Apple Explores Round and Screen-Free Apple Watch Models

Apple is considering a sweeping overhaul of the Apple Watch lineup as the industry shifts toward screenless fitness bands, smart rings, and other wearable form factors, according to Mark Gurman. The company's industrial design team has been exploring a broader rethink of its smartwatches over the past year or so, evaluating concepts that include round displays, screenless devices, and premium and budget models beyond today's lineup.



The rethinking comes as consumers increasingly turn to lighter, screenless wearables from companies such as Oura and Whoop. Apple Watch sales jumped 21% in the first quarter and it remains the top-selling smartwatch, but Apple's Wearables, Home and Accessories business has struggled to generate meaningful growth, giving the company another reason to rethink the lineup.


Among the concepts under consideration are circular Apple Watch displays, though Gurman says such a device is unlikely to reach stores. The company is also evaluating wrist-worn devices with no display at all, different screen types and sizes, premium models beyond the Ultra and Hermès editions, and more affordable concepts beyond the current SE.

For now, this year's expected Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 will continue Apple's recent pattern of iterative updates. The new models are expected to receive their first meaningful performance boost in years, along with new health and fitness-related upgrades, fresh colors and bands, and possibly the return of a ceramic case option this year or next.

Apple also wants to make its wearables more AI-centric as it rolls out an AI-powered version of Siri alongside smarter health tracking. The company has ambitious long-term plans to overhaul the Health app under Eddy Cue, who is known to be a fan of Whoop and Oura Rings and is looking to better respond to shifting consumer tastes and the growth of AI-powered health and wellness.

Gurman cautions that Apple has not yet settled on a final direction for the lineup, and any sweeping redesign will take time.