// 9TO5MAC — MOBILE & WEB
A round Apple Watch is possible, but an Apple Ring more likely
A Bloomberg report yesterday suggested that we could see a pretty dramatic shake-up in a future Apple Watch lineup.
In particular, it suggested that the company was exploring the possibility of one or more models with a round rather than square form factor …
While square-faced watches have existed for well over a century, the majority of conventional watches are round, and the same is true of Android smartwatches. For example:
Apple is unusual in opting for a rectangular format, so it’s perhaps not surprising that the company would be considering also offering a circular Apple Watch in future.
The reason Apple opted for the rectangular form factor is that it allows greater information density. It’s no accident that all of the other screens we use – phones, tablets, laptops, monitors, and so on – are rectangular.
Essentially, the choice comes down to aesthetics versus utility. Some will always prioritise utility, so a rectangular Apple Watch form factor certainly isn’t going away. But others place a very high value on aesthetics, and many people do have a strong preference for round watches, be they conventional or smart.
Additionally, not everyone who wears an Apple Watch needs a lot of information displayed on the screen. There are plenty of arguments for wearing an Apple Watch, even if you don’t often look at the display. For example:
The first of these is by far the greatest draw for many, and if you’re not primarily using an Apple Watch as a content consumption device, then a round screen could be perfectly viable for you.
However, if you fall into this category – primarily using an Apple Watch for health and fitness monitoring, and not really using it to view information – I would argue that a smart ring is a far … smarter bet.
I was an Apple Watch wearer for years, but really love conventional watches and opted to ditch the Apple Watch for a Oura Ring and conventional watches. I'm never going back, this is the sweet spot. I think the ring offers more opportunity to track a greater range of data as it's on 24/7. I couldn't get used to wearing a watch in bed overnight. too distracting and uncomfortable. Do the ring Apple!