The new tip suggests the Series 13 will stick to the current design—a move that would break Apple’s usual design update cycle

Apple Watch fans hoping for a dramatic new look in the next couple of years might be in for a long wait, as a leaker suggests the next major redesign won’t arrive until 2028.

According to a post on Chinese social network Weibo from Instant Digital, the Apple Watch coming in 2026 (presumably the Series line) will look broadly similar to what we have now.

The leaker claims Apple is saving a fresh design for the year after its expected 20th-anniversary iPhone in late 2027, pointing to a big hardware rethink sometime in 2028.

If true, this would be a significant break from tradition. Apple has historically refreshed the Apple Watch design every fourth release of the Series smartwatch. We saw the first major chassis update with the Series 4, followed by the Series 7, and most recently the thinner, larger-screened Series 10 in 2024 (which has been reproduced with very subtle tweaks for the Series 11).

Following that pattern, we would typically expect a new design with the Series 13 in 2027. Pushing it to 2028 suggests Apple might be extending the lifespan of the current form factor to four years.

How likely is this new design update cycle?

This rumor clashes with earlier reports hinting at significant external changes as early as 2026—possibly linked to new sensors, such as non-invasive blood glucose tracking.

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Again, though, with that technology still believed to be several years away, it’s plausible that Apple’s design team is holding fire until the internal tech is ready for a major overhaul.

While this leaker has a mixed track record, they have also nailed details in the past, such as the yellow iPhone 14 and the titanium Milanese Loop. We’re still taking this one with a pinch of salt for now. After all, it’s still years away, and Apple’s internal roadmap is likely to still see refinements in that time.

But, if this prediction does hold, it suggests the next few years of Apple Watch updates will focus more on health and sensor improvements rather than a radical visual reboot.