Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Apple’s third-gen Apple Watch SE may not launch anytime soon, with the device running into “serious jeopardy.” Rumors have indicated Apple will switch to a plastic casing with the next Apple Watch SE refresh.
However, this move might have backfired, with the company’s design and operations team not happy with the outcome.
Apple Watch SE 3’s plastic casing becomes a cause for concern
Several reports over the past year suggest Apple will launch a more “kid-friendly” version of the Apple Watch SE 3. It would seemingly feature a lightweight plastic body and come in various vibrant colors to appeal to younger users.
One leak even suggested Apple using recycled plastic recovered from the ocean, making the Apple Watch SE 3 the first carbon-negative product.
It turns out this plastic casing has put the upcoming Apple Watch SE refresh in “serious jeopardy.” Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman, in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, claims Apple’s design team doesn’t like the look.” Worse, the company’s operations team has struggled to make the plastic casing cheaper than aluminum. This could undermine Apple’s decision to switch to plastic for its next Apple Watch SE.
It’s unclear if Apple will delay the Apple Watch SE 3’s launch due to these challenges or proceed with its release later this year.
Apple Watch team struggling with blood-pressure tracking
The Apple Watch SE 3 isn’t Apple’s only concern. The company’s watch team has also encountered challenges while testing blood-pressure tracking technology for future models.
Blood pressure monitoring was initially rumored to debut on the Apple Watch Series 10 last year, but that did not happen. Given the issues Apple’s engineering team faces with the technology, it may not debut on this year’s Apple Watch model either.
