There have been quite a few leaks leading up to the release of the next Apple Watch. As with all leaks, there are some more credible, some less credible, and some that seem as though they are more likely to be in a future model than one released in 2020. Regardless, the rumors do suggest several hardware improvements, new sensors, and luxury models.
The current Apple Watch Series 5 is available in two premium materials. The more expensive, Edition-branded Apple Watch includes titanium and ceramic material choices. While the Series 5 has a gold color choice, Apple has not offered a real, solid gold watch since the original Apple Watch in 2015. The first Apple Watch did not have a Series number appended and some refer to it as ‘Series 0’. The Apple Watch with a solid 18k gold body and buckle started at $10,000. Now another real gold Apple Watch may be on the way.
The Apple Watch Series 6 announcement is expected to happen via press release during the week starting September 7, before the iPhone event predicted for October 12th, according to leaks from Jon Prosser on Twitter. Improved health features are to be expected, considering 9to5Mac dove into iOS 14 code snippets to discover references to detecting blood oxygen levels and alerting the wearer to abnormal levels. This would give Apple parity with other smartwatches on the market, such as Fitbit and Withings. This metric is significant for identifying and monitoring sleep apnea. The code examination also revealed improved ECG accuracy in the 100 to 120 beats per second range. This is an important range for those beginning exercise, so a good addition to Apple’s fitness tracking.
Leaked Gold Images, Rumors & Safe Assumptions
@L0vetodream leaked Apple Watch Edition 6 images that appear to be real gold. The photos also show two colors of the leather watch band with gold buckle and a leather charging case. Note the power port on the back of the case and the Apple Watch Edition branding inside, signifying a premium model. Pricing of an Apple Watch with a solid gold body and buckle would be eye-watering. Given the price of gold is over 50-percent higher than it was in 2015, that could equate to a $15,000 starting price, based on the price of the 2015 gold Apple Edition Watch.
Moving on to rumors, Apple filed a patent for a fingerprint scanner to be potentially included in a future Apple Watch. This is highly speculative and has not been confirmed by any leaks, but it is always a possibility. Another rumor related to a patent filing hints at improved wireless reception, which could free the wearable entirely from the need for an iPhone. Given the massive implications for the smartwatch industry, this rumor doesn’t fit with the soft announcement predicted to come by way of a press release. This would be more likely to happen at an event. There have been rumors of micro-LED screens for mostly every Apple product since 2014 when the tech giant bought LuxVue Technology. No such device has surfaced yet, but the rumors are now being applied to the soon to be announced Apple Watch.
It is safe to assume that Apple’s Watch Series 6 will include a faster S6 processor and some sort of improvement to the screen, whether larger, brighter or requiring less power. The new Apple Watch will be pre-loaded with the latest watchOS 7 and all of the exciting changes that come with it, and will have a starting price of $399. This has been the pattern for many years and Apple isn’t expected to change its winning combination, offering better core technology improvements at the same price as last year.
Source: Jon Prosser/Twitter, 9to5Mac, L0vetodream/Twitter