TL; DR
- Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports Apple is exploring a fundamental rethink of the Apple Watch lineup, not just incremental updates.
- Ideas under consideration include a screenless fitness tracker, new premium models above Ultra and Hermès, cheaper options below the SE, and a round-faced Watch.
- Gurman notes the round model is unlikely to ship; the exploration remains early-stage with no confirmed timeline.
Apple’s smartwatch strategy has remained largely consistent for a decade, with the same rounded-square silhouette and a tiered lineup of Series, SE and Ultra models. According to Mark Gurman’s latest Power On newsletter for Bloomberg, that approach could be about to change more significantly than usual.
How Big a Change Are We Talking About
Gurman compared the scope of what Apple’s industrial design team is exploring to the shift from a traditional iPhone to a foldable, describing it as “something that transforms the product for a new era.” The company is reportedly evaluating several directions rather than following one fixed path.
Screenless Fitness Tracker Also Reportedly Under Consideration
Ideas under consideration include a screenless fitness tracker designed to compete more directly with devices such as Whoop and Oura, new premium tiers positioned above the Ultra and Hermès models, more affordable options that would sit below the current SE, different screen types and sizes, and a round-faced Apple Watch. Gurman specifically flags the round model as unlikely to make it to market.
The timing is linked to two pressure points. Screenless fitness trackers and smart rings have gained traction with users who prefer health tracking without a display, and Apple currently has no direct answer in that segment. At the same time, the Wearables, Home and Accessories category, which includes the Watch, AirPods and HomePod, has struggled to post meaningful growth in recent years.
Apple is also reportedly planning to make its wearables more AI-driven, with longer-term ambitions to rebuild the Health app around AI capabilities. This aligns with the broader direction of Apple’s software.
No commitments have been made and no launch timeline has been indicated. This remains an early-stage exploration. Any meaningful overhaul is expected to unfold over multiple product cycles rather than appear with the Series 12 later this year.
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