Next Apple Watch SE Could Be Made From Plastic

[MacRumors]

The next-generation Apple Watch SE will feature a chassis made from a hard plastic material, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reiterated in this week's Power On newsletter.

According to Gurman, it is "sounding increasingly likely" that the next-generation Apple Watch SE models will use a rigid plastic material instead of aluminum. Plastic can keep costs down, and could appeal to parents who are looking for an Apple Watch for their children.

Apple in July launched a new website that encourages parents to purchase a cellular Apple Watch for their children. The "Apple Watch For Your Kids" campaign highlights the benefits of Apple Watch for younger wearers, such as location tracking, options for calling parents, and activity tracking. Adults can set up watches for their kids with their own iPhone, and there are features for keeping it from being used during school.

With plastic, Apple could also offer the Apple Watch SE in a range of fun colors that are not possible with aluminum. Apple used to sell a plastic iPhone 5c, for example, and it came in vibrant blue, yellow, pink, and green colors. Plastic would also better differentiate the Apple Watch SE from the standard Apple Watch models as the current Apple Watch SE is basically a modified version of the aluminum Apple Watch without the latest features.

The current Apple Watch SE models sell for $250, but shifting to plastic may allow Apple to offer the device at a lower price to better compete with companies that offer more affordably priced smart watches.

The Apple Watch SE could be refreshed as soon as this year.

Article Link: Next Apple Watch SE Could Be Made From Plastic

 

[breenmask]

unapologetically forgetting iPhone 5C happened

 

[bLackjackj]

With plastic, Apple could also offer the Apple Watch SE in a range of fun colors that are not possible with aluminum.

Where did you get this information from? This is factually incorrect. Aluminum can be painted any colour.

 

[bhall110]

Could be a new line as well, $199 price tag would be very appealing.

 

[CygnusTC]

So much for a stellar environmental record!

 

[now i see it]

From the $17,000 solid gold Edition Apple Watch to this Cracker Jack toy

 

[Reason077]

Aluminum can be painted any colour.

Paint would add to production costs, not decrease them. Plus, there are potential durability issues: paint can scratch. And potential environmental issues with solvents being emitted during the painting process.

 

[The Apple Bitch]

Where did you get this information from? This is factually incorrect. Aluminum can be painted any colour.

I'm not an expert in this but anything can be painted any color. But not every material can be colored in every color and even less materials will look good in that color.

 

[B4U]

Or perhaps use a case for the kids?

 

[The Apple Bitch]

What would all of you think about iPhone SE 4 in plastic as well?

Could it be eco-friendly?

Would you buy it, why, why not?

 

[usersince86]

Seems fine if it's cheaper than the current SE line... any chance it will be though?

 

[obezcinnet]

Where did you get this information from? This is factually incorrect. Aluminum can be painted any colour.

are you new around here? go ahead and google "anodized aluminum vs painted aluminum".

they have patents for some of their anodized finishes. it's not a matter of "painting". factually speaking, Apple will never paint aluminum.

 

[Andres Cantu]

Plastic for better margins for Apple, not for cheaper prices.

Same thing happened with the iPhone 5c. Ended up staying at the same price as the 5 would have been had it stayed in the line up.

I’ll believe a lower price until I see it.

 

[kanki1985]

Unapologetically plastic iphone, Ive's voice still rings with that line, I wish that would unveil the apple watch with that note..

 

[Unity451]

I foresee no issues here. None whatsoever.

 

[cdsapplefan]

What would all of you think about iPhone SE 4 in plastic as well?

Could it be eco-friendly?

Would you buy it, why, why not?

That would cut down cost for Apple and most people put a case on there phone anyway.

 

[jz0309]

Lower the lower end, doesn’t sound right for Apple…
I missed that cellular AW for kids thing, but, the sooner you get them into the ecosystem…
I think a new line targeted for kids could be possible, don’t need ECG, SpO2 …

 

[Shirasaki]

Ok plastic. I know the plastic rumoured here is not any run-of-the-mill plastic We see on supermarket etc, but Apple certainly wants to go back to some of their “failures” once in a while. You know, time has changed so it might work this time, right?

 

[hieranonymous]

I remember when the iPhone 5C came out, I recommended it to a friend who’s not a tech guy at all or an early adopter or anything, who just needed a simple, straightforward new iPhone, and his response was “I don’t want the ‘poor people’ iPhone.” I’m not sure a plastic Apple Watch, no matter how nice, is compatible with any of Apple’s current value propositions. If anything, Apple has been instrumental in other hardware manufacturers ditching their own plasticky contraptions.

 

[rp2011]

I would have been tempted to buy an iPhone SC If they offered it in black, but I think the color choices were much too bright. Hopefully, the color choices have a broader appeal this time around.

 

[Kevin2055]

unapologetically forgetting iPhone 5C happened

Exactly

 

[zipster]

Would definitely be interested in one as a fitness watch and use the SS for work/less casual situations.

 

[bag99001]

There is a big push across the country right now to get ban cell phones in schools.

Is a statewide ban on cell phones in schools realistic?

Banning smartphones in schools is one of those rare policies that Republicans and Democrats seem to agree on but it hasn’t always been a popular idea — so what’s changed?

www.npr.org

Some of the largest districts in the country will be trying to get this through this year…

This may be Apple preemptive response to avoid being shut out completely. I am an educator in an elementary school and though we don’t allow cell phones to be used during the day (many, if not most absolutely have one at home or in their bag) we do…currently… allow students to keep their Apple Watches on.

 

[orbital~debris]

With plastic, Apple could also offer the Apple Watch SE in a range of fun colors that are not possible with aluminum.

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I present to you ‘nano-chromatic’ aluminium:

 

[Tagbert]

Where did you get this information from? This is factually incorrect. Aluminum can be painted any colour.

That is certainly true and obvious to anyone who remembers the iPod era. Technically it's anodizing but that is still applying a color to the finish.