Apple Watch Series 10 will have a thinner chassis, larger screen close to Ultra screen size

Kuo says the Watch will grow from its current 41mm and 45mm sizes to around 45mm and 49mm respectively. Remember, unlike other Apple devices, these dimensions are watch case height, not screen diagonal size. Naturally, a taller case also means a larger screen. For comparison, the current Apple Watch Ultra also has a case height of 49mm.

This is a very interesting change. The new designs will make the smallest large Series 9 watch larger than it is now, and the new larger model will be comparable to, or even larger than, the Ultra screen size. Overall, the Ultra will still be a bit bulkier, as the frame has a thicker titanium design with a protruding crown guard, for example.

However, if these numbers are accurate, the jump in screen size will be noticeable for the main Apple Watch line. It seems that a hypothetical thinner screen bezel cannot compensate for this increase in size, since the Watch screen already has super thin bezels.

The thinner frame is in line with what Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported yesterday, suggesting that Apple is planning thinner designs for upcoming iPhone, Watch, and MacBook Pro models, following a trend that has begun since the launch of M4 iPad Pro.

Interestingly, Kuo doesn't expect the new Apple Watch Ultra to be larger either. He said it will be roughly the same size as the Ultra 2. However, Apple may offer a dark titanium color option for the first time.

Rumors of a major hardware redesign of the Apple Watch using new strap accessories have been circulating for a while, but it's unclear if that's what Kuo is referring to or if the Series 10 will be a revision of the same general design. The "Apple Watch X" redesign was previously suggested to launch in 2024 or 2025.

Samuel Daniel

Update 18 June 2024