Apple Preps New Watches as Consumers Embrace Connected Health

Apple’s next big product rollout will likely feature the latest version of the iPhone.

However, the tech giant’s flagship device may not be alone on the stage, MacRumors reported Monday (Aug. 28).

For example, the report said, Apple is expected to release the Apple Watch Series 9, a new version focused on upgrades to the device’s S-series chips, thus improving performance.

However, the rest of the device will likely “be effectively the same as the Apple Watch Series 8,” MacRumors said.

Apple did not immediately reply to PYMNTS’ request for comment.

Apple could also debut a new version of its Apple Watch Ultra, a lighter version of what is its biggest, top-of-the-line timepiece, per the report.

(The remainder of MacRumor’s list focused on new accessories, such as iPhone cases and watchbands.)

Meanwhile, Apple’s 10th anniversary Apple Watch wearable, set to debut commercially in 2024 or 2025, will let users monitor their blood pressure. Now more than ever, consumers are interested in keeping track of their health, according to PYMNTS research.

“The way consumers view their health has never been hands-off, but now it is increasingly — and literally — more hands-on, and digital, than ever before,” PYMNTS wrote last month. “More connected health monitoring solutions have the potential to lead to faster treatment, in turn producing better and more repeatable outcomes while helping to foster a proactive and informed approach to health and wellness.”

The digital landscape is altering how people engage with their well-being.

The PYMNTS study “How the World Does Digital” showed that throughout the last year, the number of consumers engaging in daily digital activities climbed 6.5%, with every age and income group upping their digital engagement.

Meanwhile, Apple is also bulking up the generative artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities of its mobile devices, and hiring dozens of employees with large language model expertise to do so.

“We view AI and machine learning as core fundamental technologies that are integral to virtually every product that we build,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said on an earnings earlier this month.