Apple Watch rumored 2027 redesign with new band system

A significant redesign of the standard Apple Watch is rumored to be planned for 2027, according to a series of posts from a known leaker on the Chinese social media platform Weibo. The leaker, who uses the name Instant Digital, claims the overhaul will center on a new band attachment system, a change that would break compatibility with all existing Apple Watch bands for the first time since the device's 2015 debut.

The leaker advised that anyone intending to purchase a new Apple Watch next year should hold off on buying additional bands in the meantime. The purported redesign is said to create more internal space, allowing for a larger battery within a similarly sized case. The claims revive long-standing speculation about a so-called "Apple Watch X" model, which was previously rumored for the device's 10th anniversary in 2024 but never materialized.

This year's upcoming Apple Watch releases are not expected to bring such dramatic changes. The Apple Watch Series 12, anticipated this fall alongside new iPhone models, is widely reported to be a more incremental update, retaining the current design introduced with the Series 10 in 2024. Meanwhile, the Apple Watch Ultra 4, also...