I don’t know about you but I upgrade my kettle every year
What Went Wrong: Apple Watch Series 7 Rumors Edition
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jazz1
macrumors 601
Shouldn't these rumor "Kings" lose all credibility? What this guy does is far from reasonable speculation or "wish listing". I know I for one am not going to get sucked in to these fantasies any longer! It is my own fault. I will not postpone purchasing decisions. Hell, this clickbait rumor mongering has to be called out.
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ProfessionalFan
macrumors 603
The problem is he has an army of cult members that come here and defend him every time he is wrong. It is super odd.
Nothing went wrong. They just lied for clicks.
Going into an Apple fall season, excitement typically revolves around the new iPhones. This year, however, the Apple Watch stole some of the iPhone's spotlight due to reports, leaks, and rumors suggesting it would be getting a significant redesign.
One of the biggest surprises during Apple's "California streaming" event was the new Apple Watch, not because of the features or design it included, but instead, the features and designs it didn't.
Flat-Edged Design? Not so fast...
In the weeks and months leading up to the event, credible reports from reliable journalists and leakers suggested the new Apple Watch would be sporting a flat-edged design. The first time we heard of the 2021 Apple Watch getting a redesign was from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who stated in September of 2020, exactly a year before Apple's "California streaming" event, that the new watch will receive a "significant redesign" in 2021 "at the earliest."
In the months that followed Kuo's report, rumors were quiet and stale regarding the 2021 Apple Watch as the focus shifted to more immediate products released throughout 2020. The second time we heard and saw the alleged redesign for the Apple Watch was from Apple leaker Jon Prosser, who in May shared renders depicting an Apple Watch with fully flat-edges, similar to the iPhone and iPad.
In the video sharing the renders, Prosser noted that the renders, he believed, showcased the Apple Watch Series 7, given that Kuo had previously mentioned a significant redesign. Prosser, at the time, however, could not confidently label the design he leaked as the upcoming Apple Watch but became increasingly confident in doing so as the weeks and months went on.
Shortly after, in June, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported several aspects of the Apple Watch Series 7 that turned out to be accurate. In his first report for the new watch, Gurman noted that it would have a larger display with thinner bezels, a new lamination technique, and a faster processor. Gurman pointed out that the Series 7 would include updated ultra wideband capabilities, but that doesn't seem to be the case now.
In reports and newsletters after, Gurman reported that the Apple Watch Series 7 would feature flat-edges, corroborating Prosser's previously showcased renders. Gurman, however, accurately stated the Series 7 would be equipped with new watch faces, bands and feature significantly more pixels with a redesigned display.
Is miscommunication to blame?
Given that Kuo, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, and leaker Jon Prosser, the most reputable sources for Apple's unreleased product plans, have all reported a flat-edged Apple Watch, it's difficult to dispute its existence within the walls of Apple's labs and offices.
The Apple Watch is a product that garners many rumors and reports, specifically targeting future health capabilities. Recent reporting suggests that next year's Apple Watch, the Series 8, will feature more powerful health sensors and features. Our expectations and the reports of a flat-edged design may have simply been wrongly attributed to the Series 7, while Apple's plans for a complete redesign were aimed for 2022 all along.
Apple is a company that builds on yearly iterative improvements, building on features to achieve an even more all-encompassing product, and that is especially the case for the Apple Watch. With the Series 7, Apple is adding a larger display, improved battery life and energy efficiency, and is elevating the experience of watchOS 8. Using these upgrades, the company is further prepared to launch a redesign of the Apple Watch next year, featuring flat-edges and advanced health sensors.
Alternatively, but highly unlikely, is that Apple made last-minute design changes to the Apple Watch due to production issues. Two weeks before the Series 7 was announced, a report revealed that Apple and its suppliers were struggling to reach "satisfactory" quality levels of the device during "small-scale" production.
While some may speculate the possibility that coupled with the Apple Watch's small footprint and rumored flat-edges, Apple had to suddenly make last-minute design changes, it's worth noting that Apple plans and tests products months, if not years in advance, so it would certainly be unprecedented and nearly impossible for the company to have altered its plans at such a late date.
One thing, however, is for sure, whether or not last-minute design changes were made to the Series 7, is that it's a peculiar release. For example, on Apple's website, the company lacks offering specifications for the new watch, leaving only marketing material boasting about the new and larger display and the features in watchOS 8.
Most striking of all is the lack of information regarding availability and prices for the Apple Watch Series 7. Apple only states it's coming later this fall, which leaves the door open for a release as late as November, and the lack of information regarding pricing beyond the starting price of $399.
Conclusion
Of course, we'll never know for certain what happened and whether Apple had last-minute design changes, or whether all of the previous rumors and reports were simply meant for the Series 8, rather than the Series 7. As stated above, Apple hasn't provided any dates on availability or pricing for the Apple Watch Series 7 and may do so during its rumored second event for the fall, now expected to headline new Apple silicon Macs.
Article Link: What Went Wrong: Apple Watch Series 7 Rumors Edition
Jony Ive and Co.
macrumors 6502
Mark Gurman isn't any better either. He's slowly turning into the next Prosser, given his attitude. He's still not even admitting that he got the flat edge rumor wrong wtf man.
At least Prosser acknowledged that he got his rumor wrong this time.
And Mark Gurman always writes stuff like he's so entitled, and has an arrogant manner - e.g. "expect the next watch to have...". He's basically treating himself as someone who knows everything and treats us like peasants by feeding us tiny bits of very generic information (such as "expect faster performance" which means nothing) everytime.
EightBitJoe
Suspended
I hope it happens again, and again, and again…
Revive the ✨mystery✨.
