Consistently reliable KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reports today (via 9to5Mac) that the next-generation Apple Watch — likely to be called the Apple Watch Series 4 — will improve upon its predecessor’s screen, battery, and health tracking performance. While offering only scant details, Kuo suggests that the new watch will feature a “more trendy form factor design,” enabling Apple to increase sales by around 30 percent over the past year.
Most interestingly, Kuo’s report says that the new watches will each have a 15 percent larger display, as well as larger battery capacity. While the report doesn’t go into additional detail on either feature, it is likely that these changes will fit within similar footprints to the current Apple Watches, rather than shrinking them. All prior models have been sold in 38mm and 42mm sizes, and used batteries that fill virtually all of the space not occupied by screens and logic boards. Reducing the Watch’s currently large bezels could enable the screen to be more prominent, while guaranteeing compatibility with existing bands.
Kuo is unspecific on the health tracking upgrades, but apparently believes that new sensors “beyond heart rate monitoring” will make it into the Series 4 watches. Apple has spent years researching a variety of different possible sensor additions to the Apple Watch, reportedly including everything from an EKG reader to glucose testing.
Unsurprisingly, the analyst believes that the new models will debut this fall. Apple just announced a series of new spring Apple Watch bands, including new Nike+ and premium leather Hermès options, last week.
