According to iPhoneSoft, Apple is considering shaking up this year’s Watch Series release by skipping the Watch Series 9. iPhoneSoft is the only source for this information currently, so we would recommend treating it with some skepticism for now. Supposedly, the company has already informed parts of its supply chain of the change, from whom iPhoneSoft claims to have obtained its exclusive information.
Citing Luxshare, an Apple supplier since 2011, iPhoneSoft alleges that Apple will jump from Watch Series 8 to Watch X or Watch Series X, mirroring the release of the iPhone X in 2017. The website argues that Apple will use this year’s Watch Series launch to mention the ten Apple Watch generations. For reference, Apple did not adopt its ‘Series’ nomenclature until the second-generation Apple Watch. In other words, the Watch Series 8 is the ninth-generation Apple Watch, excluding the Watch SE, Watch SE 2 and the Watch Ultra.
There are plenty of reasons why MacRumors considers this rumor ‘sketchy’. Apple used ‘X’ to celebrate the iPhone’s 10th anniversary, not its 10th generation. Strictly speaking, the iPhone X was Apple’s 12th iPhone, the original iPhone SE notwithstanding. Apple is not expected to make any major design changes to this year’s Apple Watch either, with MicroLED panels rumored for 2024 instead. Hence, it would be surprising if iPhoneSoft is onto something with the Watch X or Watch Series X.
Prior to writing and translating for Notebookcheck, I worked for various companies including Apple and Neowin. I have a BA in International History and Politics from the University of Leeds, which I have since converted to a Law Degree. Happy to chat on Twitter or Notebookchat.
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