

Good news for anyone who's been putting off buying the Apple Watch SE 2 for fear it'll be replaced later this year: a new report confirms that it's a safe buy through 2023 and beyond. The second generation Apple Watch SE was only introduced in 2022, and it's not due for replacement for some time yet.
That's according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who says that this year we'll see three new Apple Watch models: the Series 9 in the usual two sizes, and the Apple Watch Ultra 2.
That latter one is a surprise, because we’ve only just heard reports that the Apple Watch Ultra 2 was going to be ultra-delayed due to problems with its display. But it seems that Apple is planning an interim model that’ll get a significant upgrade inside but will retain the current display.
What to expect from the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2
According to Gurman, this year’s Apple Watch launches will be a 41mm and 45mm Series 9 and a second generation Apple Watch Ultra. All three models will get a pretty big speed bump thanks to a faster processor, the S9: previous versions have focused more on energy efficiency, and as Gurman says this is going to be the first performance-boosting chip since the S6 that came in the Apple Watch Series 6 three years ago.
Gurman also says that “there isn’t a new Apple Watch SE coming this year, which makes sense as that model is on a two-year upgrade cycle and was refreshed in 2022.” The other Apple Watch models are on an annual upgrade cycle.
If you’re already an Apple Watch user, the attractiveness of these new models is likely to depend on what version of Apple Watch you’re currently wearing: as with iPhones, the differences between one year’s model and the next aren’t dramatic – which is why I’ve still got a Series 7 on my wrist instead of the Series 8, which just didn’t add enough features to make it worth upgrading.
I’m pretty sure it’ll be the same this year, so if you’re an Apple Watch Series 8 or Apple Watch Ultra wearer there’s no real need to get the newer ones: a lot of the Apple Watch excitement this year is around the software, not the hardware, with watchOS 10 making your watch feel brand new all over again.
Sign up to the T3 newsletter for smarter living straight to your inbox
Get all the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products from the T3 experts
Writer, musician and broadcaster Carrie Marshall has been covering technology since 1998 and is particularly interested in how tech can help us live our best lives. Her CV is a who’s who of magazines, newspapers, websites and radio programmes ranging from T3, Techradar and MacFormat to the BBC, Sunday Post and People’s Friend. Carrie has written more than a dozen books, ghost-wrote two more and co-wrote seven more books and a Radio 2 documentary series; her memoir, Carrie Kills A Man, was shortlisted for the British Book Awards. When she’s not scribbling, Carrie is the singer in Glaswegian rock band Unquiet Mind (unquietmindmusic).
-
A Week on the Wrist with the Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch Mission to Earthphase – I was wrong about this watch
This MoonSwatch is a groundbreaking watch
By Sam Cross Published
-
Who needs a Fujifilm X100VI with a mirrorless camera deal this good?
The Panasonic Lumix S9 is £500 off at Amazon
By Sam Cross Published
-
Google Maps design update finally comes to iPhone after Android owners have enjoyed it for months
It should make one-handed use much easier
By Britta O'Boyle Published
-
MacBook Air M4 ups the power, battery life and is surprisingly cheaper
Apple announces a new MacBook Air with a big upgrade to M4 processing
By Rik Henderson Published
-
There's an ingenious and cheap way to make sure you never lose your camera
If you're worried about losing your expensive camera, this little device could help
By Chris Hall Published
-
5 must-know iPhone 16e facts and how it compares to iPhone 16
Apple's newest iPhone is an interesting addition
By Max Freeman-Mills Published
-
Apple's "Google Lens" update is confirmed for older iPhones too, but there's a small catch
Visual Intelligence is Apple's answer to Google Lens and it'll soon be available on iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max
By Rik Henderson Published
-
iPhone 16e official – Apple's entry-level iPhone gets a new name and Apple Intelligence
If you were considering an iPhone 16, this could be a more pocket-friendly alternative
By Rik Henderson Published
-
Apple Maps could soon get an update that'll certainly divide opinions
iPhone users may soon notice a change in their Apple Maps results
By Sam Cross Published
-
iPhone 17 Pro design "leaks", but if it looks like this I'll eat 100 hats
There's a new camera module tipped for Apple's next flagship iPhone
By Britta O'Boyle Published