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

Then we’re done, Apple.

If true, Tim Cook is basically telling us that the newest iThing is not worth the insanely premium price because it’s ultimately disposable. I can’t believe the audacity of selling steel link and Hérmés leather bands and then rendering them garbage. It reveals what Tim Cook really thinks of Apple products. It’s no wonder that everything is subscription based and all the hardware is no longer user upgradeable or repairable.
 
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Godspeed8230 said:
I'd have to disagree with that. There will always be a market for precious, hand-made or handcrafted goods. If anything, the more "digital"/"smart"/"AI" a product, e.g. a watch becomes, the more valuable a Patek Philippe, Jaeger Lecoultre or Rolex watch will become.
In the US Apple is the most valuable company, in Europe it is LVMH right after Novo Nordisk and there is a good reason for that.
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Even the „markets for precious, hand-made or handcrafted goods“ change over time.

What is precious, is often determined by the people wealthy enough to create demand. People still considering a Rolex precious (beyond pure material value) belong to Generation Analog. They may have experienced it as status symbol in their youth or even bought one themselves. Once Generation Analog is gone, there may be a few collector‘s asking for such a piece, but I doubt it will suffice for more than a very niche market.

People appreciating hand-made or handcrafted goods in my opinion are way more pragmatic: With such a huge difference in functionality, a Rolex becomes increasingly uninteresting. Target audience for that goods will probably simply upgrade their Smartwatch with handcrafted bands or getting a luxury version á la Hermes, rather than ignoring the massive functionality gap just to get a Rolex, Patek Philippe, Glashütte or whatever luxury watch maker is still relevant for extreme niche markets.

Because high-end analog watches already live in an extreme niche market. It may still be profitable, but unlike a few decades ago, it is increasingly irrelevant for the vast majority of people.
 
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onenorth said:
That seems plausible and could be done with the existing attachment so old and "dumb" bands still fit. The idea that the watch needs more real estate for tech is belied by the fact that the Ultra is already much larger than the regular models and changing the band attachment just for a larger battery seems unnecessary to me.

The "leaker" didn't tell us anything other than that the "connector" would be "completely redesigned" but not how it would be redesigned, either because he doesn't know or he knows something he shouldn't know. The part about selling old bands now suggests that they will be incompatible with the new watch but he doesn't explicitly say that either - it's just a hint (more like a taunt).

I think too much is being read into this tweet because the only way the leaker would know for certain is if someone told him something he wasn't supposed to be told. Otherwise he is guessing via the rumor mill. Either way it is unreliable info. Besides, things can still change between now and then.
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Didn't the original AW have electrical contacts at the watch band connection area and there was thoughts of charging via actual connections vs induction we have now? :rolleyes:
 
If this happens I’m sure someone will make and sell an adapter to fit the old bands to the new watches. What’s their hurry? The spring loaded pin had been the standard for watch band attachment for a hundred years and is still going strong.
 
Luckily I only have 3 authentic straps and the rest is cheap copies. It’s been a while and I must admit it’s great Apple has kept the same fit for years.

But Apple straps are crazy expensive yet I know a few who is avid band collector. So it must be a big deal for them.
 
JosephAW said:
Didn't the original AW have electrical contacts at the watch band connection area and there was thoughts of charging via actual connections vs induction we have now? :rolleyes:
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Early models (up to Series 6 or so) had a four-pin connector, but it was concealed and likely intended for diagnostics.
 
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With a redesign for the 10th anniversary, the bands will change. Excited to see what changes are introduced for the watch. The original band mechanism has lasted/not changed for a long time
 
Is is just me, or would anyone else like to see a round Apple Watch? I've never liked a square watch, and would purchase an Apple Watch if they would make a round model. My wife has a new Series 9, but I use a Garmin Instinct 2x Solar.
 
I’m going to be really hostile about it because of how it will impact me (i’m sure there are many others in this camp mind you). Just because something has had a good run doesn’t mean it’s just ok to change it. Phone cases change every year because they move tiny parts of the phone an incremental amount to make that happen, which is a huge frustration-and perfectly good cases become obsolete (what does happen to all the cases they pull from their line up each new season?).

I love my Watch, been a user since the S2 and have amassed near 30 bands, one of which being the stainless steel. All my choice I know, but, year after year, they’ve release a watch where the connector doesn’t change. That builds confidence in the end user, like me, in that even with the top end Ultra, they’re continuing to use the same mechanism (even I was surprised by that TBF). As such, I continue to expand my collection because it doesn’t change. I like lots of the bands, it’s not been unreasonable to collect additional bands, get hold of rarer ones, expand my collection (hence the addition of the stainless steel). Apple have spent nearly 10 years doing that.

