For some time now we have been listening to rumors concerning the Apple Watch 8 Rugged Version, a brand new top-tier spin-off of the upcoming Apple Watch 8 which is supposedly constructed for outside and endurance actions (therefore the title).
Now, a dependable leaker has supplied some juicy particulars concerning the upcoming smartwatch which has us excited.
This leaker is Mark Gurman, a reputation doubtless well-known by tech followers for his observe report on Apple product leaks, who has, in his weekly Energy On publication (opens in new tab), shared numerous details about Apple’s latest Watch shake-up.
Apparently, this Garmin-rivalling wearable will tout some intruiging options, primarily mountain climbing and swimming ones which ought to attraction to those that prefer to go long-distance walks or courageous the wild waters.
The design can also be stated to be a giant promoting level with a shatter-resistant display and a premium metallic shell (doubtless titanium, in response to Gurman), plus the battery life is alleged to have a lift too – presumably over the Watch 7, though that is not clear.
Intruigingly, Gurman thinks that the Apple Watch 8 Rugged Version (or Watch Excessive, Max, Explorer or Professional – there are numerous names being circulated by leakers and Gurman cites all of them) will solely are available in a cell-enabled model, eschewing the extra reasonably priced Bluetooth-only connection model that customary Apple Watches are available in.
Gurman additionally mentions one thing that he, and different leakers, have talked about myriad instances now: this Rugged wearable can even come alongside a normal Watch 8 and the Apple Watch SE 2, although they definitely sound like much less attention-grabbing fashions.
Evaluation: a well-needed Apple Watch shake-up
Even in comparison with different Apple merchandise, the Watch sequence is one which takes to coronary heart the concept of ‘iterative updates’. Every new member of the household simply brings a number of tweaks and adjustments to the earlier one, and we not often see large overhauls.
That sounds prefer it’ll be totally different this yr, because the Apple Watch 8 Rugged Version might be the most important shake-up we have seen to the household for the reason that first machine launched in 2015.
If the tone of this text wasn’t clear sufficient already, that is definitely a superb factor: low-cost smartwatches have quickly caught as much as Apple’s ones, providing related options (each by way of health and smartphone connectivity) at a fraction of the value. The brand new Excessive mannequin may give Apple an edge up over the competitors, and make Apple Watches attention-grabbing once more to the non Apple fan.
One situation might be Gurman’s worth guess, which is $900-$999. That is rather a lot for a smartwatch – greater than most individuals would decide to pay.
So we’ll want to attend till the likely-September launch of the Apple Watch 8 Rugged Version to see how good it’s, but when the function leaks are proper (however the worth is not), this might be destined for a excessive spot in our record of the perfect Apple Watches.
