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Next Apple Watch SE Could Be Made From Plastic
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Who said Apple are actually doing this?
And you’ve just named a bunch of manufacturers. Can you name a model that is actually better than the AW or are you just talking about a basic function of a smartwatch? Because you know the Apple Watch can do more than that, right? How many of these have satellite messaging?
Hopefully it is cheaper. Could it have some type of tracking capability (like air tags). If so I would totally get one for my kid. She loves our apple watches and is constantly messing with them.
Apple watches don't do so much. The app ecosystem for them is basically dead. They need to get cheaper (IMO). The aluminum build quality isn't really that good (or durable at all) so I don't see an issue with plastic.
Apple watches don't do so much. The app ecosystem for them is basically dead. They need to get cheaper (IMO). The aluminum build quality isn't really that good (or durable at all) so I don't see an issue with plastic.
Probably going to introduce some kind of BioPlastic, plastic 100% recovered from iPhone covers and other parts?
What are you on about? Kids already have phones and theft issues there. A watch strapped to your wrist all the time is not going to be the item to steal.
Or any Apple Watch for that matter. Bought one, returned it in two weeks, tired again a few years later, returned it just as fast. Just another gadget needing my time and money.
Mechanical watches FTW. They don’t need electricity, set-up, or software updates. The manufacturer can’t ever declare them obsolete. With regular service, they last forever.
Yes, you can paint aluminum any color you want. It can also be anodized in many, though not unlimited, colors. But being a relatively soft material, it will scratch easily and show wear readily if painted. One advantage of plastic in this scenario is that the color is all the way through and not just on the surface so scratches won’t be as noticeable.
If they get it down to $199 (or less), I'll buy it. I've been looking to get a second Apple Watch just to do sleep tracking.
Probably true that they wouldn’t call it plastic. Hopefully not polycarbonate though. Too brittle and scratches very easily. Something like FRN, fiber reinforced nylon, would be good.
I like the hard white plastic they use for Apple Pencils. Would happily take a new iPhone SE made from it.
This, like the 5c before it, the strategy seems to be about:
- Incentivizing people who look down on plastic, to pay for the more expensive metal version, especially if components are mostly the same.
- Improve Apple's margins for customers who don't care about the case or can't afford a higher priced metal version.
But regular watches cannot track many health parameters, take calls etc….my Samsung Galaxy Gear S3 lasted almost 8 years without any issues before I have to buy another watch. These Watches can last long enough providing necessary health information for many years. Yes, they all are electronic wastes, no doubt. But mechanical watches are useful only for time. If Apple, Samsung and others come up with user replaceable batteries like Quartz watches, it would be good for the environment but bad for the investors! Ultimately, big money wins and not the consumers!
If they use this change among others to lower price, Apple might see any direct reduction of margin being countered by increasing sales of:
- bands
- iPhones (required to setup and update Watch)
- AirPods and Beats
- Apple Music
- maybe carrier kickbacks for cellular activated models?
The difference in aluminum to polycarbonate these days is literally Pennies. If you have the infrastructure to mill the aluminum it might be less than 4-10 cents moving to plastic.
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
Apple will have to spin it as some fact eco friendly option. That may in fact COST MORE to produce than aluminum.
Maybe all those fine woven cases will be melted down to save money 😆🤣🤣🤣
No doubt it would be less expensive to make a watch. There would be no milling process as the watch case would be molded in the final shape. no doubt it would be lighter, radio wave and GPS would penetrate more efficiently and the plastic could be a solid color so that it would look good even if scratched.
It's funny I keep seeing random deals for Casio watches under $20 pop up on deal sites, usually bought through Amazon. Maybe they are still a thing?
If you want one now they still make them.
Garmin does a good job with this. My Venu has a plastic body in an understated color (close to midnight blue), but has a decorative steel or aluminum ring and a round face that, in my opinion, makes it look presentable after the workout.
Having Air Tag feature built in is actually a really good idea, to keep the price down vs having cellular. Except it won’t allow the kid to call home, so maybe not (what you are asking for can be achieved now, just get her a used AW with cellular)