The next Apple Watch may eventually lose the one feature that has defined it from the start: its screen.

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple’s industrial design team has been exploring several ways to overhaul the Apple Watch, including devices without screens, new display designs and additional sizes and price tiers. The company has not committed to any particular approach, and a major redesign is not expected in the immediate future.

Still, the exploration could represent one of the biggest changes to the Apple Watch since its launch in 2015, and help the company achieve new ways to compete in a rapidly changing health and fitness market.

Apple is looking beyond the traditional smartwatch

According to Bloomberg, Apple is taking the mounting popularity of screen-free fitness devices and smart rings seriously as it evaluates the future of its wearable lineup.

Devices such as Whoop bands and Oura rings have shown there is demand for smaller wearables built around passive health tracking rather than apps, notifications, and frequent screen interaction. A screenless Apple device could give the company a more direct competitor in that category while leaving the traditional Apple Watch to serve users who want a full smartwatch.

Apple has also reportedly explored different display types and sizes. A circular Apple Watch has been considered, although Gurman said such a device is unlikely to eventually ship.

Still, the potential changes would give Apple more ways to serve different types of wearable users rather than relying on its familiar rounded-rectangle Apple Watch design.

Health and AI may become the bigger differentiator

Apple is also reportedly considering changes to the number of wearable devices it offers.

At the premium end, the company could introduce a device positioned above its existing Ultra and Hermès models. At the budget end, Apple could introduce additional affordable options beyond the Apple Watch SE.

That approach could allow Apple to target a wider range of consumers while creating more opportunities to sell wearable devices across different price points.

Rather than relying on annual Apple Watch upgrades, Apple could use multiple form factors and price points to expand the number of consumers using its wearable technology. Introducing these options could help Apple reach consumers who don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on a smartwatch while also giving existing customers more reasons to upgrade to premium devices.

The reported experimentation comes as Apple looks to reinvigorate its Wearables, Home and Accessories business. A broader product strategy could help Apple respond to competitors that are approaching wearable technology differently.

AI and health could become more important

The biggest change may ultimately have less to do with the Apple Watch’s physical design and more to do with what the device does with the information it collects. Bloomberg reported that Apple is also expected to place greater emphasis on artificial intelligence and health features across its wearable ecosystem.

Those changes could turn the Apple Watch from a device primarily used to record health data into a more proactive tool that interprets that health information and provides personalized guidance. Instead of simply recording activity, heart rate, or other metrics, future Apple wearables could use AI to analyze that data and provide users with more personalized insights.

That puts Apple in competition with a growing group of health-focused wearable companies that emphasize continuous monitoring and AI-powered coaching rather than apps and notifications.

Furthermore, Apple already has a massive hardware and software ecosystem, giving it the ability to connect wearable health data with the iPhone, Health app, and other services. Instead of simply functioning as an accessory to the iPhone, future Apple wearables could increasingly serve as platforms for collecting and interpreting health information.

Major changes aren’t expected this year

Despite the potentially significant long-term plans, consumers should not be hoping for a radically redesigned Apple Watch at Apple’s upcoming September event.

According to Gurman, the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 expected in 2026 are likely to receive more incremental updates, including a new chip, health and fitness improvements, new colors and bands, and possibly the return of ceramic cases.

A major redesign could still be a year or two away, which means Apple’s current smartwatch design is likely to remain in place while the company works on what comes next.

But Apple’s willingness to consider these changes is significant. The company’s exploration of screenless devices, new form factors, additional price tiers and AI-powered health features suggests that it believes the wearable market is changing, and that simply adding incremental features to the existing Apple Watch may not be enough to maintain growth.

For now, the most ambitious ideas remain experiments rather than a confirmed product roadmap. But their breadth suggests Apple is considering a future in which the Apple Watch is only one part of its wearable business — alongside devices built for different prices, form factors and levels of interaction.

Whether any of those concepts reach consumers will determine whether Apple’s next major wearable shift is another Apple Watch redesign or something that no longer looks like a watch at all.

Other News: Motorola has patented a flexible wearable that could transform from a smartwatch into a smartphone, although the company has not announced plans to bring the concept to market.

Apple is giving old devices a little more spending power, raising trade-in estimates across its biggest product categories just as customers start looking toward its next hardware launches.

The iPhone maker has increased trade-in estimates for most iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch models in the US, giving customers higher credits when they exchange older devices for new ones.

The updated trade-in table, first reported by 9to5Mac, raises values for several products by as much as nearly 30%. The changes took effect August 6, 2026, and include select Android phones from Samsung, Google and OnePlus.

Apple’s highest iPhone trade-in value now belongs to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which can receive up to $720, compared with $695 previously. The iPhone 16 Pro saw one of the larger increases, rising from $560 to $630.

