For anyone hoping for a major redesign, the Apple Watch Series 7 may have been a bit of a disappointment. Sure, its slightly larger display made the screen significantly easier to use, but other than that it was quite an incremental step up from the Series 6. All eyes are on the Apple Watch Series 8, which might just finally offer the more radical update fans have been hoping for.

Definitive details on the Apple Watch Series 8 are very thin on the ground for now, but we have seen some tantalising leaks and rumours. They range from suggestions that the watch will be getting a brand new design to claims that there will be a whole new model. If this turns out to be true, 2022 could be a big year for Apple Watch fans. If you can’t stand the wait until the next release, then the Apple Watch 7 is a very good watch to go for now. Check out the best Apple deals to see the best prices available now.

Apple Watch Series 8: Design

One persistent rumour about the Apple Watch Series 7 was that it would adopt a flat-edged design inspired by the iPhone 13 and iPad Pro. In the end, that wasn’t the case, but those rumours are still hanging around, now with reference to the Apple Series 8. It’s been suggested that Apple had to delay that rumoured redesign due to production issues, but, of course, it’s possible that it was only ever intended for the 8 all along. That said, conflicting rumours have suggested that the design will remain unchanged from that of the Series 7 with its round edges. 

But speaking of new designs, rumours have suggested we could be in for a brand new Apple Watch model in 2022. As well as the Series 8 and an updated Apple Watch SE, Apple is said to be planning a special ‘rugged’ edition of the Apple Watch, intended for extreme sports. First reported by Bloomberg, this version is said to feature “a rugged design with impact shock resistance and protective exterior, similar to a Casio G-Shock watch”. We’d be very interested to see how that would look and how it departs from the Apple Watch look.

Other than that, Apple usually introduces at least one new colour for the Apple Watch every year, and there’s no reason to doubt the Series 8 will be any different. According to one leaker, next year’s shade will be a light green, akin to the hue used for the iPad Air 4.

Apple Watch Series 8: Features

While it’s early to speculate about the internals of the device, rumour has it we might be in for a blood sugar sensor, and as always, battery life is said to be getting a boost. According to the Wall Street Journal, the Series 8 might also feature blood pressure monitoring.

Seasoned Apple leaker Ming-Chi Kuo has claimed that the Apple Watch Series 8 could be capable of body temperature monitoring, which would allow users to check their temperature simply by glancing at their wrist. Meanwhile, new sleep tracking features, including the ability to detect advanced sleep patterns and sleep apnea, are rumoured to be making the cut next year.  

Apple Watch Series 8: Price and release date 

While there’s no info out there yet, it’s pretty easy to make an educated guess about when we’ll be seeing the Apple Watch Series 8, and how much it’ll set you back. Apple usually reveals its new Watch iterations in September, alongside its iPhone updates, so we expect the same in 2022. If the pricing is anything like the 7, and the 6 before it (and the 5 before that [and the… you get the idea]), we can expect it to start at around $399 / £369. It seems unlikely Apple would diverge from that pattern, although the rumoured new model could have a different price point.

Right now, that’s just about all we have on the Apple Watch Series 8. But rest assured, we’ll be keeping this page updated with every new rumour to emerge about the upcoming wearable(s). In the meantime, if you want the best Watch experience available right here and now, check out today’s best Apple Watch Series 7 deals below, and be sure to visit our main Apple Watch deals page for more offers.

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