Apple reportedly working on ‘Explorer Edition’ Apple Watch with rugged case

As someone who is rather obsessive about preventing my portable devices from getting scratched, this is definitely welcome news.

Apple could be working on an Apple Watch that features a more rugged case design, according to a new report from Bloomberg’s often reliable Mark Gurman.

The watch, which Gurman says is designed for more “extreme environments,” would be targeted at “athletes” and “hikers.” The Apple Watch variation is rumoured to be released towards the end of 2021 or 2022 at the earliest.

According to Gurman, this isn’t the first time Apple has considered releasing a more rugged Apple Watch either. Back when the Apple Watch was first released in 2015, the tech giant reportedly at one point planned to release a version of the wearable designed to appeal to extreme sports athletes.

Regarding design, the new version of Apple’s smartwatch is rumoured to feature a rubberized casing and water-resistance up to 50 metres. While the current Apple Watch model is rather durable, the aluminum model is prone to scratching. For example, while I’m pretty careful with my Apple Watches, nearly every single one I own has some sort of scratch or scuff on it.

Finally, it’s important to mention Gurman also notes there’s a possibility this rugged Apple Watch could ultimately be delayed or cancelled entirely.

In other Apple Watch-related news, the report suggests Apple is working on adding more swimming tracking features to the wearable. Given we’re still a few months away from the release of the inevitable Apple Watch Series 7, rumours surrounding the smartwatch are still pretty sparse. That said, there are reports from late January indicating blood sugar monitoring could finally make its way to Apple’s wearable with the Series 7.

While a rugged Apple Watch would be nice, I’m waiting for Apple’s Mountain Dew Edition watch for gamers.

Source: Bloomberg