Apple doesn't care. It would not be a bad thing that they weren't compatible. It opens the realm for more 'intelligent' bands at some point. *shrug* It's a 'pro watch', shouldn't it have the capability to attach to more exotic bands?
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Rumor Claims Apple Watch 'Pro' Won't Be Compatible With Older Watch Bands [Updated]
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Capability, and/or marketing?
I'm looking forward to a 'pro' watch, and 'pro' attachments (if possible).
Will be disappointing if the existing watch bands are not compatible.
That's a shame but I can totally understand. I am not buying the Pro anyway, at least not this year 
Technically the 41mm bands are "compatible" with the 45mm watch
Technically the 41mm bands are "compatible" with the 45mm watch
I was wondering if this would be the case due to the larger size.
Hopefully, it’s longer battery life (3 days would be great; a week would be stellar), waterproof to 100-200meters, and a more ruggedized chassis, along with barometric, altitude sensors and displays, etc.
Circular design?
Samsung has got that market sewn up with their Galaxy Watch line.
Got to admit that circular screens look cool, but there’s all sorts of reasons why it’s not the most practical format in a world where most apps/content/etc are designed for rectangles!
I hope the Pro model has better battery life. If I’m excercising, the battery drains like crazy.
Almost make me thinking about getting a Garmin watch.
Almost make me thinking about getting a Garmin watch.
We can look to the iPhone pro and pro max as a baseline.
Max usually means a larger size / display, while pro typically suggests additional features / capabilities beyond the base model.
A "pro" Apple Watch would imply functionality not available or easily replicated by the base Apple Watch model. This would open up additional use cases that might not be feasible with the sports models.
I am not sure what this might be (doubt battery life alone would suffice in pushing a more expensive variant), but there is usually some sort of internal consistency in the way Apple names and markets these things.
The article and the update is interesting because the main article says the person who originally wrote about the potential problem is somone who has been 'right' in the past and the update indicates a person that is known to also be 'right' in the past says the watch will be compatible with older straps. So, there are two people who have been 'right' in the past, one saying the watch pro wont be compaitable with older straps whilst the other person says the watch pro will be compatible. So basically it comes down to which person has the better credibility because both of them cannot be right.
Or both could be wrong!
Remember the credible rumors about the flat-edged series 7 just a year ago? Pictures even
What Went Wrong: Apple Watch Series 7 Rumors Edition
Going into an Apple fall season, excitement typically revolves around the new iPhones. This year, however, the Apple Watch stole some of the...
www.macrumors.com
I’ll be cast out into the darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of Android teeth 😩
Well not really, they both say the same thing, but MR (or whoever initially thought they translated the Chinese source) mistranslated it. The original Chinese source always said COMPATIBLE (as several Chinese speakers have pointed out in the comments).
If that is the case then I hope the author of the article is watching this thread because the mistranslation changes the premise of the article completely.
I have like 30 some odd oem bands
This is crap! Deal breaker , even $999 rumored price another deal breaker aside
This is crap! Deal breaker , even $999 rumored price another deal breaker aside
Well that, and some people just read the title and don't make it to the "update" (which is not even mentioning the mistranslation so MR really is to blame for spreading false info).
The day an Apple Watch comes out and is no longer compatible with the dozen bands I’ve invested in, is the day I dump the Apple Watch completely. That would be completely out of order from Apple.
If Apple comes out with a Watch that can do blood glucose monitoring or very accurate blood pressure but requires a special band and band connector for it to work, you’re all gonna forget quickly about the tens of thousands of dollars you spent on bands. BTW Bands are not an investment, they’re a liability. You have to assume when you purchase them that one day, they will be trash. Same like the 30 pin connector and hopefully soon to be Lightning.
Wow. I’m out of the loop on that one. I get one band and use it - I’m not into the fashion of changing bands - but I’m glad that so many people have enjoyed that option.
I do have a space black stainless links bracelet that was $400 sitting in the drawer - maybe I should get rid of that if the “pro” Watch won’t fit it. It won’t bother me at all if they change the band linkage method.
I looked up current bands and saw this - so "most" 45mm bands will work w the 49mm cases.
And looking at the 49mm bands for the ultra - it's "best paired" with the new bands. Also shows new Ultra bands can go backwards to 44/45mm.
And looking at the 49mm bands for the ultra - it's "best paired" with the new bands. Also shows new Ultra bands can go backwards to 44/45mm.
It remains to be seen whether this means, "we think it looks better on the Ultra Watch from a purely aesthetic standpoint", or "the connectors will hang over the edge a little and the connectors might go in kind of rough".
I'd be slightly tempted to try the Trail Loop (on my Series 5), but the (brushed titanium?) connectors would clash with my Space Gray Watch.