Report: Apple Watch Series 10 to feature bigger screens and faster chip, but new health features struggle

The Apple Watch Series 10 will feature a larger display and a new chip, but new health monitoring features for the device are now in question, BloombergReporting by Mark Gurman.

In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Gurman said the Apple Watch Series 10 design “shouldn’t be much different” than its predecessor, but it will be thinner. Meanwhile, the Apple Watch Ultra won’t get a new design this year.

The new Apple Watch “Series” models will continue to come in two case sizes, dubbed “N217” and “N218,” and will feature larger displays. One model will have a display about as large as the Apple Watch Ultra.

The Apple Watch Series 10 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 will both feature a new processor that replaces last year’s S9 chip. While this could “lay the foundation for some AI improvements in the future,” it won’t use Apple Intelligence, and there are currently no plans to bring the “full initiative” to the Apple Watch.

Apple developed hypertension and sleep apnea detection features for the Apple Watch, which was originally scheduled to be released in 2024, but Gurman now says that “the effort has not been without its challenges” and “Apple has encountered serious issues.” The hypertension detection feature has not been reliable enough in testing and there are concerns about its integration into the new design, which could force Apple to delay the feature until next year

Similarly, the sleep apnea detection feature is currently in trouble because it relies on blood oxygen saturation, which Apple Watches in the US currently cannot measure due to an ongoing dispute with Masimo. Gurman posits that the dispute with Masimo could be resolved by September, or that Apple could find a way around it by arguing that the blood oxygen sensor could be used for purposes not directly related to blood oxygen levels. The company could also announce the sleep apnea detection feature and delay its release to a later date.

Apple is also reportedly continuing to test and discuss the possibility of using 3D-printed cases for some Apple Watch models, which could speed up production and use fewer materials.

Gurman says it’s not yet clear whether Apple will mark the new Apple Watches as special anniversary models or wait until next year, given that the original Apple Watch was announced in 2014 and launched in 2015.