Questions about the future of the Apple Watch Edition are being raised by rumors that the larger Apple Watch Series 8 model will have a titanium case.
According to Mark Gurman, the new, larger Apple Watch model will be made of titanium to make it more rugged.
The "Apple Watch Edition" is a titanium version of the Apple Watch. The Apple Watch Edition has an additional Sport Band, but it's not different from the standard Apple Watch.
There are a lot of rumors about the launch of an all-new high-end Apple Watch model later this year. The device is expected to have a larger display, longer battery life, and a ruggedized case. The device has been associated with extreme sports, athletes, hikers, and other users who need a more durable watch.
The current Apple Watch Edition is more expensive than the previous one. Gurman has put a price point for the new high-end Apple Watch in the range of $900 to $999.
The new high-end Apple Watch will be a departure from the standard Apple Watches in terms of features, size, design, and price. Will Apple continue to offer the Apple Watch Edition after the launch of the new high-end Apple watch later this year?
Since the launch of the Apple Watch Edition, it has evolved a lot. The Apple Watch Edition line was only made up of Apple Watches that cost between $10,000 and $17,000. After the launch of the Apple Watch Series 2, these were discontinued and replaced with cheaper white ceramic models.
The gray ceramic version of the Apple Watch Series 3 was added in 2017: There were no Apple Watch Edition models for the Series 4, but Apple revived the white ceramic Apple Watch Edition line for the Series 5. The ceramic Apple Watch Edition was discontinued once again before the launch of the titanium Apple Watch Edition Series 7 models.
It is not certain if Apple will continue to offer the Apple Watch Edition. It is difficult to see how the Apple Watch Edition variant could be justified in the lineup with a substantially different titanium model placed just above it, not least because the Apple Watch Edition could draw sales away from the new high end model.
The new high-end Apple Watch is expected to sell in relatively low volume, just like previous reports of low sales for the Apple Watch Edition models due to their high price point, according to display analyst Ross Young. Four million Apple Watch Series 8 models are expected to be shipped in the third quarter of this year, compared to one million for the larger Apple Watch.
Gurman's confirmation of a titanium case for this year's new high-end Apple Watch model is the best indication yet that Apple may be folding the current Apple Watch Edition line into this new product category. It would be possible to continue to offer a titanium case, but more so tout the weight and strength advantages of the material at a higher price point.
Leaving the more affordable titanium Apple Watch Edition in the lineup could cause a cannibalization of sales of the new high end model. The new high-end Apple Watch could be more appealing to some customers than the Apple Watch Edition, with meaningful differentiating aspects such as display size, battery life, and design providing more justification for an up sale.
With names like Apple Watch "Pro" being far from locked-in at this stage of the rumor cycle, it's worth noting that the new high-end Apple Watch models could just form the Apple Watch Edition line going forward. The Apple Watch Edition line may not be around for a long time.
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