New assets found in the latest watchOS 6 beta suggests Apple has plans to debut new ceramic and titanium Apple Watch Series 5 models as early as September.
The assets, which were discovered by iHelpBR, belong to the initial Apple Watch setup screen animation, which offers a rendering of the rear design of the watch, including the model type, and the words “Designed by Apple in California.”
As seen above, the firmware assets reference a 44mm titanium case and a 44mm ceramic case. The assets also indicate a 40mm titanium case and a 40mm ceramic case are on the way.
Well-connected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in February predicted Apple would introduce a “new ceramic casing design” to the Apple Watch lineup. Today’s report jibes with that prediction.
Apple debuted ceramic “Edition” models alongside the debut of the Apple Watch Series 2. Edition model pricing started at $1,299. The offering continued through the Series 3 lineup, but the Cupertino firm discontinued the offering as of the Series 4 launch last year.
While current Apple Watches do sport a ceramic back, the new assets indicate a fully ceramic Apple Watch is on the way. A new titanium model also appears to be on the way. The new titanium model could be a replacement for the current stainless steel models, or could be offered as an additional offering.
While a Series 5 offering is expected this year, iHelpBR notes that these files are within the operating system intended for the Series 4, which brings into question if there will be a new generation lineup of Watches released this year.
Apple is expected to debut its new 2019 iPhone lineup on September 10, and the new APple Watch lineup will likely be unveiled alongside the new handsets.
