Apple rumoured to completely overhaul design of the next Apple Watch, insiders say

Apple Watch owners could be looking at one of the wearable’s biggest design overhauls in years, with insiders claiming Apple is preparing a major rethink for a future model.

The smartwatch has changed a lot since its 2015 debut in the wearable tech world, adding brighter displays, stronger health tracking, faster chips and more durable Ultra models. However, the core shape has remained familiar enough that each new generation still clearly looks like an Apple Watch.

That consistency has also helped make it one of Apple’s most recognisable products, especially for users who upgrade every few years without feeling like they are starting from scratch.

However, the next major redesign could be far more disruptive than a thinner case or larger display, because the change reportedly centres on how bands connect to the device itself.

Apple’s original Watch design helped make bands a long-running selling point (Stephen Lam/Stringer/Getty Images)

According to a known Weibo leaker called Instant Digital, as reported by MacRumors, Apple is said to be planning a ‘major overhaul’ of the Apple Watch design for next year.

The report claims the company could introduce a new system for connecting bands to the case, potentially replacing the attachment method that has been used across Apple Watch models for more than a decade.

That would be a huge deal for longtime users, as many people have spent years collecting bands that can still be used when moving between newer watches.

If Apple does change the system, current bands may no longer fit the redesigned model.

Instant Digital reportedly linked the new claim back to older rumours surrounding an ‘Apple Watch X’ model, which was previously expected to introduce a fresh design and break compatibility with the existing band system.

The reason for the change is said to be space. By reworking how the band connects to the watch, Apple could reportedly create more internal room, which may allow for a larger battery.

After all, battery life has long been one of the Apple Watch’s most talked-about limitations, particularly as some fitness-focused rivals can last far longer between charges.

Apple’s Series 10 redesign stopped short of changing Watch bands (Justin Sullivan/Staff/Getty Images)

The rumour also follows an earlier report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in 2023, which claimed Apple had been preparing the ‘biggest overhaul yet’ for the Apple Watch’s 10th anniversary.

At the time, that rumoured redesign was said to include a thinner case, a microLED display and a new magnetic band attachment system.

However, those changes did not arrive with the Apple Watch Series 10, which kept the current band setup despite bringing a slimmer body and larger display.

Now, the suggestion is that the redesign may have been delayed rather than abandoned. MacRumors also noted that the timing could fit the iPhone maker’s usual design cycle, with the Series 13 in 2027 potentially being the model that introduces the next big visual change.

For now, Apple has not confirmed any of the claims, meaning owners probably should not panic-buy or bin their straps just yet.