Given the relatively small incremental features from S4 through to S6 and S7 primarily just a larger display, are you expecting a major upgrade for AW S8?

Other than blood glucose monitoring, I'm not sure there is anything else they can add. And frankly blood glucose monitoring may still be a year out...so will it essentially be the same as an S7 but with the squared-off edge design?

Would be revolutionary if they can get the blood glucose test actually working given the years of anyone attempting to develop a non-invasive way. I would believe it when I see it. Would FDA even approve it is a legitimate reading?

I don't consider some of the changes incremental. The always on display was huge for how I use my watch in some scenarios.

I think we will get a new sensor and that is about it. Apple after the 7 will use this screen size and case design for at least 3 years.

I honestly don't really know what features could be included, except a SoC with faster CPU and probably a new health sensor (which seems to be body temperature). I think that we are still a few years away from non-invasive blood glucose monitoring so I'm not holding my breath on this one.

I also agree that the S7 design will last probably for 3 or 4 generations before going to a new design like the rumoured squared edges.

Honestly, Apple Watch is already a mature product, and the year on year improvements are minimal. I don't see anything that would be a game changer in near future, except blood monitoring or something like a one week battery life, which I doubt I'll ever see in AW.

the watch, like the phone has reached its peak. outside of better battery, new sensor, brighter display, there isnt much to do. The Watch and phone need innovation and sadly apple just isnt that company anymore.

I don't have high expectations. Apple is about modest, incremental updates. I don't let rumors and forum ferver get the best of me.

I doubt it’d change that much. I think eventually we could see that flat square design like the iPhone 12 and 13’s, but even that wouldn’t be anything drastic imo.

I’ll take a decent battery life update. It would be nice to charge it once or twice a week.

same sizes/formfactor, different colors/materials, body temp, blood pressure and maybe early diabetes risk warning, but definitely not blood glucose monitoring (as in CGM)

My only wish is that it includes a new cellular chip that covers more bands (specifically 71). Band 71 is the one that T Mo uses to blanket the US, and there are outdoor areas around where I live that I get no cell service on the watch, but solid service on my phone (which has Band 71).

Howard2k said:

I’ll take a decent battery life update. It would be nice to charge it once or twice a week.

I hate to do this, esp today on xmas day, but that is not going to happen, maybe they will up it from 18 to 20hrs but no more.
Having said that, wish that your wish comes true and happy holidays

9512tacoma said:

I think we will get a new sensor and that is about it. Apple after the 7 will use this screen size and case design for at least 3 years.

fwmireault said:

I honestly don't really know what features could be included, except a SoC with faster CPU and probably a new health sensor (which seems to be body temperature). I think that we are still a few years away from non-invasive blood glucose monitoring so I'm not holding my breath on this one.

I also agree that the S7 design will last probably for 3 or 4 generations before going to a new design like the rumoured squared edges.

Honestly, Apple Watch is already a mature product, and the year on year improvements are minimal. I don't see anything that would be a game changer in near future, except blood monitoring or something like a one week battery life, which I doubt I'll ever see in AW.

Click to expand...

I can't see them keeping the same basic shape for another 3 years.
I kind of think they'll go with a new form factor next year.
I realize the case shape of the S7 is different, but it's so subtle that it basically looks the same as the S6.

I see the S7 is a one of kind of a special edition watch and Apple's implementation of a larger display.
They'll simply carryover the display technology over the S8 but change up the casing.

I’m genuinely interested in how Garmin can get approx 10 days on their Venu 2 (always-on turned off) and Apple can only get 2-3 days.

A Youtuber also suggested Fitbit (now owned by Google) might get 5 days in it’s next iteration under Wear OS3.

If they’re all using OLED displays, and similar resolutions, is WatchOS a power hog? I’d love to see Apple get somewhere closer to 5-7 days in the next few generations.

satchmo said:

I’m genuinely interested in how Garmin can get approx 10 days on their Venu 2 (always-on turned off) and Apple can only get 2-3 days.

