Apple’s iPhone event is just around the corner, so there are likely new wearable accessories coming in tow. We’re expecting a new Apple Watch, if leaks are to be believed. As a result, we’re likely to see an existing model or two get the boot. Here’s a reminder not to buy the Apple Watch Series 3, which won’t support the latest version of watchOS.
We understand if you’re eager to upgrade without waiting to see what’s new. But go for the SE and not the Apple Watch Series 3, at least. MacRumors reminds us that the watch is likely to be discontinued, given its lack of support for the new OS version.
Frankly, we’ve been warning you about this for two years now, since the Series 3 turned three years old. Initially launched in 2017, it is now five years old. You would never buy a five-year-old Android smartwatch (or I wouldn’t, at least), so why would you do the same with the Apple Watch?
The Apple Watch Series 3 is currently the oldest — and cheapest — watch on the Apple roster. Despite its enticing $AU299 price tag, it is less capable than Apple’s more modern entry-level smartwatch, the Apple Watch SE, and it’s a few generations behind the latest flagship watch, the Apple Watch Series 7.
The next Apple Watch, meanwhile, may introduce various new fitness-centric capabilities. We’re talking real-time stamina tracking, longer water resistance, and possibly even fever detection. There is also reason to believe Apple will launch a “pro” watch variant to compete with Garmin’s rugged smartwatches and now Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 5 Pro.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman also reported earlier this summer that there might be a new Apple Watch SE with an upgraded processor, which would be the first time the entry-level version of Apple’s wearable is equipped with the latest chip — one of the upsides of making your own silicon. Another reason not to buy the Series 3, even if you’re budget minded.
We’ll know more about what’s next on Apple’s wearables roster in two weeks, so hang tight.