the company"s most affordable watch lineup.
However, according to a new report, Apple is considering a big change in the next-gen Apple Watch SE. As per Bloomberg"s Mark Gurman, Apple may ditch aluminum and introduce the next version of the Apple Watch SE made with plastic.
In his Power On newsletter, Gurman reports that the next-generation Apple Watch SE could ditch the aluminum casing for a rigid plastic design. This is reportedly done to keep the prices down. Gurman states:
The company is also working on a new version of its lower-cost Apple Watch SE model, which it last updated in 2022. One idea that the company has tested is swapping out the aluminum shell in favor of rigid plastic.
Currently, Apple offers the Apple Watch SE made of aluminum, similar to higher-end Apple Watch models. However, when the updated Apple Watch SE was launched in 2022, it got rid of the ceramic material on the back case and switched to a new "nylon composite" material.
Unfortunately, Mark Gurman doesn"t share any more details about the next version of the Apple Watch SE. In an ideal world, if Apple starts making the Apple Watch SE out of plastic, then it should lower the starting price of the watch. The current starting price of the Apple Watch SE is $249. For comparison, Samsung"s most affordable watch comes with a starting price of $199.
There is good competition incoming for Apple, for its Apple Watch Ultra/Ultra 2 in the form of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra. The Galaxy Watch Ultra is rumored to debut at the upcoming Unpacked event on July 10 at the Louvre Museum in Paris.