A Youtuber also suggested Fitbit (now owned by Google) might get 5 days in it’s next iteration under Wear OS3.

If they’re all using OLED displays, and similar resolutions, is WatchOS a power hog? I’d love to see Apple get somewhere closer to 5-7 days in the next few generations.

Click to expand...

How often do those watches update their companion phone app? How about notifications from the phone to the watch, do they get the same range of notifications as the Apple watch? I'm not asking this rhetorically, I genuinely don't know. But it is the first thing that comes to mind when trying to think what Apple watch might be spending power on that other smartwatches don't.

satchmo said:

I’m genuinely interested in how Garmin can get approx 10 days on their Venu 2 (always-on turned off) and Apple can only get 2-3 days.

A Youtuber also suggested Fitbit (now owned by Google) might get 5 days in it’s next iteration under Wear OS3.

If they’re all using OLED displays, and similar resolutions, is WatchOS a power hog? I’d love to see Apple get somewhere closer to 5-7 days in the next few generations.

Click to expand...

My guess is that the Apple Watch has to power a full colour display, the screen is always on, and it’s likely doing a lot more processing in the background.

Sullivan0930 said:

the watch, like the phone has reached its peak. outside of better battery, new sensor, brighter display, there isnt much to do. The Watch and phone need innovation and sadly apple just isnt that company anymore.

I’m not sure what innovation you’d like to see if you already stated that there isn’t much to do on these products anymore.

ericwn said:

I’m not sure what innovation you’d like to see if you already stated that there isn’t much to do on these products anymore.

something innovative like the first iphone compared to the phones we were using at the time. im not sure what that idea is yet but im also not an inventor/engineer.

Sullivan0930 said:

something innovative like the first iphone compared to the phones we were using at the time. im not sure what that idea is yet but im also not an inventor/engineer.

While I think we all like surprises in reality the watch won’t get completely reinvented again. Just like iPhones these are products that appear relatively mature already. Time will tell.

Sullivan0930 said:

something innovative like the first iphone compared to the phones we were using at the time. im not sure what that idea is yet but im also not an inventor/engineer.

I'm sorry but it doesn't make sense to compare the first iPhone to a Apple Watch series 7 to 8 upgrade.


The iPhone was revolutionary, cause it made smartphones useable. However, it took 3-5 years for it to really change society. Many applications that changed lives came in the time from like 2010 to 2015, such as Uber. But this was already not really due to Apple innovating at the time, it was due to iPhones becoming more powerful, allowing apps, 4G speed and consumers as well as other companies using the tech. Also, at this point it was not really just Apple anymore.

I do think that after we got the iPhones, nothing has changed society as much anymore, from any company. iPads in the end were either bigger phones, or more portable and easy to use computers. The Apple Watch is has an impact on people's lives and is useful, as are AirPods, but they did not change society as much.

It's silly to expect such a change in society as smartphones did from a company every year.

AR/VR has the potential do change society in radical ways again, as do self driving cars. But Apple's contribution to this is still in the future.

I’ll upgrade to a series 8 and my sole expectation is that it will have a better battery than my series 5 which is rather gash of late.

The-Real-Deal82 said:

I’ll upgrade to a series 8 and my sole expectation is that it will have a better battery than my series 5 which is rather gash of late.

My 5 has never been great tbh, exactly 1 year old and 88% health.

Monkswhiskers said:

My 5 has never been great tbh, exactly 1 year old and 88% health.

Mine is now 2 years old and mine is: By 10pm it’s at at 10% usually.

Also have a 5 here, with battery life at 82%. I’m going to replace the battery when it hits 80% and then wait to see what enhancements they bring to the 8. If it’s a big change, I’ll upgrade. If not, I’ll hang into the 5 for another year.

I'm guessing they'll probably keep the Series 7's design for the Series 8 and 9 just like how they've kept the same design for three generations (Series 0/1,2,3 and Series 4,5,6). That would also give Apple the opportunity to introduce a brand new design for the 10th generation Apple Watch (Series X??) and we might even see the squared edges design then.