The Apple Watch SE 3 will come in a plastic casing, if a noted source of Apple insider info is correct. Skipping the usual aluminum case will allow the wearable to come in a broad array of colors, potentially making it more appealing to younger buyers.
It’ll also likely be cheaper to make, which is important for Apple’s budget wearable.
More colors for Apple Watch SE 3
The current Apple Watch SE, released in 2022, comes in just three color options: midnight (black), starlight (goldish) and silver. Not a wide selection. Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman predicted Sunday that the next-generation version will have a plastic casing that “could allow for a better array of colors.” The prediction came in the for-pay section of Gurman’s Power On newsletter.
There were no predictions about possible hues, but iPhone 15 comes in blue, pink, yellow, green and black. Those wouldn’t make bad Apple Watch color options.
A children’s wearable
Gurman said expanding the number of color options could make the Apple Watch SE “more kid-friendly.”
Generally speaking, adults tend to be a bit conservative about the colors they wear. While someone might enjoy a brightly colored Apple Watch band, the color of the actual device is more muted. Adults know they can’t go to an important meeting wearing a blindingly purple watch, and want to be able to switch to a different band.
Kids don’t care. If they love purple, they want a purple watch.
And Apple Watch is an outstanding accessory for a child. Their school might ban iPhones, or the kid might forget it at a friend’s house, but with an Apple Watch and cellular connection, the parent always knows where their child is — the Watch has a built-in GPS. And the child can always text or make emergency phone calls.
Could be right around the corner
The Bloomberg prediction about a plastic Apple Watch SE didn’t include a release date. However, the original Apple Watch SE came out in 2020, and the last update followed two years later. With two more years passing since then, Apple Watch SE 3 could be on Apple’s agenda for September 2024.
The second-generation Apple Watch SE costs just $249. It’s not yet known if switching to plastic for Apple Watch SE 3 — assuming it happens — will allow Apple to charge less for the upcoming wearable or just give the company a higher profit margin.
