Report: Apple testing next-gen Apple Watch SE made with plastic to cut costs

Alongside the Apple Watch Series 10 and Apple Watch Ultra 3, Apple is also working on a new version of its most affordable watch. According to a new report today, Apple is considering a big change for the next-generation Apple Watch SE: a plastic design.

Currently, the Apple Watch SE is made out of aluminum, much like the higher-end Apple Watch models. When Apple last updated the Apple Watch SE in 2022, it redesigned the back case to switch to a new “nylon composite” material instead of ceramic.

In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports the next-generation Apple Watch SE could ditch its aluminum shell “in favor of rigid plastic.”

The company is also working on a new version of its lower-cost Apple Watch SE model, which it last updated in 2022. One idea that the company has tested is swapping out the aluminum shell in favor of rigid plastic.

The report doesn’t offer any additional details, but the obvious benefit of making this change is to cut costs. If Apple starts making the Apple Watch SE out of plastic instead of aluminum, it could theoretically lower the starting price, which currently sits at $249. For comparison’s sake, Samsung’s most affordable watch starts at $199.

Do you think Apple should use plastic for the Apple Watch SE if it means the starting price can hit $199? Let us know down in the comments.