It's bulking season for the Apple Watch

(Image credit: TechRadar)

Rumors of a beefier, athlete-focused Apple Watch have been making the rounds in the run-up to the launch of the iPhone 14 and other devices this week, and a fresh set of design leaks have added more fuel to the fire. 

Tipsters Sonny Dickson and UnclePan have shared new images (on Twitter (opens in new tab) and Weibo (opens in new tab), respectively) that supposedly detail a series of third-party accessories for the still tentatively named Apple Watch Pro. Crucially, these silicone-looking cases feature cutouts that, if accurate, corroborate previous rumors touting the addition of an entirely new button and a larger display on the hotly-anticipated wearable. 

The cases in question also feature a significant right-side protrusion that would appear to accommodate a larger digital crown, one designed to be more easily accessible to fast-moving outdoor users (read: hardcore athletes). Check out the images for yourself below. 

As well as boasting a new button and larger digital crown, the Apple Watch Pro will reportedly feature a noticeably larger display, too, one that allows users to view fitness and health-tracking data at the same time. 

That’s according to Bloomberg’s chief Apple reporter, Mark Gurman, who claims that the Pro model – which is expected to be a beefed-up version of the Apple Watch 8 – will also arrive with redesigned watch faces and a new low-power mode.

It’s worth clarifying that Apple itself has made no official mention of an Apple Watch Pro just yet, but we’re confident of its existence, in one guise or another, given the amount of promising leaks we’ve seen in recent weeks. It’s a product that seems a logical next step for Apple, too, since the company has introduced Pro versions into almost all of its mainstream product groups (think iPhones, MacBooks and AirPods). 

We’re expecting an official announcement for the device at the brand’s upcoming Apple Event, scheduled for September 7, at which we also anticipate the unveiling of the Apple Watch SE 2 and Apple Watch Series 8. 

TechRadar will be attending in-person and dialing in from various parts of the world, so stay tuned for all the latest news, hands-on reviews and analysis from one of this year’s most hotly-anticipated tech events.

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