How naive do you have to be to think that band incompatibility is due to anything other than a desire for profit?
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Rumor Claims Apple Watch 'Pro' Won't Be Compatible With Older Watch Bands [Updated]
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How naive do you have to be to think that band incompatibility is due to anything other than a desire for profit?
I made a joke about the Watch itself starting at $4999 with wristband available for $999 but now I'm wondering how much of a joke it is.
I guess that also means like no leather loops, no linked bracelet, no Milanese etc. None of the more dressier bands.
The ONLY reason some here want a circular design is because Apple doesn’t offer one and it gives them a reason to throw rocks at Apple.Circular design?JK, I personally don't think they'll make a circular smartwatch.
Thought this might happen at some point. I have several bands, some nicer than others, and like to change them out, making this possibility less appealing. My Series 4 is still doing well, but I would likely upgrade to 7 or 8 (non-pro) before going through that.
I mean if it’s a redesign you would assume this to be true. I’ve had my stainless steel band since series 0 anyway.
Are we sure Apple is going to advertise this Watch as "rugged?" To me that sounds like you can smash it against a rock face and it'll keep going. I'm a skeptic on this one but that doesn't mean a more expensive, distinctive "Pro" version isn't coming.
Well I would hope they'd make all the same band types then for the size. It would suck if only sport bands are available.
Pretty sure this is not going to be marketed as “here’s the new best Apple Watch”, rather, it’s going to be “here’s something special for extreme sports enthusiasts and similar folks”, and there will still be “normal” sized Apple Watches (including top-of-the-line models) for many years using the current set of bands. It’s for a different market, and may very likely have different bands, and if so they’re probably not going to go for dozens of colors and a half dozen different styles on it - it’ll be maybe a couple of styles.
I suspect this will frustrate a contingent of potential buyers similar to when the most recent (Intel) Mac Pro came out - Apple said ”this is for very high end work”, and a bunch of people said, “well, I want to get this for home to do my web browsing because I have to have the best and— wait, this is too expensive and doesn’t cater to my needs!” They weren’t the target market. This new watch will be a heavy duty / ruggedized watch, with a small handful of heavy duty bands, and it’s not intended to be the new best watch for everyone, it’s intended to serve a market that isn’t currently served well by the current size/design watches. And some folks will be like, “well, I have to have the best, and— wait! where’s the Hermes bands to go with my suits?” And, yeah, they’re not the target market.
I bought a $4 Milanese Loop knockoff on AliExpress for my gen 1 Watch and have been using the same band on all my upgrades ever since. I was kind hoping I could keep using it forever, it works wonderfully and looks just like the real thing. It doesn't feel like the real thing, the magnet latch thing has sharp edges, but it looks like it. My yearly tradition is scrubbing out all the nasty dead skin cells that build up in the mesh.
Good idea to make the bands incompatible without major change to the watch form.
Well, they need a way to refill the lost gains that comes with the dropout of lightning accessories and iPhone 15.
Well, they need a way to refill the lost gains that comes with the dropout of lightning accessories and iPhone 15.
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I am honestly impressed that they have kept compatibility this long.
If that was the plan, they wouldn't have seven generations of the same band before changing it.
I mean, I'm kinda okay with this? It's a different, significantly larger design and Apple has kept the same bands for 8 years.
If there is going to be a requirement for new bands due to the design of the watch making it not possible to use earlier bands, then tying it to an all new Watch design at the top of the range is the most logical way to do it.
Also, I wonder if this means you cannot use the smaller watch bands (38/40/41mm) or all of them (38-45mm).
Also, I wonder if this means you cannot use the smaller watch bands (38/40/41mm) or all of them (38-45mm).
No doubt. Apple’s ability to make “must-have” products is unparalleled.
See this is why I am confused here. Now it is back to not being a major change. But 99% of the complaints in the other Pro thread were about how "hilariously gigantic" this watch will be. Which is it? Major change or minor change?
If this rumor is true, my guess is the physical design of the case is such that it just cannot accommodate the current bands.
"Pro" is mostly just a marketing term to identify higher-end models within a product category by feature set.
At launch, the aluminum models were known as Apple Watch Sport Edition, but that disappeared with the next Series so the name is likely forgotten by most people now so it could have worked, but calling it a "Pro" fits with current Apple marketing.
If this was happening to the 41mm and 45mm Apple Watch 8, as well, I would be in agreement with you. But Apple has worked to ensure band compatibility across generations because they understand that people buy bands to wear them and if they break that ability, they will provide a major disincentive for people to upgrade - especially for those with scores and even hundreds of bands.
So if the Apple Watch Pro requires a new series of bands, I expect a number of people here (myself included) who were considering buying it will now give it a pass.