The Apple Watch has been around long enough that some things are easy to predict: the next one will launch in the fall, it’ll cost the same as the outgoing model, there will be new straps, and Tim Cook will say “incredible” a lot .
And, with the redesign of the Apple Watch Series 7, we’re unlikely to see any big changes to the look of the Apple Watch Series 8 – although a new rugged version for sports enthusiasts is expected this year. But that doesn’t mean the Apple Watch Series 7 can’t be improved. Here’s what I’d like to see this year.
1. Flatter, not fatter
The Apple Watch Series 7 is still a bit heavy, and I’m constantly knocking mine over walls and other objects when doing things like trying to fasten the dog harness. The Series 7’s tougher glass helps prevent the many cracks and scuffs my previous Apple Watches have ended up with, but it’s still a big target. A slimmer body would be tricky – could the Digital Crown be smaller without being too complicated? – but it would also be less of a disaster magnet. However, this might prevent Apple from providing the second thing on my list, which is…
2. Better battery life
I’m really disappointed with the battery life of my Series 7: I don’t use it particularly often and no more than my Series 6, but I rarely get to the end of the day without being asked to recharge the Watch before I go to bed. It might be a software glitch, but I’m not getting anything close to the claimed 18 hours, even on days when I barely watch it.
A rumor/wishlist I saw suggests that the Apple Watch might have a microLED display. The tech isn’t yet affordable for larger devices, but Apple is really pushing the display tech it’s putting in the Apple Watch, so it’s likely to get microLED before the iPhone. This would solve two problems by offering reduced power consumption and reduced display thickness as well.
3. Bring back the golden one!
I really loved the aluminum gold Apple Watch, but Apple kept it in favor of Starlight – a color that can’t decide if it’s pale gold or yellow silver and decides to not be either. It’s rather beige, and it looks a bit crappy on a gold Milanese Loop bracelet.
4. More sensors
We’ve been hearing about blood sugar, temperature, blood pressure, and even alcohol sensors in the Apple Watch Series 8 for a while now, though other reports suggest they won’t make it in time. I’ve been focusing on health tracking lately and blood pressure in particular is something I like to keep on top of; and I have diabetic friends who would like a less painful way to track their blood sugar. So we all hope that reports of delays in sensor integration turn out to be incorrect.
5. Touch ID
It’s something we were hoping to see in Series 7. If Apple can get a Touch ID sensor in the little sleep button on my iPad Air, surely it can do the same thing on the Apple Watch: have a password. OK, that’s all well and good, but why have several presses on the screen when a single press on Touch ID could do the same thing with much stronger security?
