Apple may stick with Apple Watch 5 display for the Watch 6

Apple Watch 5
Apple Watch 5 (Image credit: Shutterstock)

We're expecting the Apple Watch 6 to be an upgrade on the Apple Watch 5 in a variety of ways, but a new leak claims the newer smartwatch might not pack a better screen than its predecessor.

This news comes from Twitter leaker @L0vetodream, who posted a tweet saying 'in my dream the Apple Watch S6 will continue use the display from JDI' (the leaker seems to preface their leaks with 'in my dream').

It's worth pointing out we haven't heard much from this leaker before, and none of their leaks has actually been proven correct yet (although they haven't been proven wrong either, as they've been about future products), so we'd certainly take this with a pinch of salt.

If the leak is correct, the Apple Watch 6 will pack exactly the same display tech as the Watch 5. That wouldn't exactly be a bad thing, since that device's always-on display, variable refresh rate and battery preservation smarts were all things we commended in our Apple Watch 5 review, but we'd still have liked to see some further innovation in the new device.

What's more, the Apple Watch 5 actually had the same display tech as the Watch 4, and the main difference between the two was that Apple activated some of the tech in the Watch 5 that was technically available on the Watch 4. It's possible, then, that Apple could use largely the same display tech for two years in a row.

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Apple Watch 6 changes?

Even if the watches do have the same display, it's possible the Apple Watch 6 could still bring improvements to the screen – in could introduce features that were technically available, but not activated, in the Watch 5, or bring further optimizations to improve battery life.

Otherwise, the Apple Watch 6 might not feel like much of an upgrade. In our Watch 5 review, one of our key negative points was that the smartwatch was too similar to its predecessor – so Apple really needs to mix things up a bit next time to avoid the impression of its wearable line being stuck in a rut.

We're expecting to see the Apple Watch 6 alongside the iPhone 12 towards the end of the year, although we don't know an exact date yet. Leaks surrounding the new smartwatch are just starting to ramp up, so stay tuned to TechRadar for all the latest.

Via Phonearena

Tom Bedford
Contributor

Tom Bedford was deputy phones editor on TechRadar until late 2022, having worked his way up from staff writer. Though he specialized in phones and tablets, he also took on other tech like electric scooters, smartwatches, fitness, mobile gaming and more. He is based in London, UK and now works for the entertainment site What To Watch.


He graduated in American Literature and Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. Prior to working on TechRadar, he freelanced in tech, gaming and entertainment, and also spent many years working as a mixologist. He also currently works in film as a screenwriter, director and producer.