The Apple Watch will undergo a significant overhaul in the coming years, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple's industrial design team has been rethinking the smartwatch formula over the past year to better compete in an evolving market. While the current design has evolved—becoming thinner, larger, and more rugged in the Apple Watch Ultra—the core square display on a watch band remains largely unchanged.

The company is exploring new directions, including switching to a circular display in various sizes or even removing the screen entirely to align with growing demand for screenless wearables. Smart rings represent another potential avenue, though an Apple Ring release remains elusive despite repeated patent filings. However, major design changes are not expected in 2026.

The upcoming Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 are anticipated to be primarily performance-based updates, with health and fitness improvements. A rumored new band attachment method may debut, though this has circulated since 2022 and could be better suited for a larger redesign. Any significant transformation is likely still in development, with no concrete timeline established.