Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says Apple is working on a new version of its low-cost Apple Watch SE with a plastic casing.
Gurman‘s comments came in Sunday’s edition of his “Power On” newsletter.
The company is also working on a new version of its lower-cost Apple Watch SE model, which it last updated in 2022. One idea that the company has tested is swapping out the aluminum shell in favor of rigid plastic. Perhaps it’s looking to get the cost down to something that could better rival Samsung’s cheapest watch, the $199 Galaxy Watch FE. The SE currently starts at $249.
Apple has in the past used a plastic casing on a product aimed at a smaller budget. In 2013, Apple released its iPhone 5C, which sported a plastic casing. Apple offered the iPhone 5C in multiple color options. The device did not please everyone, however, as critics complained that the plastic case was a step down from the usual iPhone metal finishes of previous iPhone models while having a still expensive price point.