Apple Watch X's major size increase and design overhaul leaked — Apple Watch Ultra 3 to get new color

Apple Watch Ultra 2
(Image credit: Future)

Yet another major Apple Watch leak claims that 2024 could herald a brand new Apple Watch Series 10 with a serious design overhaul, and a new Apple Watch Ultra 3 with a new color. 

The Apple Watch Series 10, which has also been dubbed the Apple Watch X in early leaks as an indication of the major changes coming (think iPhone X), is reportedly on track to be released later this year. Early reports in December from top insider Mark Gurman claimed that Apple is planning the biggest overhaul to Apple Watch ever with its Series 10, with a notably thinner case and new magnetic band. Now, another insider has given us a fresh look at what we can expect. 

Leaker and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, writing on Medium, now reports that "The Series 10 will feature form factor upgrades, including larger screen sizes (increasing from 45mm/41mm to about 49mm/45mm) and a thinner design." 

Apple Watch Series 10 overhaul

There's no indication of just how much thinner the Apple Watch Series X will be, but that massive display size increase is perhaps the more interesting shift. According to this report, Apple's new mainstream watch for 2024 will adopt the screen size of its current best Apple Watch, the Apple Watch Ultra 2

Kuo also states that Apple will begin manufacturing Apple Watch using 3D printing technology, which will save on costs for Apple. It's unlikely this will see the price of Apple Watch fall in 2024, but it could offset the increased costs of making a much larger device, such that the price doesn't drastically change. 

Apple Watch Ultra 3 is also tipped for a change, but the upgrades aren't going to be anywhere near as exciting. As per Kuo, "The specifications of the Apple Watch Ultra model will remain roughly the same," however, production yields notwithstanding, Apple may introduce a new black/dark version of its beloved rugged smartwatch. 

All of this means the Apple Watch is shaping up for a hefty overhaul in 2024, the perfect hardware complement to the latest version of watchOS, watchOS 11, unveiled at WWDC 2024 earlier in June. 

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Apple Watch Series 9 | $429 $299 at Amazon

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Stephen Warwick
News Editor

Stephen Warwick has written about Apple for five years at iMore and previously elsewhere. He covers all of iMore's latest breaking news regarding all of Apple's products and services, both hardware and software. Stephen has interviewed industry experts in a range of fields including finance, litigation, security, and more. He also specializes in curating and reviewing audio hardware and has experience beyond journalism in sound engineering, production, and design. Before becoming a writer Stephen studied Ancient History at University and also worked at Apple for more than two years. Stephen is also a host on the iMore show, a weekly podcast recorded live that discusses the latest in breaking Apple news, as well as featuring fun trivia about all things Apple. Follow him on Twitter @stephenwarwick9