Major Apple Watch Redesign Won't Arrive Until 2028, Claims Leaker

Next year's Apple Watch lineup will not include any major design changes, with a redesign not expected before 2028, according to the leaker Instant Digital.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 hero 250909
In a Weibo post in Chinese (machine translated), the leaker said Apple's watch 2026 lineup would not look significantly different, and suggested Apple would not reveal a new design until the year after the release of its 20th anniversary iPhone, expected in late 2027.

The claim puts a dampener on expectations that Apple is readying a major Apple Watch redesign next year.

In August, DigiTimes reported that at least one new model launching in 2026 would have "significant" changes to its exterior design that would be related to new sensors. This led to speculation that the changes could be linked to Apple's development of noninvasive blood glucose monitoring technology, but the Apple Watch feature is still believed to be a few years away while Apple works on further miniaturization.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported long ago on the possibility of a redesigned Apple Watch with a thinner case and a magnetic band system. While the Apple Watch Series 10 debuted a thinner case, no magnetic band has materialized, and there were no additional design changes in the Series 11 released earlier this year.

Leaked Apple code has suggested the company is experimenting with biometric authentication in the form of Touch ID for 2026's Apple Watch lineup, but it's possible that could be an under-screen implementation which doesn't change the watch's outward appearance.

Instant Digital has a mixed but occasionally reliable track record. The account previously revealed accurate details such as the Yellow iPhone 14 and 14 Plus finishes and the Titanium Milanese Loop for the Apple Watch Ultra 2, though not all of its past claims have proven correct.

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Top Rated Comments

TechRunner Avatar
4 weeks ago
I'm familiar with all the arguments for and against, but I wish Apple made a round watch.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sirious Avatar
4 weeks ago
I wonder how long band compatibility will last. You can still use bands for Series 0 on Series 11.
Hope it continues for some time longer!
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mikep976 Avatar
4 weeks ago
Ah, good to see the Garmin users have arrived. The “did you know I’m a doctor” of the wearables crowd.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
turbineseaplane Avatar
4 weeks ago
Make some round watches, and figure out what you have to do (even if it means feature tradeoffs) to offer some models with better battery life.

For some of us, that is important item #1, #2 & #3.

On my Garmin I charge about every 8 days, despite tracking 3-5 workouts a week, a few walks and sleep every night. I recently tried a newer Garmin with a bit worse battery life and I returned it. I just really really love not having to think about battery life very often. That's how I want my watch to be.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
turbineseaplane Avatar
4 weeks ago

im not gonna lie sometimes i wonder what the apple watch team does all year
Thank you for asking!

The Apple Watch team are busy, year round, innovating the next breakthrough insights and additional features to empower your health and make things better by every measure.


-Tim
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WarmWinterHat Avatar
4 weeks ago

.....Google is already way ahead with its new Fitbit Health Coach:
A new, personal health coach is coming to Fitbit ('https://blog.google/products/fitbit/fitbit-ai-personal-health-coach-preview/')

Public preview is out:
Fitbit's personal health coach in public preview is here ('https://blog.google/products/fitbit/personal-health-coach-public-preview/')

But without Apple AI... I have no idea what Apple is trying to do there.?
Nor does Apple.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)