Revive the ✨mystery✨.
MrGimper
macrumors G3
How annoyed would you be getting a chip or nick in that sharp edge? I always feared that with the iphone 5 and the previous range of ipads. They would chip if you looked at them funny
PinkyMacGodess
Suspended
I vote for Apple playing the leakers. If I was working for Apple to control security to potential new products, I'd pay a bounty to employees for what 'leaks' actually get reported as facts. Make it a contest, and see whose leaks are considered 'important'. Give the best leaker $10,000? This could work...
PinkyMacGodess
Suspended
My comment was the rounded edge bounces off things and a squared out edge wouldn't. I'd probably pass on a square edged Apple Watch.
Denzo
macrumors 6502a
I love apple products and whilst I would love some of the rumours to come true however:
1. I like that apple doesn’t destroy owners value of previous Gen products by making them obsolete every year via massive upgrades and
2. Kind of satisfying that these smug analysts and leakers don’t know what’s going on.
I mean bronze, matte black iPhones, wrong, redesigned Watch - wrong.. so what do these guys do other than this? Lmao
1. I like that apple doesn’t destroy owners value of previous Gen products by making them obsolete every year via massive upgrades and
2. Kind of satisfying that these smug analysts and leakers don’t know what’s going on.
I mean bronze, matte black iPhones, wrong, redesigned Watch - wrong.. so what do these guys do other than this? Lmao
cmaier
Suspended
Pretty sure MR doesn’t care. Everyone would still read it all.
vjl323
macrumors 6502
Last I checked, Fall 2021 ends December 20, 2021 in the US. So we may not get the Series 7 until nearly Christmas time.
kiranmk2
macrumors 68000
Something has clearly gone wrong with the Watch this year. Even if you assume that the square design was not real (or not designed for a 2021 release), Apple brought the Series 7 to the presentation with no launch date. Is there any precident for that for a main device - AirPower and HomePod were highlighted as sneak peaks when they were debuted? Back in 2017, Apple was having real yield issues with the iPhone X with the FaceID system and sure enough the X debued much later than the iPhone 8, but at least there was a release date given. Now consider that delay was due to engineering challenges of mass producing a minature version of FaceID that had never been done before.
If we look at the S7 Watch the only updates appear to be:
As has been pointed out on various threads over and over, Apple works so far in advance that it is very strange that they would get caught out in July/August with low yields if they had been working on these few updates for at least 12 months (if not longer).
As it is the S7 is very underwhelming - it seems the main two updates to hang your hat on are the display (bigger, brighter, wrap-around effect' and fast charging and even then these are not updates that I think people are going to be queing up for. With Apple being Apple I don't think we'll ever know what happened for sure - the company will spin it that nothing was wrong and the delay was due to the pandemic in some way and insiders/former insiders/leakers will provide rumours of abandoned features and 'last minute' design changes which will lack definitive evidence.
If we look at the S7 Watch the only updates appear to be:
- Slightly bigger case
- New OLED panel that is brighter
- Smaller bezels
- New cover crystal that allows for 'wrap around' effect and better toughness
- Dust protection rating
- Fast charging
As has been pointed out on various threads over and over, Apple works so far in advance that it is very strange that they would get caught out in July/August with low yields if they had been working on these few updates for at least 12 months (if not longer).
As it is the S7 is very underwhelming - it seems the main two updates to hang your hat on are the display (bigger, brighter, wrap-around effect' and fast charging and even then these are not updates that I think people are going to be queing up for. With Apple being Apple I don't think we'll ever know what happened for sure - the company will spin it that nothing was wrong and the delay was due to the pandemic in some way and insiders/former insiders/leakers will provide rumours of abandoned features and 'last minute' design changes which will lack definitive evidence.
demodave
macrumors 6502
The Watch will *never* have a square edge design. You wear it in your body. Corners are or would be uncomfortable. Also, being exposed to the world, corners represent surfaces for greater damage.
Going into an Apple fall season, excitement typically revolves around the new iPhones. This year, however, the Apple Watch stole some of the iPhone's spotlight due to reports, leaks, and rumors suggesting it would be getting a significant redesign.
One of the biggest surprises during Apple's "California streaming" event was the new Apple Watch, not because of the features or design it included, but instead, the features and designs it didn't.
Flat-Edged Design? Not so fast...
In the weeks and months leading up to the event, credible reports from reliable journalists and leakers suggested the new Apple Watch would be sporting a flat-edged design. The first time we heard of the 2021 Apple Watch getting a redesign was from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who stated in September of 2020, exactly a year before Apple's "California streaming" event, that the new watch will receive a "significant redesign" in 2021 "at the earliest."
Article Link: What Went Wrong: Apple Watch Series 7 Rumors Edition
On the other hand, the Series 7 could come as early as this coming Wednesday (first day of Fall).
I'd love to have been in the Apple Security staff conference room when they learned of Prosser's Apple Watch square-edge announcement. Imagine the round of guffaws, laughter, and quiet chuckles, followed by the department head proclaiming "Our little deception worked .. Ahhh, the sweet smell of success".
Someyoungguy
macrumors 6502a
Battery life is *not* improved, contrary to what this article says, which is the source of my personal frustration. Luckily, competition improves all products, and now Garmins have AMOLED screens, NFC payment, and onboard music, so I’ll be back on their platform for a while enjoying 5 day battery life, clunky as their user interface can be.
SurferPup
macrumors 6502a
Maybe Apple gave him disinformation. I really like the series 7 and can't wait to buy one. I love Apple venturing into the blues and purple colours for their devices.