At its “Far Out” special media event on Wednesday, Apple will release a new version of the Apple Watch that is “cheaper than the Apple Watch SE” (which currently starts at $279), The New York Times reports citing “two people involved with the project, who were not authorized to speak publicly.”
Kalley Huang and Brian X. Chen for The New York Times:
Across the United States, parents are increasingly buying Apple Watches and strapping them onto the wrists of children as young as 5. The goal: to use the devices as a stopgap cellphone for the kids. With the watch’s cellular abilities, parents can use it to reach and track their children, while the miniature screens mitigate issues like internet addiction…
Apple has deliberately turned the watch into a device that can be attractive for children and their parents. In 2020, the company released the Apple Watch SE, which had fewer features than a premium model and was priced $120 cheaper. Apple also introduced Family Setup, software that let parents track their children’s locations, manage their contacts list and limit their notifications.
The Silicon Valley company’s moves to make the Apple Watch a child-friendly cellphone took about three years, said two people involved with the project, who were not authorized to speak publicly… Apple plans to compete more aggressively soon for young smart watch customers. At an event on Wednesday, it is set to release a new version of the Apple Watch that is cheaper than the Apple Watch SE, the two people said. The model will be introduced alongside other new versions of the watch, including a high-end wearable for serious athletes that will rival fitness trackers made by its competitor Garmin, they said.
MacDailyNews Take: Far out!
Apple Watch sales will be increasing significantly is the coming days.
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Or maybe just Watch SE at a lower price. Right now, the last version of first Watch design (Series 3) is STILL sold by Apple as new. The next low end will be a version of second Watch design (Series 4-6), which is the current SE. Maybe tweak the specs. It needs to replace Series 3 (after its 5-year run) at the low end, with price starting at $199 (or as low as possible). It’s unlikely to be a completely new design.
Hopefully Apple has more imagination than that