Design changes are expected to include a thinner case, adjustments to the way the bands are attached to the device, and new blood-pressure monitoring technology, Bloomberg reported.
“We think that this technology, if implemented well, could add material value to the Watch since dedicated blood pressure monitors typically cost more than $40 and are cumbersome to carry on-the-go,” Daryanani said. He added that the new health feature could also expand the market for the watches to hypertension patients who didn’t previously use a smartwatch for blood pressure monitoring. It could also make it possible for insurance companies to help people pay for the watch.
“The Watch X is set to be the first major redesign in the device’s history, and we believe that not only will it be a major-enough redesign for older users to consider upgrading but also incrementally valuable in convincing users to switch from competitor models,” the analyst said.