The Vision Pro might be the most high-profile hardware launch from Apple this year, but the rumored Apple Watch X is also worth keeping an eye on.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of Apple announcing its first smartwatch, and the company's popular wrist wearable is rumored to undergo a major overhaul to commemorate the occasion.
The Apple Watch X (unofficial name) could have a leaner design and a new mechanism for attaching bands magnetically. According to several Bloomberg reports, we could also see added health features, such as blood-pressure monitoring. The name is reminiscent of the 2017 iPhone X, which saw a dramatic shift from Apple's previous design and coincided with the device's 10-year anniversary.
Apple could take the wraps off the Apple Watch X, alongside the latest iPhone, at its annual launch event in the fall. However, the Watch X could also make its debut in 2025 since the first-gen Apple Watch shipped in 2015, even if it was announced in 2014.
Until then, here's what you can expect based on the most credible sources.
Read More: What Happened to the Apple Watch Being About Fashion
Apple Watch: Bigger screen, slimmer design
The screen on the Apple Watch has been getting progressively larger -- and this year could see that happen again, or at least the option to sport a larger size. According to a Junereport by noted Apple analyst Min Chi Kuo, Apple will be providing larger screen-size options for the next-gen Apple Watch, increasing it from 41mm to 45mm and from 45mm to 49mm. Meanwhile, the design of the Apple Watch will get slimmer, according to Kuo.
Apple Watch X: New health tech
After pivoting from fashion, Apple has found success in positioning the Apple Watch as a health device. Apple introduced various new health tracking tools in recent years, including blood-oxygen monitoring, temperature sensing and new software features for cyclists and runners. It's worth noting, however, that the blood oxygen feature is no longer available in new Series 9 and Ultra 2 watches sold in the US due to an ongoing patent dispute.
Next year's Apple Watch could see the addition of a few more health-tracking features, potentially furthering its usefulness as a wellness and fitness device. Apple may add a new feature that can show when a person's blood pressure is high, according to a November article by Bloomberg. It will reportedly be accompanied by a blood pressure journal, allowing people to note down when the elevation happened. But it won't provide exact systolic and diastolic measurements, Bloomberg reported.
The report also suggests the Apple Watch could get a new system for detecting sleep apnea by monitoring an individual's sleeping and breathing habits. This would be a significant expansion of the Apple Watch's current sleep-tracking features, which are limited compared to those offered by Oura, Fitbit and others.
Apple is also reportedly developing a way to check blood glucose levels without pricking your finger, thanks to infrared and other sensors. It's unlikely that will make its way to the Apple Watch this year, though, if it ever does.
Apple Watch X: Blood oxygen feature?
Given the current patent dispute, it's unclear whether the Apple Watch X will include blood-oxygen monitoring. At the moment, the Apple Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2, don't ship with the feature in the US. The International Trade Commission recently ruled that the blood-oxygen sensors in the Apple Watch 9 and Watch Ultra 2 infringe on patents from Masimo, a medical device maker.
Apple Watch X: Magnetic bands
If you own or have ever owned an Apple Watch, you know that the bands slide into the edges of the chassis and click into a locking mechanism. After about a decade, this could change with Apple Watch X. As early as this year, Apple could introduce a mechanism that lets the bands attach to the watch face magnetically. This would apparently help free up space internally to make way for other components such as bigger batteries.
Read More: How Apple Watch X Could Make Apple's Smartwatch Even Better
Apple Watch X: MicroLED display
For years, there have been rumors about the Apple Watch gaining a microLED display. It's possible that we'll finally see those rumors come to fruition either this year or next.
Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman expects microLED to arrive on the Apple Watch X, but it's unclear whether the smartwatch will make its debut this year or next. But a report byApple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says the wait might be longer. According to Kuo, the Apple Watch will have a microLED display in either 2025 or 2026, but not in 2024.
MicroLED is more energy efficient than the OLED tech currently used on the Apple Watch. But it's also brighter and more responsive than OLED screens, which would allow for more consistent viewing from all angles.
Apple Watch into the future
Apple has been investing heavily into the health and wellness category as it works to push the Apple Watch forward as a health tracker. By adding new health features and improving the display technology, Apple could attract more customers who want a smartwatch that can help them stay healthy and fit. The company is reportedly working on a non-invasive glucose monitoring feature. This could change the way millions of people around the world check their blood glucose levels, which currently requires people to prick their finger as part of the process.
Watch this: Apple Watch Patent Dispute Isn't Over Yet -- What Happens Next?
