Earlier this month, I was overly excited at the new rumors from Mark Gurman that Apple is planning a major redesign for the Apple Watch next year, allegedly called Apple Watch X.
To mark the tenth anniversary of the world’s most successful smartwatch, it looks like Apple will revolutionize the Apple Watch in the same way that the iPhone X did for iPhone in 2017.
Now, a redesign makes a lot of sense for the Apple Watch, especially as the overall design has remained fairly similar since the Series 4 almost half a decade ago. Yes, we’ve had larger screens and faster processors, but the core identity of the Apple Watch has remained the same.
I think we all love fresh designs and new visions of the products we use daily, so the thought of an overhaul to the Apple Watch is very exciting to me. But it also got me thinking about what I would want an Apple Watch X to look like.
And honestly, apart from making the watch face round for the sake of making a greater impression, I’d want Apple to simply take what the company has learned from the Apple Watch Ultra and adapt it to the wider lineup. That said, there’s one problem I’ve had with the Apple Watch since the very first Series 0, and Apple needs to fix it, or the Watch X will just be another annual update to me.
Scratch, scratch baby
I’ve owned a variety of Apple Watches over the years – from stainless steel to aluminum models. And there’s one glaring issue I’ve always found when I opt for the aluminum version over the sturdier and more premium steel one — the screen gets incredibly scratched.
Now, before you go crazy in the comments and tell me I need to be more careful, hear me out. I’m not a clumsy person, and I also don’t use my watch for any impact sports, so how come the stainless steel models I’ve owned with the sapphire glass have lasted for years whilst my regular Series 7 looks like I’ve rubbed it against sandpaper and glass?
A watch sits on your wrist, so naturally, it’s going to bang against walls, doors, jacket sleeves, and more. But if Apple brought stronger glass to the regular model of the Apple Watch, it would make the product feel like it could last more than just a year or two. I kid you not when I say that my Apple Watch looks like it has been through hell, and I swear I’m very protective over what I own.
“Just buy a case,” you suggest. Well, actually, no. I don’t want a bulky case on my Watch, and if I did, I’d just opt for an Apple Watch Ultra that sure as hell would survive my daily life.
The scratches really impact the enjoyment of the beautiful 45mm Always-On-Display of my Series 7, and it makes me use my Watch less and less because of how unenjoyable it is to look at when light hits the screen.
Apple Watch X to the rescue
There’s an easy fix for my recurring scratched Apple Watch — make the X more premium by adding a higher quality ceramic coating or sapphire crystal glass like the more expensive stainless steel and Ultra Apple Watches.
iPhones have gotten more and more impressive in the sturdiness department every year, and my iPhone 14 Pro has no scratches or cracks after 11 months, despite not having a case. Considering how impressive the Ceramic Shield is on the best iPhone, it feels like the Ion-X front of the Apple Watch just isn’t up to par. Apple could also improve on the sturdiness of the 100% recycled aluminum by opting for another material that doesn’t scratch or chip as easily.
And, if that means a slightly higher price, then so be it, with the cost of living crisis, we’ve seen Apple products in the UK at least get price bumps overnight, so if we’re paying more to begin with, at least make the products more durable.
If the X wants to revolutionize the Apple Watch, then fixing one of the biggest issues to plague the regular models is, in my opinion, far more impactful than a round redesign.
So please, Apple, answer my prayers and stop scratching up my wrist because I love my Apple Watch, and it breaks my heart to see it in so much pain.