A plastic Apple Watch may debut next year

The budget-friendly wearable may replace aluminum with cheaper plastic.

A plastic Apple Watch may debut next year
apple watch series 9 snoopy pointing
Credit: Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
  • The Apple Watch SE 3 was initially rumored to launch last week, along with the Series 10 model and iPhone 16 line.
  • Apple didn’t end up refreshing its budget smartwatch this time around and has reportedly pushed it to next year.
  • The upcoming Apple Watch SE will likely retire the aluminum chassis in favor of cheaper plastic.

A plastic Apple Watch SE 3 was expected to launch last week at the iPhone 16 event. However, the company only put out the Apple Watch Series 10 and a black Ultra 2 variant, leading to speculation regarding the cheaper model’s whereabouts. Fortunately for budget-conscious consumers, the Apple Watch SE 3 is reportedly still in development, and it could launch with the iPhone 17 line next year.

As per a Bloomberg report, Apple is still actively working on a plastic-made Apple Watch SE 3. The report highlights that the relevant teams have been facing some cost and quality issues, as shifting from aluminum to plastic is a relatively challenging task. Nevertheless, the company reportedly continues to develop the model and could potentially release it next year.