Apple updated its Watch range in 2020 to include the first SE model, bringing the hugely popular wearable into the ‘affordable’ bracket for more people.
The device has been a success and you can read our verdict in our Apple Watch SE review. Now, we look ahead to what comes next. Will Apple release the Apple Watch SE 2 in 2022 and if so, what can you expect? Here’s the latest news and rumours.
When will the new Apple Watch SE 2 (2022) be released?
Apple hasn’t confirmed any details about the potential successor to the Apple Watch SE, so there’s no known release date at the moment.
While Apple updates its main iPhone range each year like clockwork, most other devices have a more sporadic pattern. Like with the iPhone SE, iPad Air and iPad mini, it seems Apple’s life cycle for the Apple Watch SE is longer than a year, with no release in 2021.
The good news is that it could be released sometime in 2022 – according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman anyway. The reporter suggests in his Power Up! newsletter that the Apple Watch SE could be released alongside the Apple Watch Series 8 this autumn, although no solid release date was mentioned.
If Apple sticks to its usual release cycle for the Apple Watch Series 8, it’s more than likely that we’ll see the Apple Watch range released sometime in September 2022.
If we hear anything different, we’ll be sure to update this section.
How much will the new Apple Watch SE 2 (2022) cost?
As there has only been one SE version of the Apple Watch so far, we can only use that as a guide. Currently, the first-generation device will cost you the following:
- Apple Watch SE (GPS) – £249/US$279/AU$429
- Apple Watch SE (GPS + Cellular) – £299/US$329/AU$499
With those prices being so new, we think that if Apple does update the Watch SE in 2022 then we should see a like for like replacement rather than a price hike. At least, we hope so.
What features will be in the new Apple Watch SE 2 (2022)?
Apple doesn’t announce or tease new features, and there are currently no leaks or rumours to go on either. Traditionally, at least with the main Apple Watch range, there are faster processors and new features added, but SE models are cheaper for a reason: they don’t have the latest features or fastest processors.
That doesn’t mean we can’t make an educated guess of what the SE 2 might be like, as Apple has a long history of using reusing components and features that have been introduced to previous flagships, which make their way down to the more inexpensive models. Here’s what we hope we’ll see in the Apple Watch SE 2 (2022).
ECG
With the Apple Watch SE already featuring many of the specs of the Apple Watch Series 5, it makes sense that any update would bring one of the standout features from the older device that hasn’t yet been used on the cheaper models – ECG.
The Electrocardiogram app allows you to take recordings of your heartbeat and then check it for atrial fibrillation, which is an irregular rhythm. This is a very useful tool for monitoring the health of your heart, with the added benefit that you can show the recordings to your doctor if you have any concerns.
With the ECG app first appearing in the Watch Series 4, it does seem time for the feature to make its way to any new version of the Watch SE.
Always-on display
Another obvious upgrade would be the Always-On display introduced with the Apple Watch Series 5. This helpful feature means you don’t have to raise your wrist to see the time or other important information on the screen. Instead, the Watch shows all the relevant data at all times, hence the Always-on name.
Blood Oxygen Monitoring
Though far from confirmed, the Apple Watch SE could essentially serve as a replacement for the Series 6, the last in the series before Apple increased the display dimensions with the Apple Watch Series 7.
If so, then the ability to monitor your blood oxygen levels would be standard. As Apple continually positions the Watch as a health and wellbeing device, the addition of this capability and the aforementioned ECG would make the SE 2 a real powerhouse for fitness enthusiasts as well as those who just want to spot any potential health issues before they develop into more serious concerns.
