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Your Apple Watch Bands May Not Work With Next Year's Model

Amazing Iceman said:
What about those who just bought an Apple Watch and bands this year? It will not be 10 years for them.
The world doesn't revolve only around you, didn't you know? 😏
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Those folks who "just" bought a watch this year are not obligated to upgrade... Their newly purchased watch and bands will work for many years to come.... Apple does not force you to upgrade because they released something new.. nor does your current watch suddenly stop working.
 
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msackey said:
https://twitter.com/x/status/1737412779307671870

I want to comment on the Tweet above, specifically: "Literally if you have old bands now, just sell it. It’s 100% accurate"

Thoughts that came to mind:
- Out to make a quick buck
- A notion of: don't get caught stuck with old stuff; dump it on someone else
- Take advantage of someone who doesn't know
- Why do you have to sell bands that you are using just because they may no longer be compatible with newer watches next year?

All these make me shake my head at the notion that we should all be only looking out for ourselves, take advantage of someone else, and dump issues on to someone else so it is someone else's problems.
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Agree.

Also terrible to insinuate that S9 and older will be worthless post S10.

I’m pretty sure the core of Watch will remain unchanged as is the case for all Apple devices regardless of how much new stuff has been added over the years.

I see Series 10 improving sensors, battery, display, and bringing a new design to the 41mm and 45mm models.

But there’s no way Apple is doing a complete overhaul.

Apple Watch is too popular and iconic to make big changes and bring out an entirely new product.
 
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Still not quite believing this. Apple has released over 700 official bands since 2015, many of them collectible and rare. I know Apple has a history of ditching things, but I can't see this, as trivial as it is to many. They have emphasized for years seasonal colors and the collectibility of the bands.
 
I'm sure the existing bands will still be available for many more years.

Apple typically will phase in new 'standards'.
 
Such a non-issue. There will be adaptors and new strap connectors available from China before the new watch even ships to the first customer, I guarantee it.
 
ApplesAreSweet&Sour said:
Agree.

Also terrible to insinuate that S9 and older will be worthless post S10.
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Exactly! Why is something that is still useful to be considered worthless? I suppose it's this notion of "follow the trend" or "being trendy". It's a terrible way to cultivate ourselves, just following a trend.
 
75Batt said:
And they release new phone cases every year that people keep replacing.
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Yeah but their phone cases are even less of a good purchase. First party watch bands are generally noticeably better. Apple’s cases are noticeably more expensive but in my experience practically worse than a $20 Spigen.
 
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MrRom92 said:
Such a non-issue. There will be adaptors and new strap connectors available from China before the new watch even ships to the first customer, I guarantee it.
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Ha guarantee it, eh? You’re gonna buy all my old watch bands if they don’t?
 
4nNtt said:
Makes sense. There is room to innovate in the band. Ability to swap bands quicker would be popular. There might be options for smart bands too.
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Now I’m wondering if this rumor is only partially correct. Maybe there are new bands that only work with the new watches, but the old bands are still physically compatible but without the smarts. They could keep the same connector and add some pins in there.
 
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Looking forward to this upgrade from my current SS AWS5, which still does the job perfectly. All roads lead to Ultra 3 😁!

Well, as for the bands becoming obsolete, I didn’t really go barking band mad.
 
I'm excited at the prospect of a re-designed watch... This won't affect me right away since I plan on keeping my Ultra for a few more years..... I never buy bands from Apple, always order from Aliexpress so getting rid of my collection won't be a big loss financially. However I think at the end of the day this will be a non-issue since the market will be flooded with adapters (maybe even from Apple themselves) that will allow old bands to work on the new watch.
 
LoveTo said:
My friend is still rocking the series 0 OG Apple Watch. Can’t wait for the redesign!!
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I've used mine for four years. Then I got a Series 4, which was already marked down, since the Series 5 was introduced in 2019. Just now bought the Ultra 2.
These things do what they are advertised to do. For me, the best things in the Ultra 2 are the always on display and a considerable boost in battery life. Won't be buying for a considerable time.
What makes me wonder, is how the magnetic straps will attach. I can hardly imagine the Ultra going that way, unless Apple engineers figure out a super sturdy way to keep the bands in place.
 
In a device as constrained as the Apple Watch saving space is probably worth it on its own. But there’s a ton of Apple patents on smart bands. And Apple clearly has long term health goals with the Apple Watch like blood pressure monitoring and blood glucose monitoring that could be more easily achieved with smart bands.

So I would be extremely surprised if this move wasn’t both to save space and to create a digital/power connection between the watch and band.
 
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I sincerely hope that a magnetic attachment is not the option. I have owned every single series of Apple Watch, and now use the Ultra 2. I have amassed a pretty nice assortment of bands over the years. But, I wear my watch during volleyball...a blocked kill would surely blast off my watch. I boogie board a ton...a crashing wave could probably do it too. I can't see Apple not addressing these types of concerns...somewhere on the band there has to be a hard latch/attachment. Imagine a rock climber brushing the band against a rock face or body harness during a quick arm changeover...opps, there goes my $800 watch.
 
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The new connector may be smaller, but it also needs power and data connections in the event that Apple ever introduces bands that have features - I believe the current band system has provisions for this but Apple never made use of it.

It also can’t be magnetic. That’s just stupid. There’s no way anyone’s going to feel secure knowing that the slightest pull on the watch band is going to take the whole watch with it.
 
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