The year wraps up in a few more weeks, and 2024 was a pretty good one for Apple in terms of the iPhone 16 and the Apple Watch Series 10.
Apple made some big changes with the Apple Watch this year, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t room for improvement. Here’s what I’m hoping to see from the Apple Watch in 2025.
Longer battery life
Though the Apple Watch has now been around for a decade, unless you get the Apple Watch Ultra model, the battery life hasn’t really seen any significant improvements. Typically, Apple just markets it as “all-day battery life,” which is about 18 hours. On the other hand, the Apple Watch Ultra models get around double that at 36 hours.
I think it’s long overdue for Apple to make the battery life on the regular Apple Watch Series models last more than a single day. While the Apple Watch Ultra’s battery life is one of its greatest strengths, Apple could also improve it to be on par with some of the competition.
For example, the OnePlus Watch 2 has excellent battery life of three days, or a whopping 12 days in Power Saver mode. Of course, it has its own set of flaws, but that battery life is among the best we’ve seen so far, especially for Wear OS.
It would be incredible if Apple could give us a standard Apple Watch Series that could last even two days, let alone three. And if the standard Apple Watch could see battery improvements, imagine what the Apple Watch Ultra could potentially have.
More ways to charge
One issue that applies to many wearables in general, and not just the Apple Watch, is that they all use some kind of proprietary charger. For the Apple Watch, it’s the magnetic charging puck that comes included with every Apple Watch purchase.
Honestly, I’m still not sure why we can’t just use a MagSafe charger to charge the Apple Watch. If AirPods cases can charge via MagSafe and wireless chargers, why can’t the Apple Watch? I would love to use any wireless charger or MagSafe charger to juice up my future Apple Watches rather than still needing a proprietary charging puck.
Another alternative is to separate the charging puck from the cable itself. OnePlus did this with the OnePlus Watch 2, and it’s so much more convenient for travel. You’re likely already traveling with a few USB-C cables anyway, so if the puck were separate, it would be one less cable to worry about. There are ways to make Apple Watch charging more convenient, and I hope Apple takes note of this in 2025.
An updated look
OK, I know this may be controversial, but I’m tired of the same rounded square shape the Apple Watch has used since its inception. I was hoping that for the Apple Watch Series 10, which is a major milestone, we would get an all-new design. However, we just got a thinner version of the same design we’ve had for years.
I’ve also been wearing a Google Pixel Watch 3 for a few weeks, and I’ve grown to love the circle shape on a smartwatch. It might not be as practical for viewing information on the watch face, but it definitely looks more classy and elegant, as a timepiece should. And yes, while it may “cut off” some text with the round bezels, it doesn’t matter to me, as I still get the information I need.
Again, not everyone may agree with this, but I would like to see Apple change things up with the Apple Watch. The current design is just getting a little boring year after year. It’s time for something new.
Custom watch faces
Apple has added many of its own Apple Watch watch faces over the years. Many of them are informative, and some of them are more about form over function. But one thing is still missing: custom watch faces.
Yes, you can download some third-party apps and use those watch faces, but they don’t work the same as the native Apple watch faces. Some just create a fancy image you can use in specific watch faces like the “Photos” one, or you just open it up as an app and leave it. It’s far from being the same as an actual watch face.
I know it’s very unlikely, but I would love to see the ability to create fully custom watch faces on the Apple Watch — maybe not in 2025 or 2026, but further down the road even. There are just so many cool designs floating around, and some people can get creative with things like this.
It did take Apple 14 years to allow us to start customizing the iPhone home screen, so maybe one day we can get that kind of customization on the Apple Watch.
A new band attachment mechanism
This is another one that’s going to be a bit controversial. After it was heavily rumored that the Apple Watch Series 10 was going to have a magnetic band attachment system, I’m disappointed that this didn’t come to fruition.
I think it would be pretty cool to have a magnetic band system. After all, Apple added MagSafe to the iPhone with the iPhone 12 series, and that’s been a huge hit. It took a while for all the various accessories to come out, but now I can’t live without MagSafe on my iPhone 16 Pro.
Currently, the band attachment mechanism on the Apple Watch involves two small buttons that release the strap when you press it, and it clicks into place when you attach a new band. It mostly works, but I’ve had some issues over the years where it can be a bit difficult to remove a strap, or where some third-party options don’t fit quite right and end up getting sheared off a bit on the rubber.
I’d imagine a magnetic system would be much easier for attaching and removing straps, as long as the magnets are strong enough. Another option would be to adapt universal 20mm watch straps, similar to Samsung’s Galaxy Watches. This opens up the possibility for many more strap options, though I’m not sure if this would work with the current Apple Watch shape.
A new era awaits
The Apple Watch Series 10 wasn’t as groundbreaking as it could have been, but there’s no denying that the thinner and lighter form factor was a step in the right direction.
I know a few of these are very unlikely, considering that this is Apple we’re talking about, and may be a pipe dream. However, the battery life and charger aspects aren’t impossible, and I would love to see Apple make some improvements in that regard.
Still, I’m excited to see what the next year, even decade, holds for the Apple Watch.
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