Apple has rarely explored the use of plastic as it offers the drawbacks of not just diminishing the aesthetics of a product but is less durable than aluminum, stainless steel, or titanium alloy. Perhaps the only time that plastic becomes a source of a build material is when a company is looking to reduce manufacturing costs. According to the latest report, the California-based giant could be eyeing that for its next Apple Watch SE. However, the team behind its design is apparently upset about the direction that is being taken to develop its chassis, but it seems that they have little choice in the matter.
The current plastic version of the Apple Watch SE costs nearly as much as the metal variant, which is what could be upsetting the team responsible for its design
To avoid being undercut by the competition, a more affordable version of the Apple Watch SE is made, with Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman writing in his ‘Power On’ newsletter that a transition to plastic might be the only option at this time. The detailed insights were spotted by AppleInsider, which mentions that the talented design team has run into problems related to the cost and appearance of the Apple Watch SE.
The proposed plastic version costs around the same as the metallic chassis, with the team said to be unhappy about the smartwatch’s aesthetics. Unfortunately, there might not be any way around this material if the primary objective is to lower the price. The higher-end Apple Watch models may have witnessed a shipment surge before, but those figures have started to drop as the technology giant is failing to improve successive models by keeping the same number of features instead of introducing newer ones while also being unable to upgrade the battery life.
Thankfully, the company has a new target in its crosshairs that it has yet to capitalize on, which is the low-end market. The Apple Watch SE can gain immense traction, but only if its price is controlled. Since the actual footprint of the product is small, there are fewer shortcuts for the company’s team to take to reduce the components' cost, which is why it has likely exhausted all of its options except for shifting to a plastic chassis. We will wait and see if Apple launches the updated Apple Watch SE later this year, so stay tuned.
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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