No processor upgrade happening this year on the watch

Sep 15, 2021 07:13 GMT  ·  By

Apple took the wraps off the new Apple Watch Series 7 a few hours ago, and probably the most important thing everybody should know is this fresh model doesn’t come with the facelift that everybody wanted so much.

In other words, while the Apple Watch Series 7 does introduce a series of subtle performance refinements here and there, it looks mostly the same as the Series 6, with the design facelift not including the flat edges that were supposed to make their way to the market this year.

The curved edges are here to stay for one more year, it seems, but there’s something else that made its debut in 2020 on the Apple Watch and is still there on the Series 7: the processor.

As discovered by developer Steve Troughton-Smith and shared on Twitter, the Apple Watch Series 7 comes with the same processor as the Apple Watch Series 6, and this is likely a reason Apple didn’t talk too much about the performance of the new model.

Same CPU as last year

Mostly because there’s not a notable performance improvement in the first place, with Apple focusing the presentation on the increased screen estate and the improved charging.

“Apple Watch Series 7 delivers significant improvements — from our largest and most advanced display, to enhanced durability and faster charging — making the world’s best smartwatch better than ever before,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer. “Powered by watchOS 8, Apple Watch brings useful new capabilities to help customers stay connected, track activity and workouts, and better understand their overall health and wellness.”

Most likely, the next-generation Apple Watch, presumably called Series 8, will be the one to introduce a major overhaul, both in terms of design and hardware. But this makes many wonder if buying an Apple Watch Series 7 is still worth it, especially since the only worthy improvement is the larger screen.