Rumor Claims Apple Watch 'Pro' Won't Be Compatible With Older Watch Bands [Updated]

A new rumor suggests that Apple's upcoming Apple Watch "Pro" will not be compatible with existing Apple Watch bands, meaning customers who opt for the new high-end Apple Watch will also be required to purchase new bands rather than using bands they may already have.

apple watch series 7 aluminum colors yellowbg
Apple is widely expected to announce a new high-end Apple Watch "Pro" during its upcoming "Far Out" event on Wednesday, September 7. The new watch is rumored to feature a more rugged design, with a possible flat display and a redesigned case that features a larger display and measures somewhere between 47mm and 48mm.

According to a post on Weibo by the account "UnclePan," who has shared accurate information in the past, the Apple Watch "Pro," due to its more squared-off design, will not be compatible with older Apple Watch bands. While Apple has slowly increased the size of the Apple Watch over the years, it has maintained compatibility with older Apple Watch bands. The backward compatibility allows customers to upgrade their Apple Watch and continue using their existing watch bands without being forced to buy new ones.

The new Apple Watch "Pro" is expected to be targeted at athletes and customers who want a ruggedized and durable Apple Watch. Given this, Apple may opt to provide an entirely new line of Apple Watch bands explicitly designed for pro-athletes that work with the Apple Watch "Pro" and no other Apple Watch model.

The new Apple Watch "Pro" is just one addition to the Apple Watch lineup expected in a little over a week. Apple is also expected to announce the Apple Watch Series 8 and an updated second-generation Apple Watch SE. The Series 8 is expected to keep the same design as the Series 7 but could feature battery life improvements and a new body temperature sensor. Learn more about the upcoming Apple Watch lineup with our guide.

Update: Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has tweeted that he believes the Apple Watch "Pro" will remain compatible with older Apple Watch bands.

Related Forum: Apple Watch

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Vertical Camera Feature

iPhone SE 4 Rumored to Use Same Rear Chassis as iPhone 16

Friday July 19, 2024 7:16 am PDT by
Apple will adopt the same rear chassis manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 that it is using for the upcoming standard iPhone 16, claims a new rumor coming out of China. According to the Weibo-based leaker "Fixed Focus Digital," the backplate manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 is "exactly the same" as the standard model in Apple's upcoming iPhone 16 lineup, which is expected to...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Series Is Just Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Monday July 15, 2024 4:44 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
bsod

Crowdstrike Says Global IT Outage Impacting Windows PCs, But Mac and Linux Hosts Not Affected

Friday July 19, 2024 3:12 am PDT by
A widespread system failure is currently affecting numerous Windows devices globally, causing critical boot failures across various industries, including banks, rail networks, airlines, retailers, broadcasters, healthcare, and many more sectors. The issue, manifesting as a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), is preventing computers from starting up properly and forcing them into continuous recovery...
iphone 14 lineup

Cellebrite Unable to Unlock iPhones on iOS 17.4 or Later, Leak Reveals

Thursday July 18, 2024 4:18 am PDT by
Israel-based mobile forensics company Cellebrite is unable to unlock iPhones running iOS 17.4 or later, according to leaked documents verified by 404 Media. The documents provide a rare glimpse into the capabilities of the company's mobile forensics tools and highlight the ongoing security improvements in Apple's latest devices. The leaked "Cellebrite iOS Support Matrix" obtained by 404 Media...
Apple Watch Series 9

2024 Apple Watch Lineup: Key Changes We're Expecting

Tuesday July 16, 2024 7:59 am PDT by
Apple is seemingly planning a rework of the Apple Watch lineup for 2024, according to a range of reports from over the past year. Here's everything we know so far. Apple is expected to continue to offer three different Apple Watch models in five casing sizes, but the various display sizes will allegedly grow by up to 12% and the casings will get taller. Based on all of the latest rumors,...
tinypod apple watch

TinyPod Turns Your Apple Watch Into an iPod

Wednesday July 17, 2024 3:18 pm PDT by
If you have an old Apple Watch and you're not sure what to do with it, a new product called TinyPod might be the answer. Priced at $79, the TinyPod is a silicone case with a built-in scroll wheel that houses the Apple Watch chassis. When an Apple Watch is placed inside the TinyPod, the click wheel on the case is able to be used to scroll through the Apple Watch interface. The feature works...

Top Rated Comments

oyqy Avatar
25 months ago
The Weibo post says COMPATIBLE, not INCOMPATIBLE. New bands will be a bit wider but old bands will still be compatible.
Source: I’m Chinese



Attachment Image
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DMG35 Avatar
25 months ago
Oh well, I'm still buying. No one could expect Apple to support the same bands forever.

Anyone want a bunch of bands I've collected over the years?
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DMG35 Avatar
25 months ago

Absolutely, I want them! :)
You got it. As soon as I get the new one send me your address and I'll ship them out to you free of charge (except my Hermés band, will sell that one with the watch.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
25 months ago

? $1000 for iPhone and then $1000 for Watch.

I can’t afford everything
We're going to be doomed. Next month is going to be an extremely expensive month!
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
piatigorsky Avatar
25 months ago

The Weibo post says COMPATIBLE, not INCOMPATIBLE. New bands will be a bit wider but old bands will still be compatible.
Source: I’m Chinese


I'm Taiwanese. I haven't logged into this account for several years, but I simply had to log in just to confirm that yes, the weibo post does indeed say that old watch bands WILL BE COMPATIBLE. Macrumors really needs to get someone who can read and speak Mandarin Chinese on their staff. If I recall, this isn't the first time they've misreported stuff from the Chinese-language rumor mills.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sw1tcher Avatar
25 months ago
Makes sense.

Apple Watch --> Apple Watch Band
Apple Watch Pro --> Apple Watch Band Pro
Apple Watch Pro Max --> Apple Watch Band Pro Max

?‍♂️
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)