Macworld
Back when Apple released the Apple Watch Series 10, it made a big deal about the “refined design” that was “nearly 10 percent thinner than Apple Watch Series 7, Series 8, and Series 9.” It also brought a bigger screen that made the whole package seem sleeker and more refined on your wrist.
Now Apple is moving in the other direction. If you buy an Apple Watch Series 12, you’re getting the same 42mm (374 by 446 pixels) or 46mm (374 by 446 pixels) screen, but the case is 1mm wider than the Series 10 and 11, making the screen appear smaller in pictures due to larger bezels. Here are the specs:
Apple Watch Series 12
- 42mm by 37mm by 9.7mm (42mm)
- 46mm by 40mm by 9.7mm (46mm)
Apple Watch Series 10/11
- 42mm by 36mm by 9.7mm (42mm)
- 46mm by 39mm by 9.7mm (46mm)
That’s not a huge difference on paper, of course, but it feels like a step backwards. As you can see in the image above comparing the Series 12 (left) with the Series 11 (center), and Series 9 (right), the bezels are much more pronounced. Normally a year-to-year change wouldn’t be an issue for most people, but the new watches have a bunch of cool features exclusive to the newer models that might entice Series 10 or 11 upgraders, and they’re going to get a watch that looks older than the one they just had.
There’s no obvious reason why the new watches should have larger cases. Other than a new heart-rate sensor, the specs and physical features are the same, and the new chip would seemingly be more efficient than the previous model.
We’ve heard rumors for years that Apple is working on a major Apple Watch redesign, with the latest rumors saying it’s finally coming next year. Let’s hope so, because the current design is going the wrong way.