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Apple Watch bands on next gen

A

Appl3ftw_

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 3, 2016
3
0
Belgium
I wondered if the existing Apple Watch bands like the Link Bracelet, etc... will be compatible on the next generation Apple Watch (probably the Apple Watch 2).

What are your thoughts about this? I'm asking this because I want to buy a link bracelet band and that's a pretty expensive band for a smartwatch and I think the announcement of the new Watch is coming very close. But hey, I'm european and I can't wait :)

(My english may be bad, because it's not my main language)
 
There is a story that speculates on this on this site but I won't post the link. One of the other posters would just come along and point out that this is a rumors site and not a facts site.
 
adamhenry said:
There is a story that speculates on this on this site but I won't post the link. One of the other posters would just come along and point out that this is a rumors site and not a facts site.
Click to expand...

What would you suggest? Wait for the next gen Apple Watch with the (new) bands or buy this Link Bracelet for 500 euros for possibly 3 months before the Apple event?
 
adamhenry said:
Is that a rumor, fact, or speculation?
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Has to be speculation, but I can't see any way that Apple changes the design to require all news bands. They would tick off way too many people. Selling $400-$500 bands and later add all new colors just to make them obsolete would be a dangerous risk. Not the same as changing a charging cable or case.

Just my opinion but I would bet they wouldn't change the design that impacted today's bands.
 
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adamhenry said:
Is that a rumor, fact, or speculation?
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Speculation, but I'll stand by it.

Of all the features people have been wishing for -- some sensible, many silly, or just plain outlandish (holographic projected keyboard??) -- nobody has said, "You know, guys, the strap connection needs to be improved."

It's got no reason to be changed. It doesn't need to be any bigger or smaller, it doesn't need any wired connector upgrades, it's already backwards compatible with thousands of watch straps already in existence -- why should it change?
 
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adamhenry said:
Is that a rumor, fact, or speculation?
Click to expand...

It will fit.

Added: Trust your heart. In this case, trust Apple will not screw it's hard earn 1st gen AW customer. Their future AW band revenue will drop like rock if they choose to change band design for next gen AW to cause not compatible with 1st gen. Put on business hat and think about how Apple will not do for losing $$$.
 
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Changing the bands\connectors in just the second generation would be moronic. That said Apple is Apple; they'll do what they want and you'll like it.
 
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Hell, I'll even float the idea that you can have the internals swapped for new parts. Regular watches get repaired and modified all the time. The AW got assembled once -- with some new glue, it can be reassembled again, right?

Or, at least, buy just the body, maybe even trade in the old one like you can do with your iPhone, and keep using the bands you already own.

Sounds plausible enough, right? Except that I'm not pretending to call it "fact". Unlike so many bloggers and rumor websites, I'll respect people enough to not bull**** them just for the sake of advertising revenue.
 
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adamhenry said:
Yep. I guess I'll have to phrase my posts more correctly.
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I'm not blaming you, though.

Every six months or so, when rumors start heating up about whatever people think Apple is doing next (remember when everybody believed Apple would sell an entire television set?), I stop clicking on web articles about Apple.

Half of them are wrong, and the other half are just making guesses. None of them know anything because nobody from the inside has ever told them anything.
 
Yeah I hope they do release a new one in April and I hope it uses the same bands connectors. I hope they release new bands that have the same connectors. Yeah
 
noobinator said:
It'll fit.

If you buy an adapter for each band. :)
Click to expand...

I am guessing you know so much you are predicting it will change and required a adapter?
How about if it won't change, you buy me a new sports band of color I want, and if it does change, I spare the adapter and new band for you?
 
I bought my Apple Watch with the link bracelet, I prefer metal bracelets for all my watches. Just last month I bought the Leather Classic band for my Apple Watch and enjoy it as well.

I too thought about whether it will fit the Watch 2 but bought it anyway..........We will find out this year some time :)
 
Is everyone 100% that Apple will announce the next Watch in March? I think it's pretty fast to switch already after 1 year for a first-gen product. It was like October when the Watch was released in Belgium due the poor stock and maybe other elements.
 
Appl3ftw_ said:
Is everyone 100% that Apple will announce the next Watch in March? I think it's pretty fast to switch already after 1 year for a first-gen product. It was like October when the Watch was released in Belgium due the poor stock and maybe other elements.
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Anything on this subject is speculation... as is what I'll say next. I don't think Apple is going to obsolete the bands from the AW Gen 1 this quickly. It would be kind of foolish from a marketing perspective. My belief is that the Gen 2 will have a slightly thinner body with similar battery life and better performance. The can easily make the body thinner and still be able to use the existing bands. As I said, this is all speculation.
 
jasie02 said:
I am guessing you know so much you are predicting it will change and required a adapter?
How about if it won't change, you buy me a new sports band of color I want, and if it does change, I spare the adapter and new band for you?
Click to expand...

Umm no. I'm guessing like everyone else.
 
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Appl3ftw_ said:
Is everyone 100% that Apple will announce the next Watch in March? I think it's pretty fast to switch already after 1 year for a first-gen product. It was like October when the Watch was released in Belgium due the poor stock and maybe other elements.
Click to expand...

Nobody is 100% as it's speculative but it's a good guess.

It's not really any faster than other first generation iDevices. The iPhone and iPad received a new design in the second year (but no change to the 30-pin connector as there was no reason to change it, as is the case with the band connectors). If AW 2 debuts in the US in March, it'll likely be released in Belgium in September due to the disparate international releases that Apple is known to do.
 
Apple will not change the band connector design. Because like other have said, put the business hat on... If they sell the AW2 - awesome for them. The people that don't buy the AW2 may still buy newly designed expensive bands. Think about it
 
Appl3ftw_ said:
I wondered if the existing Apple Watch bands like the Link Bracelet, etc... will be compatible on the next generation Apple Watch (probably the Apple Watch 2).

What are your thoughts about this? I'm asking this because I want to buy a link bracelet band and that's a pretty expensive band for a smartwatch and I think the announcement of the new Watch is coming very close. But hey, I'm european and I can't wait :)

(My english may be bad, because it's not my main language)
Click to expand...

It would be a surprise if Apple decided to not make the AW2 not compatible considering the crazy prices some of them cost
 
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