Apple might be working on an affordable, rugged Apple Watch Ultra, FCC renders suggest

It's worth noting that the tech giant introduced the first Watch Ultra in September 2022, followed by the Watch Ultra 2 in the second half of 2023. To recall, both the Apple Watch Ultra and Apple Watch Ultra 2 were launched for Rs 89,900 in India.

Cost-effective Apple Watch Ultra in development?

• A user, @ParrotSWD, on X (formerly Twitter) shared FCC renders of the new Apple Watch Ultra.
• The design remains rugged, similar to the Apple Watch Ultra 2, with the typical placement of the digital crown, Action button, speaker grilles, and microphones.
• Closer examination reveals some distinct differences, leading to the suggestion that this might be an economical variant of the Apple Watch Ultra.
• The FCC renders depict the new Watch Ultra with a black ceramic back panel akin to the Apple Watch Series 9 and older models.
• Furthermore, the Action button appears to be redesigned and constructed from plastic, a departure from the metal button on the Watch Ultra 2.
• It's possible that Apple does not go with the Ultra nomenclature for this version, if it indeed sees the light of the day.

It is worth mentioning that both the Apple Watch Ultra and Apple Watch Ultra 2 have a durable aerospace-grade Titanium case, including a metal Action button and a colour-matched ceramic and sapphire crystal back panel.

Meanwhile, the observed differences suggest that Apple could be developing a more affordable variant of the Apple Watch Ultra. Alternatively, they might be working on reducing the price of the Apple Watch Ultra series to broaden its user base.

However, it's advised to approach this information cautiously, as Apple is obligated to submit various prototypes to the FCC before the official launch. Considering the next Apple Watch Ultra release is still a considerable time away, the current renderings could represent an early prototype, and the final version may differ.