Plastic Apple Watch? What is Apple thinking?
Reports circulated last month that Apple was testing a new “hard plastic” case for the next-generation Apple Watch SE. While this would undoubtedly cut costs, it raises an important question: Will the sacrifice of making a plastic Apple Watch be worth it for consumers? Here’s what we’ll find out in our story today.
Plastic Apple Watch Will Change Apple Watch SE History
Apple launched the Apple Watch SE in 2020, alongside the Apple Watch Series 6. It started at $279, with the same display, aluminum body, and ceramic back as the Series 6. It lacked the always-on display and used an older processor. It also lacked ECG support. However, at $399 for the Apple Watch Series 6, it was still a pretty good deal, especially compared to the older Apple Watch Series 3, which Apple was selling for $199.
In 2022, Apple updated the Apple Watch SE, starting at $249 — making it slightly cheaper than the previous model. With this model, Apple updated it to use the same chipset as the flagship Apple Watch Series 8, but it also changed from a ceramic back to a new “nylon composite” material, also known as plastic. It still doesn’t support ECG readings, and it doesn’t add an always-on display, but it was a solid update that made the Apple Watch accessible to more people.
Apple Watch SE 3 will be the first plastic Apple Watch
In this week's Power On newsletter , Mark Gurman confirms his report from last month, saying that the switch to hard plastic is "becoming more likely," and Gurman also added that it "may allow for a better color range."
Given the fact that the Apple Watch SE has been on a two-year update cycle so far, that likely means we'll see the third-generation Apple Watch SE next month — alongside the new iPhone 16 lineup.
The next Apple Watch SE will likely get a newer processor, either the S9 chip from last year's Apple Watch Series 9, or the new S10 chip from the upcoming Apple Watch Series 10. Both options will provide a noticeable speed boost for Apple Watch SE users.
We're likely to see further upgrades with the Apple Watch SE, but no other rumors have circulated yet. It would be nice if they could offer ECG, as this technology saves lives and it would be great to have it as accessible as possible to everyone.
Switching to plastic: the potential for savings
With Apple potentially switching to a plastic body, Apple will certainly save money on manufacturing, but it remains to be seen whether Apple will pass those savings on to customers . I can see two different paths with the upcoming Apple Watch SE:
- Option 1: Apple keeps the same price (starting at $249), but adds some extra features, like the ability to scan an ECG or an always-on display.
- Option 2: Apple drops the price (perhaps $199 or $229), and keeps the feature set largely the same.
Of course, there’s always the possibility that the Apple Watch SE will remain at its current price of $249, without any major new features.
However, I doubt Apple will take this approach. The Apple Watch SE currently occupies a strange position, especially given the frequent deals available for older flagship Apple Watch models.
If the Apple Watch SE 3 focuses on either affordability or more health features — or better yet, both — Apple is likely to have a big hit this year.