Purported CAD renders of the Apple Watch Pro appeared online Monday, giving us a clear look at the rumored high-end wearable’s design. The renders show a new physical key on the left side of the watch.
The rugged Apple Watch variant will be aimed at athletes and endurance sports.
UPDATE: The Apple Watch Ultra was announced on September 7, and the leaked CAD drawings turned out 100% accurate. Read our preview of the smartwatch for all the details.
Apple Watch Pro’s beefy chassis may not look pretty
Previous rumors indicated the rugged Apple Watch will sport a flat display measuring 1.99-inches. The leaked Apple Watch Pro CAD renders from 91Mobiles show the same thing. The wearable has a flat display, with the Digital Crown and a Side key located inside a chassis protrusion on the right. This might give the smartwatch a chunky look, but it should help protect it in rugged terrain.
A third button sits on the left just below the speaker holes. Apple could let users quickly open the Workout app or an app of their choice using the physical button. Garmin watches typically come with such a button, which proves useful when changing modes or views during an activity.
Compared to the regular Apple Watch, the rugged model’s chassis seems to be a bit thicker and bigger. This adds credence to rumors of the Apple Watch Pro featuring a larger 47mm casing.
The additional heft and size could make the Apple Watch Pro too big for people with small wrists.
Apple Watch Pro will be all about ruggedness
Photo: 91Mobiles
Despite its rugged exterior, the Apple Watch Pro is not expected to sport significant internal changes. Similarly, rumors indicate the Apple Watch Series 8 lineup won’t bring a speed boost over last year’s model. The Series 8’s S8 chip reportedly will have the same specs as the S7 SiP found inside Series 7.
Apple could add a new body temperature sensor to this year’s smartwatches. However, the sensor won’t measure your exact temperature. Instead, it reportedly will detect when you are running a fever and recommend talking to your doctor. The sensor also could enable fertility tracking.
We think the Apple Watch Pro is meant for endurance sports, not extreme sports.
