All we know so far about the rumoured rugged watch

Reliable rumours indicate that a new, rugged edition of the Apple Watch could be on the way, and here’s all we know about it so far.

The Apple Watch is a distinctive piece of design that’s instantly recognisable, with its trailblazing rounded square face and its one crown on the side.

Though we’ve seen bundles of new features and software tricks arrive on the platform since its first introduction, its form has broadly remained very similar. However, what if that was to change and a rugged, adventurous edition of the smartwatch were to arrive? That’s exactly what the latest rumours have been indicating, so in this article we’ll take a look at just exactly what we can expect.

First things first though; the name of this watch hasn’t yet been confirmed, so while we’ll refer to it as the Apple Watch Pro in this article, there’s every chance that it could take a different name when it’s released. For now though, a Pro edition would seem to fit the convention set by products such as the AirPods Pro, iPad Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro.

Release Date

We expect the Apple Watch Pro (the unconfirmed name we’re currently using for this device) to be released at the same time as the Apple Watch Series 8.

Based on our current knowledge, it’s likely to arrive in early September, alongside the upcoming iPhone 14, in what’s sure to prove as one of the biggest events of the year for Apple fanatics.

Price

Much of the information we have come across so far regarding the new smartwatch comes courtesy of Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who is an expert on all things Apple and boasts a strong record of reliability.

As far as price is concerned, he claims that the new model could cost as much as $999 (~£830), so it’s going to be a pricey prospect. We expect more pricing information to become available nearer the release date.

Design

Many of the changes to arrive on this new smartwatch will be visibly noticeable, not just under the skin, and these changes all seem intended to increase the wearable’s durability.

Gurman claims that the new watch could be cast in titanium, rather than aluminium, and will have a shatter-resistant display. What’s more, the screen will be physically larger as well. With all these changes, you’ll be able to identify the new watch just by looking at it, and it should be better suited to more extreme conditions.

Therefore, it’s likely that the new watch is aimed squarely at those who prefer more extreme sport activities, the likes of whom may have otherwise purchased a wearable such as the Garmin Fenix 7.

Specifications

However, the differences won’t just stop at the appearance and hardiness of the new watch, and some expected new features are expected too.

Gurman has cited “enhanced hiking and swimming tracking” features that will appear on the Apple Watch Pro, so we can perhaps expect greater insight from these exercises in particular. He also mentions the possibility that the premium watch will have a ProMotion display with an enhanced refreshed rate, so that content appears smoother than before.

Additionally, beyond the changes to the feature list we are likely to see faster processors introduced to the new range as well so that tasks can be performed more quickly and efficiently than ever before.

Software

As with the standard Apple Watch Series 8, the new one is sure to run watchOS 9 as its operating system. This new software will bring plenty of benefits of its own, including the new heart rate zones feature that judges the intensity of your exercise, while custom workouts will also be added so that you can create your own bespoke exercises. On top of that, there’s a new medications app for keeping on top of your pill intake and, as usual, there’s a litany of new watch faces to try out.