Apple To Launch A New Variant Of The Apple Watch SE Made From Hard Plastic, Retaining The Same Design But With Reduced Cost

Apple released the iPhone X back in 2017, which marked ten years of the iPhone since its initial launch in 2007, and the device took a major step forward with an all-screen design and Face ID. Potentially, we might see the Apple Watch X or Series 10 share the same fate as the company plans to revamp the entire look of the wearable. On the lower end front, the company is also working on a plastic Apple Watch SE, possibly to cut down costs, and the move could make the device more pocket-friendly than it is right now.

Apple testing an affordable Apple Watch SE model made from rigid plastic instead of a nylon composite material

Apple’s decision to switch to hard plastic makes a lot of sense when we talk about lowering the overall cost of manufacturing. The company is already producing high-end variants of the Apple Watch, and it could be a wise decision to switch the SE variants to hard plastics. The news was shared by Mark Gurman in his latest Power On newsletter, stating that the company is testing new materials for the Apple Watch SE, including ‘rigid plastic.’

The new rigid plastic could allow the company to bring the cost down while retaining the same design and internals, making an affordable product even cheaper. It is currently unclear if switching to a plastic design would reduce the cost for the end user, as the company could keep the prices the same as they are right now. Apple switched to a nylon composite material on the SE back in 2022, replacing the Ceramic that we find on the higher-end models.

Gurman states that the company is working on a new version of the SE variant made from rigid plastic but does not mention if the current material will still be available. The company could offer the SE with the existing materials and also bring a new model to the lineup, which would be more budget-friendly compared to the existing models.

The report does not mention if the company plans to introduce any further design changes to the mix, but one major benefit of the switch is reduced cost. It remains to be seen how the use of hard plastic on the Apple Watch SE sits with the company’s ongoing efforts to protect the environment. One benefit for the end user is that the company could possibly reduce the price of the Apple Watch SE down to $200, similar to Samsung’s Galaxy-branded smartwatches.

Do you think Apple would increase its profit margins or offer the plastic Apple Watch SE at a reduced price? Let us know in the comments.