In July 2024, a press report by Mark Gurman indicated that Apple was planning to launch a new Apple Watch SE series, with a plastic casing, which will be more affordable than the Apple Watch SE 2 models. By introducing a plastic chassis on the new watch, Apple aimed to spend less money on materials and production to keep the retail prices within an affordable range.
Since the current generation of the Apple Watch SE was launched two years ago (in 2022), enthusiasts have been looking forward to a new model release in the last quarter of 2024.
Despite the hype, Apple did not launch the Apple Watch SE 3 in the 2024 September event, neither did it give any updates regarding the new Apple Watch SE.
After the September product launch, Mark Gurman reached out to Apple to follow up on the progress. According to the follow-up report, the new Apple Watch SE is still in development, but the team behind it is still facing quality and cost challenges slowing down the development.
If Apple gets past those hurdles in the coming weeks, there’s a chance that the Apple Watch SE 3 will be released in the 2024 October event. However, the company may also roll out the watch into the market in 2025 due to the cost and quality challenges.
In terms of design, multiple predictions indicate that the Apple Watch SE 3 series will have the same shape as the current SE model (Apple Watch SE 2), but it might be slightly larger by a few millimeters. Instead of measuring 40 mm and 44 mm like the current series, the 3rd generation will be available in two sizes—41 mm and 45 mm.
Since Apple introduced new Apple Intelligence functionalities during the 2024 September product launch, the next Apple Watch SE will feature an AI-driven health-tracking functionality. Apart from that, it’s more likely to have an S9 chip and run on WatchOS 11. While the Apple Watch SE 2 power lasts for 18 hours due to the 245 mAh battery, the Apple Watch SE 3 is expected to pack more battery power, with 300 mAh of energy and a 20-hour battery life.
As a watch that is centred around affordability, Apple Watch SE 3 prices will likely range from $180 – $249, depending on the features offered by each model.
All in all, the upcoming Apple Watch SE 3 will be cost-friendly and highly functional, as it aims to create a smooth balance between performance and affordability, as compared to other Apple watch models.
