14 DAY TRIAL // The new Apple Watch series that is projected to launch in September will also include a rugged version that could wear either the Pro or the Extreme nametag.
But while we’ve known for a while that such a model was in the works, new information that reached the web recently provides us with a closer look at what to expect from it.
The most important tidbit is without a doubt its increased ruggedness. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says the device is unlikely to use rubber for the case, and this makes perfect sense. Apple is aiming for a more premium material, so most likely, it’ll use something that helps maintain its top-notch quality and be more durable, such as ceramic or titanium.
Previous reports suggested a rubber casing could also be launched, though this is rather unlikely especially because it doesn’t seem to meet Apple’s premium requirements.
One thing is almost for sure. This model is unlikely to use aluminum for obvious reasons.
The device will come with a larger display with a resolution of 410x502 pixels and mixed with a 2-inch size, it could finally allow for more complications to be displayed on the screen. Gurman himself says Apple wants to use the increased screen estate for more information that could be related to health and training, and this makes perfect sense given the increased focus on tracking for this particular model.
At first glance, Apple’s aim is to compete against the likes of Garmin and Fitbit, so we should expect several new capabilities that would be powered by watchOS 9, including heart rate zone training, recovery times, and so on. A body battery feature, which would display the level of energy early in the morning, is currently unconfirmed.
Apple is already working on improved sleep tracking metrics, with the next version of watchOS to bring them to some of the existing models as well.