Apple is reportedly planning to launch not one but three different Apple Watch models this year, including an expensive $900 ‘rugged’ smartwatch. Writing via the Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gorman claims Apple Watch is getting a ‘Pro’ model that features a larger size and increased protection.
“That smartwatch will be designed to appeal to extreme sports athletes and anyone who might otherwise buy a high-end Garmin sports watch for intense workouts,” Gorman writes.
When it comes to rugged and cutting-edge fitness smartwatches, Garmin is the brand to beat. While the Apple Watch does excel on the fitness tracking front, it pales in front of high-end Garmin watches that provide detailed biomechanical measurements. Athletes prefer a Garmin watch and not an Apple Watch. But that’s going to change significantly with the Apple Watch Pro. In other words, the ‘pro’ version of the Apple Watch is designed for extreme sports activities.
The Apple Watch Pro could have a bigger screen, larger battery, an S8 chip and a body temperature sensor. Expect this watch to have a shatter-resistant display, enhanced hiking and swim tracking, and a rugged case made from a premium, Strong metal material. Gorman believes the upcoming Apple Watch ‘Pro’ will mark the end of the Apple Watch Edition, which has never gotten the attention from consumers it deserves.
The idea behind the rugged ‘Pro’ Apple Watch model, as it seems to appear, is intended to make a high-end version of Apple’s best-selling smartwatch that consumers buy. Think of what the ‘Pro’ branding has done to the iPhone. In some ways, this makes sense, as Apple customers are already familiar with what the Pro moniker means for an iPhone.
Apart from the Apple Watch Pro, Cupertino will launch two more models later this year. One would be the standard Apple Watch Series 8 and another one will a brand new Apple Watch SE. However, Apple might face rather tough competition from Samsung, which is also rumor to launch a Galaxy Watch Pro 5 in August. The selling point of Samsung’s rumor smartwatch could be its more rugged design and titanium case. The Galaxy Watch Pro 5, just like Apple’s rugged model, is expected to get a larger battery and a higher price.
At the same time as introducing a Pro model, Gorman thinks it will also result in Apple pulling the Edition model from the roster. The Edition model, originally encased in gold, shifted to stainless steel, titanium, and ceramic enclosures later in life, and was always presented as the most premium option available.
The Apple Watch Pro, which could have a bigger screen and larger battery, an S8 chip, and a body temperature sensor, could have a price starting closer to $900. Gorman offers that the higher price could be justified by the larger display and use of more premium materials.
Gorman also speculates about the fate of the rumored low power mode of watchOS, which was thought to be shown off at WWDC but instead failed to appear. Thought that the mode could still be announced at a later date.
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