He Apple Watch Ultra 3 It would take longer than expected, according to Ming Chi-Kuo. The analyst believes that there are indications that Apple will not present this version of the smartwatch in 2024.
According to its sources in the supply chain, Apple has not yet officially started development of the successor to the Watch Ultra 2.
The expert maintains that this is unusual, considering the schedule that the company manages when working on new versions of its devices. And he predicts that if no movements are registered by December, we almost certainly won’t see an Apple Watch Ultra 3 next year.
If this is confirmed, it would mean that for the first time those from Cupertino would launch a new version more than a year apart from their predecessors. Let’s not forget that the original Apple Watch Ultra was presented in 2022, while this year we met the second generation variant.
In the first instance, it makes sense to speculate that the decision to skip the launch of the Apple Watch Ultra 3 in 2024 could be related to the search for greater differentiation compared to existing models. In fact, Kuo mentions that Apple would need more time to develop new health features that it would intend to incorporate.
However, that might not be the only reason. There have long been rumors of an Apple Watch Ultra with a micro-LED screen. Tim Cook’s people would try to incorporate it into the third generation of the device, but they would have encountered problems in its production that would delay implementation.
A 2024 without Apple Watch Ultra 3?
We always say that when it comes to rumors about future Apple products it’s important to take them with a grain of salt, which also applies to the Apple Watch Ultra 3. That said, if Kuo is right and there is no new model of this device in 2024, it could not be too far-fetched.
Weeks ago it was the same analyst who stated that there would be no major innovations in the Apple Watch line in 2024. Does Apple plan to save the launch of better features for the 2025 versions? At the moment, it is impossible to know, although it is logical to have contradictory feelings about it; especially considering the rumors about a possible Apple Watch.
In August it was learned that Apple intends to celebrate 10 years of its smartwatch with a renewed version in both design and functions. However, it is still unclear whether this could happen. in 2024 or 2025, considering that the original Apple Watch was announced in 2014, but hit the market a year later. There are also no details on whether it could be developed based on the Apple Watch Ultra, or if it would be a 100% new product.
Now, the rumored Apple Watch X would supposedly include a micro-LED display and more advanced health features. Therefore, following what Kuo raises about the growing possibility that there will be no Apple Watch Ultra 3 in 2024, two scenarios gain strength:
- That the Apple Watch
- That those from Cupertino omit the Apple Watch Ultra 3 in 2024 so that its characteristics do not overlap with those of the hypothetical – and completely new – Apple Watch X that would arrive a year later.
Kuo warns that without a new Watch Ultra in the near future, the product’s commercial performance could be severely affected. The analyst believes that shipments of that variant would fall up to 30% year-on-year in 2024. While those of the Apple Watch line in general would decrease by 10%.