Apple Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in a blog post on Monday that the next Apple Watch will be thinner and have a larger screen.
The Apple Watch Series 10 is expected to be released in September when the company typically introduces its next batch of wearables and new iPhone models. Kuo said the screen sizes on the two Apple Watch models will increase from 41 millimeters to 44 millimeters and from 45 millimeters to 49 millimeters.
The specifications of the Apple Watch Ultra model will remain “roughly the same,” though a darker case option may be introduced if production yields meet expectations, Kuo added.
The watch will include components manufactured using 3D printing technology starting in the second half of the year, Kuo added.
While Apple has yet to mass-produce devices using 3D printing. The company tested 3D printing for Apple Watch Series 9 production in 2023 to reduce manufacturing time and amount of materials used. Kuo said the testing “significantly improved” production efficiency.
Bright Laser Technologies will supply the 3D-printed watch components, according to Kuo. He said demand for shipments of the China-based 3D-printing company’s parts is expected to grow in coming years due to the cost advantages of 3D printing. Kuo also cited the potential for the technology to be used in the production of Apple Watch cases.