Eagerly Waiting For Apple Watch 8? Why It May Not Be Worth An Upgrade From Series 6 Or 7

The next version of Apple Inc’s (NASDAQ: AAPL) smartwatches may not sport a processor that is a significant upgrade from Apple Watch 7.

What Happened: Tech journalist Mark Gurman said in the latest version of his Bloomberg newsletter, “I’m told the S8 chip will have the same specifications as the S7, which was also the same as the S6.”

The S6 chip was introduced with the Apple Watch Series 6, which debuted in 2020. 

Gurman said Apple is working on three models of the smartwatch and the trio of wearables will use the same “largely-unchanged” chip.

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Why It Matters: Gurman’s revelation means the Apple Watch Series 8 will not be significantly faster than the Series 7 or for that matter, the Series 6, in terms of processing power.

Gurman said previously that it is unlikely that Apple would introduce an Apple Watch in 2022 that comes with a body temperature sensor. That possibility was termed likely by Taiwan-based TFI Securities analyst Ming Chi-Kuo. 

Apple recently announced its WatchOS9 operating system for the Apple Watch. A significant development is that it has left out support for Series 3 devices.

“I’d finally expect that model [Series 3] to be discontinued in the fall. The current SE could slide into that Series 3 price point, with the new SE becoming the mid-tier option,” said Gurman in the latest newsletter.

Price Action: On Friday, Apple shares closed 2.45% higher at $141.66 in the regular session, according to data from Benzinga Pro. 

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Photo courtesy: Apple