Apple’s Plastic Apple Watch SE Faces Challenges

There have been rumors circulating for a while that Apple is developing a version of the Apple Watch SE with a plastic case, aiming to offer a more affordable and kid-friendly option. However, it appears that turning this concept into reality is proving more complicated than anticipated. Following Apple’s September event last year, where no new Apple Watch SE was announced, Mark Gurman reported that the team had encountered “cost and quality” issues with the plastic design. Despite this, he noted that the project was still underway. In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman states that the plastic Apple Watch SE is now “in serious jeopardy.”

As per Gurman, “The design team is not satisfied with the look, and the operations team is finding it challenging to make the casing significantly cheaper than the current aluminum chassis.” It has been over two years since Apple released the second-generation Apple Watch SE, and the current model now feels “bland,” as noted by Engadget’s Amy Skorheim after revisiting the device recently. A refresh is overdue, but it seems that the plastic design may not be feasible at this time.