Apple Watch 2 vs. Apple Watch 1: What Will Be The Difference?

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With Apple set to launch the iPhone 7 next month, the rumor mill is as active as ever talking about the possibility of an Apple Watch 2 being announced too. However, at the moment, there has been no mention of this from Apple, and information about the smartwatch is very thin on the ground. So in this article, I am going to piece together some of those rumors and compare them to the first Apple Watch.

Apple Watch 2 vs. Apple Watch 1: What Will Be The Difference?

Apple Watch 2 Size

Since the beginning of August, there has been one rumor about the Apple Watch 2 which seems to have stuck. This rumor suggests that Apple’s next smartwatch could be thinner than its predecessor. Apparently TPK Holding told DigiTimes that Apple is planning on ditching the glass-on-glass panel and instead going with a one-glass solution. This would enable Apple to use a small amount of extra space inside the watch’s frame.

Some technology bloggers are suggesting that this means the Apple Watch 2 could be up to 40% thinner than the previous watch.

As it currently stands, the original Apple Watch’s dimensions depend on which variation you purchase. However, unlike traditional watch makers, Apple measures the Apple watch vertically, with the smaller watch being 38.6mm long and 33.3mm wide and the larger being 42mm long and 35.9mm wide.

Design

With the current Apple Watch, there are only minor design differences which differentiate the Sports, Steel, and Edition models from each other. Because Apple chose to go down the route of offering different bands as a way of enabling watch owners to personalize them, many critics were far from happy when they came to review the device.

As for the Apple Watch 2, the company is said to be introducing new variants which could be placed between the expensive Steel option and the lower cost Sport. However, it is currently unclear as to how these models will differ from the models already on sale. One rumor came in April from Apple analyst Ming-Cho Kuo of KGI Securities.

At that time, he stated, “Apple Watch 2 might not actually adopt a new design, with only the internals getting some love from Apple.”

Watch straps

The straps, for the Apple Watch 2 could become multi-functional. First reported by Apple Insider, Apple has filed a patent for a “Magnetic Wristband” that details a magnetic band for the Apple Watch/Apple Watch 2 that has additional functionality.

The idea of the strap is that it would wrap around a user’s wrist and then magnetically lock; however, when taking off the watch, the strap would wrap around the watch body and protect it. Furthermore, the strap could double as a nightstand, which uses Apple’s nightstand mode.

Compared to the bling-only nature of the current Apple Watch straps, this could make the price of these things somewhat worth paying for.

Apple Watch chip

Could the Apple Watch 2 be the recipient of a brand new ultra-tiny CPU built specifically for smartwatches? Called the ARM Cortex A32, this should be the CPU Apple incorporates into the Apple Watch 2. ARM processors have long been chosen by Apple to sit at the heart of its SoCs (Systems-on-a-chip), and it has used them under the names of A and S. So it’s not difficult to believe that we could see Apple doing this again.

The A32CPU will give the Apple Watch 2 improved battery life when compared to its predecessor, plus faster performance. All-in-all, it is 25% faster than the current Cortex-A7, and Cortex-A5 CPUs, and as such, it will provide a better environment for embedded applications and improved power management.

Final thoughts

For me, with the Apple Watch 2, Apple has a chance to improve significantly upon what was an untested market for it with the first watch. So I would be extremely disappointed with Apple if its next watch did not substantially improve on it. One big improvement I would like to see is the inclusion of cellular connectivity, as removing the need for the Apple Watch to be connected to the iPhone is the next big step in its evolution from being merely an expensive iPhone accessory to a standalone device.

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