- Apple is planning a major redesign of the Apple Watch in 2024 or 2025, with new model referred to as the Apple Watch X.
- Apple is exploring a new magnetic band attachment system which could render existing bands obsolete.
- Apple sold people an expensive LISA computer in 1983 only to replace it a year later with the more affordable Macintosh.
- Apple has a history of decisions that cause controversy, from the iPhone 30-pin connector to the headphone jack.
Apple is no stranger to decisions that cause a lot of negative PR, but the Apple Watch X could be the company’s most controversial yet. Apple is planning a major redesign of the Apple Watch in either 2024 or 2025, with the new model referred to as the Apple Watch X. To make the device thinner, Apple is exploring a new magnetic band attachment system which could render existing bands obsolete.
Apple has a history of decisions that cause controversy. In 1983 they sold people an expensive LISA computer only to replace it with the much more affordable Macintosh a year later. The switch from the iPhone’s 30-pin connector to the new Lightning port was also very unpopular. Apple’s decision to remove the headphone jack from the iPhone 7 was similarly met with outrage, as were their plans to go all-in on USB-C for the MacBook Pro.
The loss of band compatibility with the Apple Watch X would be a big deal. Apple pitched the Watch as a fashion product, and the wide range of Apple Watch bands played a key role. Some people have invested heavily in expensive bands, and having to replace them with the new model would be costly.
It’s inevitable that Apple will make this decision anyway, as they need to come up with something compelling to persuade people to upgrade. Whether or not a slimmer Apple Watch X will be enough to convince people to upgrade, only time will tell.
