Apple Watch 2026: No Major Design Overhaul Expected?

According to Instant Digital, the Apple Watch is not expected to undergo any major design changes next year. The tech giant is set to continue its yearly update cycle into 2026 with the release of the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4, while the Apple Watch SE 3 will remain unchanged as the entry-level model. Following this, Apple may break from its annual refresh pattern for the subsequent update, which would come later than usual. Any major redesign might therefore not appear until after the twentieth anniversary iPhone in September 2027, and could even be pushed to 2028.

This assertion by Instant Digital calls for a tempering of claims made by DigiTimes in August, which suggested that Apple was planning a “significant redesign” for one of its next-year’s Apple Watch models. This included a new layout for the sensors on the back of the watch. However, more concrete details are awaited from reliable sources such as Mark Gurman or Ming-Chi Kuo. From the integration of Touch ID to the introduction of a new processor, further information about the 2026 lineup is available in this article.