The US-based tech giant Apple is reportedly planning to launch its second-generation Apple Watch Ultra with 3D-printed mechanical parts later this year.
According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple’s supply chain indicates that the company is actively adopting 3D printing technology. Specifically, some of the titanium mechanical parts of the 2H23 new Apple Watch Ultra will be made by 3D printing, MacRumors reported.
The components could include the Digital Crown, Side Button, and Action Button, as these are the only mechanical parts of the Apple Watch Ultra. These titanium parts are currently CNC machined. The change has the potential to improve production time and reduce costs. If shipments from suppliers go well, Kuo believes more Apple products will adopt 3D printing technology in the future.
Previously, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman was the sole source to suggest that Apple would introduce a second-generation Apple Watch Ultra alongside the upcoming Apple Watch Series 9 models later this year. With Kuo’s recent report, this information gains more credibility, supporting the notion that the Apple Watch Ultra will likely follow the standard Apple Watch series’ annual update cycle.
Another report revealed that Apple is planning to release an updated version of the Apple Watch Ultra this year. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the updated Apple Watch Ultra is codenamed N210 and will be released alongside two new Series 9 Apple Watches, codenamed N207 and N208.
All three watches—the new Apple Watch Ultra and the two Series 9 models are expected to be released in the fall of this year alongside the iPhone 15 series. Apple usually launches its new iPhones and Apple Watch during its September event, so it could be possible that we see the new Apple Watches then.
The new Apple Watches are also rumored to have a new processor based on either 5 or 6nm architecture—which could provide users with longer battery life than some recent models, such as the Apple Series 8.
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