It seems we won’t have to wait much longer to see this Apple Watch Ultra 2: one of the more reliable Apple Tipsters have predicted that it will be released later this year and that it will feature some 3D printed parts.
This is coming from an analyst Ming Chi Kuo (above MacRumors), and it sounds like the parts in question are made of titanium. According to Kuo, Apple is “actively using 3D printing technology” and may use it in other products in the future.
We’re talking about it on several levels here 3D printing technology Of course, it’s available to consumers: On an industrial scale, the move could save Apple money on production costs while speeding up the manufacturing process.
Kuo mentions “mechanical parts” for 3D printing – a departure from the original Apple Watch Ultra, that would be the digital crown, side button and action button. These parts are currently manufactured using the CNC (Computer Numerical Control) process.
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Interesting as Apple’s reported manufacturing decisions are, they don’t really tell us much more about what to expect from the Apple Watch Ultra 2 – although there’s a potential possibility that lower production costs mean a lower retail price.
The original Apple Watch Ultra certainly doesn’t come cheap, with a starting price of $799 / £849 / AU$1,229. For comparison, you can pick up the standard apple watch 8 at a relatively cheap starting price of $399 / £419 / AU$629 – about half the price.
There has been talk of the Apple Watch Ultra 2 launching alongside the in September iPhone 15 and the apple watch 9. From what Ming-Chi Kuo added here, that seems like a safe bet as of this writing.
Unfortunately, it looks like the upgrade is happening a relatively small one, with the move to slightly better display tech being one of the few improvements discussed. In fact, it could be the Apple Watch Ultra 3 The upgrade to wait for.
