Apple Watch 8, Pro and SE 2 leaks live, the most likely specs discussed

Here's an interesting one – you can see from these purported designs and cases for the upcoming Apple Watch Pro that the design could be more square in shape, as Apple looks to make this watch more rugged.

I'm not convinced that will be what actually emerges, as previously I've had cases for smaller Apple Watches (as far back as the original Apple Watch) that were square in shape, but only to protect a more rounded side.

Take this idea of a ‘new shape' with a pinch of salt – I think Apple wants to keep things consistent with the new Watch Pro.

A quick break in proceedings to remind you to polish your current Apple Watch. 

Moving on to the Apple Watch SE 2, which is also likely to debut at this year's Apple Event, and there’s lots to talk about. Published this morning, our writer caught a news story around Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman who reckons the original SE’s S5 chipset will be upgraded to the S8, leading to what our writer calls a “significant power and efficiency boost”. 

However, other upgrades will be left to the Apple Watch 8 and Apple Watch Pro, according to Gurman. This is to be expected – after all, you don’t make a cheap version of your best-selling watch while packing it with all the most expensive parts. 

We’re likely to see smaller screens on the SE 2 and less of an upgrade in the battery stakes, with the watch otherwise reflecting some of the sensor and screen advancements that have come since the original SE. T

The original was priced at $279 / £260 / AU$429 for the 40mm model, with LTE and larger sizes costing more. We expect a similar price structure here, albeit amended slightly to reflect the rising cost of post-COVID production. 

Given the prices you can get older or refurbished Apple Watches these days, I always felt the SE – essentially a little behind the then-current crop of watches when it debuted in September 2020 – was quite expensive for what it was. A price freeze, keeping the SE at the same price as its predecessor, would really keep it competitive and truly make it an Apple Watch for everyone. 

What do you think: would this design get you excited to run your next 10k, or send you running away from Apple in disgust? FrontPageTech's Ian Zelbo (opens in new tab) believes this is what the Apple Watch Pro is going to look like. And it looks… robust. 

The more prominent crown and buttons mentioned in previous leaks are certainly present here, and that enormous button section might even hint towards a bumper bit of tech crammed into that extra real estate. Touch ID, maybe? 

Zelbo is ‘basically 100% confident' this is going to be the final design, but even at this late stage, renders are guesses at best. However, I can see a silicone casing fitting well around this design to match the band and provide an extra layer of durability. 

What’s inside the Apple Watch Pro? We can’t wait to find out, but we’re certainly expecting improved battery life in order to last at least two days at a time, giving you plenty of time in GPS mode to last for those long, perhaps even multi-day hikes and trails. We’re not expecting Garmin Enduro 2 levels here, but certainly a couple of days. 

That bigger battery will also be able to take full advantage of watchOS 9’s improvements in sleep tracking, potentially able to last a few nights on a single charge. Other leaks indicate the watch might be able to detect whether it has received water damage, and alert you if it'll be an issue, an indication Apple is expecting heavy water sport usage if true. 

A triathlete-orientated Apple Watch, perfect for taking you from your surfboard to your trail run, and finally to bed, able to do it all again day after day? We can dream.

With all this tech, we wouldn't be surprised to find the processor is the same S8 as the main Apple Watch 8. After all, the Pro will need to be running the same watchOS 9 as the rest of the range, which means the new running power, running coach and other fitness tools are already built-in. The requirement for improved hardware elsewhere, especially in the battery stakes, won't leave much room for a boost in computing power, especially if Apple wants to keep the price sensible. 

Apple Watch Pro: Bigger and better?

The Apple Watch Pro, otherwise known as the Apple Watch Rugged Edition, has been heavily rumored to arrive with the Apple Watch 8 for a while now, and it’s set to be a watch geared more heavily towards athletes.

Aiming to eat into Garmin and Polar’s territory, the Apple Watch Pro looks set to follow the same design ethos as the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, which had on-wrist GPS directions, a trackback feature to help you return to the starting point of your route, improved battery for weekend warriors and raised bezels to protect the screen. 

The Apple Watch Pro will be more expensive than the Apple Watch 8, although by how much we simply don’t know yet. A MacRumors leak showcasing a new accessory case hints at a redesigned chassis with a more protruding crown and buttons. 

Much like Fitbit added the tactile button back to the Versa 4 and Sense 2, bigger buttons are easier to operate in the midst of a tough workout, and larger screen real estate (maybe up to 50mm, as previously mentioned) is better for showing off route maps.  Japanese website Mac Otakara, on the other hand, claims it’ll be a still-impressive 47mm.

The Apple Watch 8 looks set to be the best yet if leaks and rumors are to be believed and is likely to set you back around $399 / £369 / AU$599.

If the Apple Watch 8 is coming with both a cheaper SE and more expensive Pro, it’s unlikely there will be drastic changes this go-round. Rumors have said we could see screens as large as 50mm and significant battery improvements, but if a Pro is on the horizon, such sweeping changes will probably be reserved for that premium model. 

Instead, we’re looking at a more iterative upgrade, with innards consisting of a small bump from the S7 to S8 processor, similar screen sizes to the Apple Watch 7, the usual choice of cellular and wi-fi models, and an array of colorways that are apparently unlikely to match the iPhone 14 ones, according to MacRumors (opens in new tab).

What it might have, that intrigues me, is a new skin temperature sensor added to its existing array. Other brands like Fitbit already use one of these, which is incredibly useful for detecting changes in stress levels and improving the accuracy of sleep tracking. However, while it might indicate whether you’re suffering from a fever, it’s not good enough to be medically accurate as it’s got no way to check your internal core temperature. 

I really want to see how Apple markets this new sensor; whether it'll be used to further refine and improve sleep tracking, or a more medical, illness-related use is touted. The one problem there is getting approval from governing bodies such as the US Food and Drug Administration, a fiendishly difficult process.  

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman also claimed that the Apple Watch 8 will have “major updates to activity tracking” and a faster chipset.