On the Plastic Apple Watch SE

There is a rumor afloat that the next Apple Watch SE will be made of plastic. Mark Gurman recently stated that Apple using rigid plastic in the Apple Watch SE is “increasingly likely.” I think this is a good idea for several reasons:

  • Hopefully, it would allow them to lower the price. Lower prices should equal more Apple Watches on wrists. The Apple Watch is an excellent device. Not only does it tell you the time, but it could save your life. Whether you’re in a crash, suffer a fall, or develop a bad ticker, the Apple Watch is there for you.
  • Second, plastic would hopefully give them more options regarding colors. Apple, the company that brought us the Bondi Blue iMac has been off its game lately regarding product colors. Maybe plastic would allow them to be a little more experimental.
  • Finally, it would be a lot lighter. Lately, I’ve been making a real effort to wear my Apple Watch Ultra while I sleep, and I notice the weight. Granted, I’ve the heaviest of Apple Watches. But there is a market for people who prefer a lighter wristwatch.

The internal argument against a plastic watch would be that Apple doesn’t make things out of plastic. Hopefully, the powers that be see that Apple should make things out of whatever materials make the most sense for the product. And in the case of the Apple Watch SE, a plastic watch makes a ton of sense.