The Apple Watch Series 10 and iPhone 16 made 2024 a solid year for Apple, but there’s always room for improvement, especially with the Apple Watch. Here’s our wishlist for the future of Apple’s wearable.
Battery page on the Apple Watch Series 10.Apple Watch Series 10 battery indicator. Longer battery life is a top request for future Apple Watches.
Enhanced Battery Life
Despite a decade in the market, the Apple Watch (excluding the Ultra) still struggles with battery life, typically lasting around 18 hours. The Apple Watch Ultra boasts double that at 36 hours, but even that could be improved. It’s time for the standard Apple Watch series to offer more than a single day of usage. Competitors like the OnePlus Watch 2, with its impressive three-day battery life (or 12 days in Power Saver mode), demonstrate the potential for longer-lasting wearables. Even a two-day battery life would be a significant upgrade for the standard Apple Watch, paving the way for even greater endurance in the Ultra.
Flexible Charging Options
The Apple Watch Series 9 on charge.The current Apple Watch charging puck. Future models could benefit from more versatile charging options.
Many wearables, including the Apple Watch, rely on proprietary chargers. Why not leverage existing technology like MagSafe, already used for AirPods cases and iPhones? The ability to charge an Apple Watch with any wireless or MagSafe charger would be a welcome change. Another convenient solution would be to detach the charging puck from the cable, simplifying travel and reducing cable clutter, similar to the OnePlus Watch 2’s charging design.
A Fresh Design Aesthetic
Pixel Watch 3, Apple Watch Series 10, and Galaxy Watch 7 on a table.A comparison of smartwatch designs, highlighting the rounded square shape of the Apple Watch Series 10.
While the Apple Watch’s rounded square shape is iconic, it’s also become somewhat stale. The Series 10’s thinner profile was a positive step, but a more radical redesign is overdue. Circular smartwatches, like the Google Pixel Watch 3, offer a more classic and elegant aesthetic, even if it means slightly less screen real estate for displaying information. A fresh design would revitalize the Apple Watch and offer a welcome change.
Personalized Watch Faces
A person wearing the Apple Watch Series 9, showing the Snoopy watch faceThe Apple Watch Series 9 displaying a pre-installed watch face. Customizable watch faces are a highly anticipated feature.
While Apple offers a variety of watch faces, true customization is still lacking. Third-party apps provide workarounds, but they don’t integrate seamlessly with the Apple Watch ecosystem. The ability to create fully custom watch faces, similar to customizing the iPhone home screen, would unlock a new level of personalization and creativity.
Reimagined Band Attachment
Apple Watch Series 10 and the Apple Watch Series 3The band attachment mechanism on the Apple Watch Series 10 (left) and Apple Watch Series 3. A magnetic or universal attachment system could offer improved usability.
The current band attachment mechanism, while functional, can be fiddly. A magnetic system, mirroring the success of MagSafe on iPhones, would simplify band swapping. Alternatively, adopting universal 20mm watch straps, like Samsung’s Galaxy Watches, would dramatically expand strap options.
The Apple Watch Series 10 sitting on top of a green bush.The Apple Watch Series 10. Future iterations are expected to bring exciting new features and improvements.
The Future of Apple Watch
The Apple Watch Series 10 was a decent upgrade, but the future holds immense potential. While some of these desired features may seem like a long shot, improvements to battery life and charging are within reach. We’re eager to see what innovations the next generation of Apple Watch will bring.