So, yes, my opinion is based on the fact it will affect ‘me’, but it will be a big dick move by Apple if this is the way it goes, or we don’t get a way to integrate the bands we’ve amassed by them during the products lifecycle.

Lego: “We’re introducing a new method of connecting bricks. This is great because it means you can do a few different things with them, but does mean all of your old Lego is incompatible with it. Soz!”. Internet: “Well, they’ve had a XX amount of years with that method, so about time”.

If they’re doing it because they want to make the bands multifunctional, then every band needs to adopt some form of what they’re trying to introduce. If they change the connector, introduce a range of bands that do nothing at all, that would be ridiculous. If they chuck loads of tech into every band to make use of this, then the bands need to be reasonably priced-otherwise it’s then a double slap in the face. We’re introducing a new connector because it means the watch can do this and this and this, but the entry point per strap is now XX more than it used to be.

I *think* that’s my rant over 😂
 
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MacBird said:
If this would make it possible to fit a larger battery and maybe even a redesign of the AppleWatch in general then it would be a welcome change.
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Typical blind Apple fan. Probably cheered when Apple removed the charging brick from the iPhone and will cheer again when they remove the charging cable. “Apple can do no wrong”.
 
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There will most likely be an adapter you can buy separately. It would have to fold the band slugs over probably, as a way of 'shortening' them. Should look/work fine for most bands.
 
Before Apple, watches had bands that were relatively permanent and used the same technology to connect them. What Apple did with the Watch band was revolutionary and could, should last a long time. Keep seeing comments about "well it lasted 9+ years, we were lucky." No, not lucky.

If Apple were to add technology to bands with a connector built in to the watch, that's one change that would be tolerable. Use the old band, fine. You don't get the added tech benefit.

If the complaint is current connectors take up too much space internally, what's the solution? One article I read was magnetic attachments. IF THAT were truly what Apple its considering, count me out. I'll go back to mechanical. No way a magnet will allow the compass to work properly and no way a magnet will keep the band attached doing anything other than sitting down. I hit walls with my watch periodically - it will disconnect and fall. I do things on two wheels and on the water. No way the Watch will stay connected with a magnet.

I'd be willing to bet adapters will come out to allow attaching the old bands the new way. Will be a heck of a market for it. Some bands cost several hundred dollars. Even those that cost $50+ USA are worth saving.

Will be interesting to see how this pans out. Glad I'm not in the Apple watch band making / marketing business. This aims to be a slow year for them with these rumors.
 
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mr_matalino said:
Typical blind Apple fan. Probably cheered when Apple removed the charging brick from the iPhone and will cheer again when they remove the charging cable. “Apple can do no wrong”.
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If you don't know people, maybe stay away from making ignorant assumptions, doesn't make you look any smarter. :)
 
I really hope they don't go with some stupid magnet attachment for the bands. It is what it is with them switching the connector, but no way a magnetic band will give you the piece of mind when running/doing other activities that the current connector does.
 
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What a shame, how the bands attach to a AW are pretty much my favorite thing about them. Hopefully the new design won't be too bad.
 
This is still a rumor until it is announced officially by Apple in 9 months. Do not take this seriously. 😊 like Doris Day sang:
Que sera, sera
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to see.
Keep calm and enjoy the present. Life is too short to be worried for a rumor. 😊
 
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MarkNewton2023 said:
This is still a rumor until it is announced officially by Apple in 9 months. Do not take this seriously. 😊 like Doris Day sang:
Que sera, sera
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to see.
Keep calm and enjoy the present. Life is too short to be worried for a rumor. 😊
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I'm a believer companies may plant rumors to judge how people react. But yes, I wouldn't get too emotional about it.
 
roar08 said:
No solo loops. I have a LOT of sport loops (20-30), several alpine, probably 8-10 really nice leather, a nice brushed titanium, several braided solo loops, at least one magnetic link, several nylon bands from Southern, and actually have a super cool custom band. To say nothing of the original sport bands ... probably have 15+ of those. I have more than that too. Man I definitely have more than 50...
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lol that's a lot, for sure

so I dunno maybe you can help out a fellow macrumor-spreader...im looking for anything all black, not the ones with hole clasps like ocean band or sport band because my long and fine straight hair gets caught in the holes lol

I would DM you but your dms are closed apparently. peace!
 
chucker23n1 said:
Nothing preventing you from buying a "real watch". You can also get a "real phone", if you prefer.
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this is absolutely true. however, there aren't landlines anymore as it were. As an Apple Watch owner going back all the way, I feel I am about to hit peak Watch exhaustion with upgrades.
 
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