When the Apple Watch Series 8 goes live this fall, it will have a new “extra-large” model that will be 47 mm in size. Throughout the evolution of the Apple Watch, Apple has offered a variety of case materials, band materials, and sizes, but the device lineup has remained at two size tiers. The Apple Watch Series 8 will change that.
The first three generations of Apple Watch had cases measuring 38 mm and 42 mm; the fourth through sixth generation cases measured 40 mm and 44 mm, respectively. Apple has expanded the size slightly to 41 mm and 45 mm on the Apple Watch Series 7 due to the display that wraps around the edge of the case.
Despite these size variations, all Apple Watches come in either large or small sizes. So if a customer purchases a band for the 42 mm Apple Watch Series 2, it will still work on the 45 mm Apple Watch Series 7 because they both fall into the large category.
Sources say the Apple Watch Series 8 may be offered in a larger third size, and details are scarce at this point as the only leaked detail is the 1.99-inch display size.
That’s a big number because display manufacturers use inches to measure displays by diagonal, while cases use the distance from the top of the watch screen to the bottom to measure. So the display size of the Apple Watch Series 7 with a 45 mm case is about 1.9 inches. The leak did not specify how the 0.09-inch increase would be applied. This could mean a larger display in a thinner case or an increase in case size proportional to the display size.
The long-rumored flat Apple Watch will feature a large 2.2-inch display in a 47 mm case. Leaker and display supply chain analyst Ross Young appears to be leaning toward a 47mm case and 1.99-inch display.
Apple is expected to announce the “Apple Watch Series 8” at an event in September along with iPhone 14. There could be three sizes of Apple Watch, with rugged model options, new health metrics, and better performance.
