The Apple Watch 10 could be the best Apple Watch in years, with some reports suggesting it might be dubbed the Apple Watch X, and come with some significant upgrades.
That said, not all sources agree, and with this wearable likely not landing until September, it’s early days for leaks and rumors anyway.
Below though you’ll find everything that we’ve heard so far about the Apple Watch 10, and we’ll update this article whenever we hear anything more. Then, below that, you’ll find a wish list of the main things we want from this smartwatch, to make it the best possible wrist-worn gadget.
Cut to the chase
- What is it? The next Apple Watch
- When is it out? Probably September
- How much will it cost? Likely at least $399 / £399 / AU$649
Apple Watch 10: rumored release date and price
The Apple Watch 10 will probably be announced in September of 2024. After all, the Apple Watch 9 was unveiled in September 2023, and previous models have also been unveiled in September of their release years.
More specifically, based on past form it will probably be unveiled in the first or second week of September (likely a Tuesday or Wednesday) and will probably ship on the Friday of the following week. That would mean an announcement on September 3, 4, 10, or 11, and a shipping date of September 13 or 20.
There’s no news yet on what the Apple Watch 10 will cost, and this is a bit harder to predict than the release date, as we’ve heard conflicting information as to whether this will be a big upgrade – if it is, and electronics remain very expensive to source, then the price may well rise. If not, it could easily stay around the same as the Apple Watch 9.
For reference, that wearable starts at $399 / £399 / AU$649, so that’s the smallest price the Apple Watch 10 is likely to cost.
Apple Watch 10: news and leaks
We’ve heard several Apple Watch 10 leaks already, with the earliest dating back to February 2023, when we heard from an analyst that it will be called the Apple Watch X and will come in 1.89-inch and 2.04-inch sizes. For reference, the Apple Watch 9 comes in 1.69-inch and 1.9-inch sizes.
The use of an X rather than a 10 would mirror the iPhone X, and could suggest big changes are coming to the wearable, much as the iPhone X sported a new design.
But a more recent leak from October 2023 suggests that the Apple Watch X or Apple Watch 10 won’t have any “significant innovative experiences.” The leak notes specifically that this wearable apparently won’t have a microLED screen or a blood glucose monitor. That comes from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a good track record for Apple leaks.
There was once talk that Apple might switch to microLED for at least some Apple Watch screens, offering greater brightness and contrast while being lighter on the battery. But Ming-Chi Kuo has as of March 2024 doubled down on claims that the change to microLED on an Apple Watch has been canceled, as it would increase production costs without adding significant value. Another report also suggests that at the very least, a microLED Apple Watch won't launch this year.
But Kuo's earlier claims that there wouldn't be an significant innovative experiences might not be totally true, as a November 2023 report from the also-reliable Mark Gurman, states that "hypertension and sleep apnea detection for the watch" are planned for the Apple Watch 10, and this is a claim that Gurman reiterated for Bloomberg in December 2023, so he seems confident of it. So we might see some significant new features after all!
Gurman claimed in the same report that at least one Apple Watch model in 2024 will get a new look. He didn’t specify which, so he could be talking about the Apple Watch Ultra 3 or the Apple Watch SE 3, but if the Apple Watch 10 does launch as the Apple Watch X, then a new look would make sense.
In an earlier Bloomberg report, Gurman said that the Apple Watch X will have a thinner case and a new magnetic band attachment system, which could free up space for a larger battery.
However, it's worth noting that he stated this wearable could launch in either 2024 or 2025, so it’s possible the Apple Watch 10 and Apple Watch X may be two different devices after all, despite X being the Roman numeral for 10.
As for other new features that the Apple Watch 10 (or X) might have, Apple has applied to trademark a system for measuring perspiration levels using a watch, but we'd think this will land on a later model if it happens at all, since patents are at best a very early sign of possible planned features.
And one existing feature that the Apple Watch 10 may well not have is blood oxygen monitoring, as Apple is currently in a legal tussle with Masimo regarding possible patent violations in offering the feature. Unfortunately, that might also mean the rumored Apple Watch 10 sleep apnea detection won't materialize, as this would likely rely on blood oxygen measurements.
Apple Watch 10: what we want to see
We don’t know anything for certain about the Apple Watch 10 yet, but we know what we want from it, including the following things.
1. Better battery life
One of our main disappointments with the Apple Watch 9 is that it requires a daily charge, which can also limit your ability to use it for sleep tracking. So a battery life boost is one of our biggest wishes for the Apple Watch 10.
Fortunately, it might get one, as one leak suggests it could feature a new band connector design that would take up less space, and in turn, leave more for a larger battery.
2. A new design
While the Apple Watch Ultra 2 has a slightly different design to the Apple Watch 9, the core numbered models haven’t visually changed much, well, ever really. So we’d really like to see a visual overhaul for the Apple Watch 10.
What that might entail we’re not sure, but we’ve heard talk of a thinner case and a different strap design. If Apple really is going to call it the Apple Watch X then it needs to live up to the name, and a new look would help with that.
3. An Action button
The Apple Watch Ultra line and the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max all have an Action button, so it’s time the standard Apple Watch got one too.
This is a customizable button that you can use as a shortcut to a feature of your choice, so it’s a handy way to speed up navigation, and all the more useful on something with as small a screen as an Apple Watch. So we’d like to see an Action button added to the Apple Watch 10.
4. Useful new health features
Apple Watches have become increasingly focused on helping you monitor your health and fitness, and we want to see the Apple Watch 10 continue that push.
Rumors suggest it might be able to alert you to sleep apnea and high blood pressure, so we hope those leaks prove accurate.
5. Android compatibility
Okay, there’s no chance of this happening, but we’d love to be able to use an Apple Watch with an Android phone.
Right now, if you tend to switch between iPhones and Android phones, the Apple Watch is a risky purchase, since you won’t be able to use it with an Android, and a lot of exclusively Android phone users would probably also like an Apple Watch.
So it’s unfortunate that this isn’t an option, especially as you can use Wear OS watches with an iPhone.
