I’d like to see an Apple Watch “Air”

[blackNBUK]

The release of the Ultra got me thinking about what other directions the Apple Watch could go in and whether an Air version would work. My Series 5 has never felt heavy but it’s always felt a little chunky on the side of my wrist. So here’s what I’d like to see:-

• Thinner titanium case.
• Same size screen as the Series watch.
• Smaller battery.
• S9 on better process node with less power consumption.
• Around 18 hour battery life.
• Action Button (why not put it on the wish list!)

What do you think? Personally this sounds good to me and I’d rather have a slimmer form factor than a few hours more battery life.

 

[Jackbequickly]

What we need is a new battery chemistry as the battery kinda dictates the Watch size. People want to track running, play music and make phone calls on their AW and a smaller battery is out of the question. Many find their AW battery unable to cope with their needs on a daily basis so Apple made the Ultra.

 

[the future]

If we want Air (i.e. as light as possible), why not use polycarbonate? Much lighter than any metal and can be made in all the colours of the rainbow.

 

[Juicy Box]

I would just like a thinner watch that sits more flush against my wrist, and not any bigger than the base S3.

Currently using an S3, and the photos people are posting on the forum of the newest AWs make it look like they strapped an 2G iPhone to their wrist.

If it keeps going at this rate, pretty soon, it is going to look like a Hylian Shield strap to our wrist to help us with our fight against some Skulltulas.

 

[Jimmie Geddes]

I've been thinking the same thing. I think it could be the first round Apple Watch, similar to the Pebble Time Round. Thinness hasn't been a top priority for Apple with iPhone and Apple Watch for the last few years. At some point, I believe Apple will introduce a thin and round Apple Watch. It would make Samsung's and most Android round smartwatches look massive and lacking in the design department. The Air branding would make sense. I can see Apple doing a video like this. Just a thought.

 

[blackNBUK]

What we need is a new battery chemistry as the battery kinda dictates the Watch size. People want to track running, play music and make phone calls on their AW and a smaller battery is out of the question. Many find their AW battery unable to cope with their needs on a daily basis so Apple made the Ultra.

Better battery chemistry would revolutionise our devices and remove many of the compromises that we live with. However until that arrives I’d take a thinner watch instead of a few hours more life. Especially with the new low-power mode my Series watch is already Ok for my use.

If we want Air (i.e. as light as possible), why not use polycarbonate? Much lighter than any metal and can be made in all the colours of the rainbow.

Polycarbonate would definitely be more practical in many ways and would be the head’s choice. On the other hand, the heart wants fancy metal!

I've been thinking the same thing. I think it could be the first round Apple Watch, similar to the Pebble Time Round. Thinness hasn't been a top priority for Apple with iPhone and Apple Watch for the last few years. At some point, I believe Apple will introduce a thin and round Apple Watch. It would make Samsung's and most Android round smartwatches look massive and lacking in the design department. The Air branding would make sense. I can see Apple doing a video like this. Just a thought.

A round watch looks cool but I can’t see Apple ever making it. The UI of the entire OS and all the apps would have to be changed to make it work. Plus the shape of the Apple Watch is now part of the branding. A round watch would blend in with all the other watches on the market.

 

[Lioness~]

I already have that Watch, with a week of battery.

Byt it's not an Apple watch. Everything don’t have to be Apple that I own.
They do great Macs, iPhones, iPads and some other stuff though.

My new BLACK Polar Ignite 2 watch is great. Replaced an older Ignite.
Perfect on my female thin wrists. Not the brick that AW is.

No, I don't ned to make phonecalls on my watch, I have a phone to that.

 

[TorbenIbsen]

In an Air Watch there might only be 20 hours per day....

 

[DMG35]

The release of the Ultra got me thinking about what other directions the Apple Watch could go in and whether an Air version would work. My Series 5 has never felt heavy but it’s always felt a little chunky on the side of my wrist. So here’s what I’d like to see:-

• Thinner titanium case.
• Same size screen as the Series watch.
• Smaller battery.
• S9 on better process node with less power consumption.
• Around 18 hour battery life.
• Action Button (why not put it on the wish list!)

What do you think? Personally this sounds good to me and I’d rather have a slimmer form factor than a few hours more battery life.

Apple hasn't figured out how to get better battery life in their current watches without putting a bigger battery in it. Putting a smaller batter in any watch they make is going to drastically cut the battery life regardless of the processor.

 

[ArchEtech]

The battery isn’t the only major contributor to thickness. The sensor array against your wrist also makes the Watch much thicker, and I don’t see that getting a major change either.

Maybe in 5-10 years.

 

[RPhoto]

For me if the watch became noticeably thinner than the current Series, it would put me off. I’m in the camp that wants a watch to actually offer a bit of presence on the wrist, not to blend in and disappear.

That being said, an ‘Air’, Series and Ultra lineup would satisfy everyone then (well it wouldn’t, because we’d all find something wrong still).

 

[pup]

For me if the watch became noticeably thinner than the current Series, it would put me off. I’m in the camp that wants a watch to actually offer a bit of presence on the wrist, not to blend in and disappear.

That being said, an ‘Air’, Series and Ultra lineup would satisfy everyone then (well it wouldn’t, because we’d all find something wrong still).

It could do both. Apple just needs to finally abandon Ive’s twee (and dated) design aesthetic.

 

[RPhoto]

It could do both. Apple just needs to finally abandon Ive’s twee design aesthetic.

Yeah the Series defo needs a tweak now…

 

[blackNBUK]

I already have that Watch, with a week of battery.

Byt it's not an Apple watch. Everything don’t have to be Apple that I own.
They do great Macs, iPhones, iPads and some other stuff though.

My new BLACK Polar Ignite 2 watch is great. Replaced an older Ignite.
Perfect on my female thin wrists. Not the brick that AW is.

No, I don't ned to make phonecalls on my watch, I have a phone to that.

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That looks like a nice watch but it’s not for me; I like the do-it-all nature of the Apple Watch. It works well as a smartwatch for communication and notifications, as a general fitness and workout tracker, and as a navigation tool with Workoutdoors installed. I’d like to keep it all but in a thinner package.

Apple hasn't figured out how to get better battery life in their current watches without putting a bigger battery in it. Putting a smaller batter in any watch they make is going to drastically cut the battery life regardless of the processor.

Remember that the CPU has been essentially the same since the S6 and Apple has been consistently adding sensors and bumped up the screen size. If they kept everything else the same then I think that a lower power CPU could allow for a smaller battery.

The battery isn’t the only major contributor to thickness. The sensor array against your wrist also makes the Watch much thicker, and I don’t see that getting a major change either.

Maybe in 5-10 years.

That’s definitely the case and is a big hurdle to overcome. Although on the positive side it’s also an area that could be slimmed down!

It could do both. Apple just needs to finally abandon Ive’s twee (and dated) design aesthetic.

Maybe my imagination is failing me but I don’t see what huge changes could be made to the design. An Apple Watch is almost entirely screen with a crown on one side. On the Series watch I’d want to keep the rounded edges for comfort and there’s hardly any space for ornamentation or design flourishes.