Your Apple Watch Bands May Not Work With Next Year's Model

Next-generation Apple Watch models will feature a completely redesigned band connector, rendering them incompatible with all current bands, according to the Apple leaker and prototype collector known as "Kosutami."

In August, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that the upcoming "Apple Watch X" could feature a different way to attach bands to the device. Kosutami's latest tidbit now appears to support this possibility.

Individuals involved in developing new Apple Watch models told Gurman that the existing band system takes up a large amount of space that could be better utilized for bigger batteries or other internal components. As such, Apple is apparently considering a magnetic band attachment system, but it is currently unclear if this specific method will be present on the ‌Apple Watch X or if the company will choose something else‌.

The mechanism for connecting bands to the Apple Watch's casing has been consistent since the device's introduction in 2014. The Apple Watch has a slot along the top and bottom edges, allowing a band to be slid in, and clicked into place via a small spring. When a button beside the slot on the underside of the device is pressed, the band is released and can be easily slid out.

This system has remained the same throughout all of the Apple Watch generations to date, enabling users to freely collect and swap bands regardless of which generation they have, providing the casing has the same width. Overhauling this system is bound to be controversial given that all existing bands will no longer be compatible and therefore, ultimately, obsolete.

The band connector change is expected to be part of a broader redesign of the Apple Watch next year, which is said to see the arrival of thinner casings and larger displays. The device is also rumored to offer blood pressure monitoring and sleep apnea detection.

Kosutami's corroboration is notable given that the leaker was the first to say that Apple would replace its leather Modern Buckle band with a FineWoven version earlier this year. They also went on to provide the first real-world images of the FineWoven Apple Watch bands prior to their official unveiling.