Other recent iPhones also received boosts. The iPhone 15 Pro Max increased from $490 to $530, while the iPhone 14 Pro Max moved from $375 to $405. Not every model received an increase. The iPhone 16e, iPhone 14 Plus, second-generation iPhone SE, iPhone X and iPhone 8 Plus remained unchanged.

Macs see some of the biggest gains

Apple’s Mac lineup received some of the largest increases in the latest update.

The MacBook Pro trade-in estimate jumped from $690 to $855, while the Mac Studio increased from $1,045 to $1,305. The Mac mini also saw a major rise, moving from $375 to $480. Other Mac models received smaller increases. The MacBook Air rose from $520 to $580, and the iMac increased from $355 to $380. The iMac Pro remained unchanged.

The larger Mac increases could be especially useful for customers looking to upgrade expensive hardware, where trade-in credit can make a more noticeable difference against the cost of a replacement device.

Apple expands Android trade-in options

Apple also expanded its Android trade-in program by adding more devices from competing brands.

Newly eligible models include Google’s Pixel 9 series, Samsung’s Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G and OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 13R. However, Android adjustments were mixed, with some older devices losing value.

The Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G dropped from $130 to $125, while the Google Pixel 8 Pro declined from $165 to $155. Pixel 7 models also saw small reductions. Apple’s Android trade-in program is mainly designed to make switching to an iPhone easier, but customers moving between platforms may still find better offers through carriers or private sales.

Why Apple’s trade-in changes matter

Higher trade-in values could help Apple reduce friction for customers preparing to upgrade, especially as buyers face higher device prices across the electronics market.

Trade-ins are also becoming a bigger part of the smartphone upgrade cycle. Instead of keeping older devices unused or selling them independently, customers can apply their previous hardware’s value directly toward a new purchase.

The timing is notable because the increases come after recent reports of rising component costs across the electronics industry. Some analysts have linked higher memory prices to pressure on device pricing, although Apple has not provided a reason for the trade-in adjustments.

Customers should check their options before trading in

While Apple’s higher estimates are good news for device owners, the listed amounts are maximum values, not guaranteed payouts.

Apple says final trade-in credit depends on the device’s model and condition, and that some devices may not qualify. A damaged screen, hardware issues, or discrepancies between the submitted information and the device’s actual condition can reduce the final offer.

For customers who value convenience, Apple’s program offers a simple way to reduce upgrade costs. However, people seeking the highest possible return may still earn more by selling directly on another marketplace.

The latest update gives Apple customers a stronger incentive to trade in older hardware, but the best choice will depend on whether speed and simplicity matter more than maximizing resale value.

Also read: Apple reportedly has $1 billion in chips waiting for scarce DRAM before final packaging for the iPhone 18 Pro and foldable iPhone.

The era of mandatory sideloading for alternative Android marketplaces is officially over in the US. 

As of this week, Portugal-based Aptoide has become the first third-party app store available for direct download through Google Play, marking a seismic shift in how Android users can access software and a direct consequence of the antitrust war waged by Fortnite creator Epic Games.

Aptoide offers more than 400,000 Android applications and serves about 25 million monthly active users. The company said the move removes a major barrier that previously limited its growth in the US market, where users had to manually install the store outside Google Play. 

The shift follows a ruling in Epic Games’ antitrust case against Google. US District Judge James Donato ordered Google to make it easier for rival app stores to reach Android users, including allowing third-party stores to be distributed through Google Play.

Aptoide CEO and co-founder Paulo Trezentos framed the moment as a long-overdue correction, stating, “More than ten years ago, Android users lost the ability to discover alternative app stores through Google Play. Today, that changes.”

A major change after years of legal pressure

Epic Games sued Google in 2020, arguing that Google’s control over Android app distribution and payments harmed competition. A jury sided with Epic in 2023, leading to several required changes for Google’s Play Store policies. 

One of the biggest changes was requiring Google to allow competing app stores to be distributed through Google Play rather than only allowing users to install them through sideloading.

Previously, alternative Android stores required users to download APK files, change security settings and accept warnings before installation. Now, Aptoide installs like a normal app from Google Play, reducing the friction that kept many users away from competing marketplaces. 

Google has also created a dedicated section for third-party app stores, although Aptoide is currently the only option listed. Users can find it through Play Store searches, account menus or category pages. 

More competition could change Android’s app economy

Aptoide’s arrival could be the beginning of a larger shift. The company has access to Google Play’s catalog through the Play Catalog Access Program, meaning it can offer many apps and games already available through Google’s marketplace. Developers, however, can choose whether their apps appear in third-party stores. 

The move could create new opportunities for developers who want more ways to distribute apps and reach users. Alternative stores may compete by offering different discovery tools, promotions or business models that challenge Google’s current dominance. For consumers, the biggest immediate benefit is choice. 

Android users who previously avoided third-party stores because of installation hurdles now have an easier way to explore alternatives.

Also read: Google is also lowering Play Store fees and expanding third-party payment options in the US, UK, and European Economic Area.