Is Apple announcing a cheaper version of the Apple Watch?

It looks like Apple may be set to announce to host an event in September and among the products highlighted will be a new version of its popular Apple Watch smartwatches. Though much of the attention will be focused on the new Series 6, reliable tech leaker Komiya recently hinted on Twitter that there may also be a budget-friendly of the watch called the Apple Watch SE.

From the looks of things, Apple is hoping to repeat the formula it has taken with the iPhone SE, which was released back in May this year, and applying it to the Apple Watch.

The tipster said the Apple Watch SE is set to be released in March 2021 and will replace the ageing Series 3 watches. Currently, Apple is selling two versions of the Apple Watch: the Series 5 and Series 3. Cupertino’s has marketed the former as the premium smartwatch of the duo while the latter appeals to those who want an Apple Watch but can live without features like the Series 5’s Always On display feature.

It is also said to have the same price as the Apple Watch 3. Currently, the Series 3 retails for RM849 in Malaysia. For comparison, the higher end Series 5 watch retails from RM1,749 in Malaysia.

But what about specs? It is rumoured that it will feature an S6 processor and W4 wireless chip, an upgrade over the S5 processor and W3 chip found even on the current Series 5 models. These two chips are also expected to be used in the upcoming Apple Watch 6.

Apart from that Komiya stated that all models of the Apple Watch SE will come with 16GB of storage and will use Bluetooth 5.0 for connectivity. It is also said to use an “old design”, though Komiya did not specify which model this could be. Also, the Apple Watch SE could possibly come in 42mm size and be available in aluminium, differentiating it from the premium model’s stainless steel body.

Other features may include a digital crown that provide haptic feedback. For emergencies, the cellular models are said to feature international SOS calling.

It is interesting to see how Apple is slowly making its products more accessible to users by way of introducing more “SE” variants. In a sense, the Apple Watch SE could be the perfect companion device for the iPhone SE.

The iPhone SE uses the same A13 Bionic chip found on the iPhone 11 series. It also helps that the iPhone SE will receive up to five years of software support, which is much longer than the support you can expect to receive on similarly priced Android device.

[SOURCE]

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