Will Apple Watch SE 3 bring smaller or bigger display sizes?

Apple might equip the Apple Watch SE, it’s low-cost smartwatch option, with smaller or bigger display sizes, but it’s unclear when the rumored change could happen.

Counterpoint Research display analyst Ross Young says that the next Apple Watch SE is still under development and inching closer to production.

According to a note shared with his X subscribers, seen by MacRumors, Apple’s suppliers recently began producing screens for the Apple Watch SE 3, and they look a tad bigger than those on the Apple Watch SE 2. However, the marginal difference in screen size could easily be dismissed as a rounding error.

Will Apple Watch SE‌ 3 have smaller or bigger screen sizes?

Existing Apple Watch SE 2 models are available in two sizes: 40 mm and 44 mm. The way Apple measures its smartwatch departs from the traditional watch industry, which measures case size horizontally, not vertically like Apple.

For example, the 40 mm Apple Watch SE 2 has a case height of 40 mm (and a width of 34 mm), while the 44 mm model has a face height of 44 mm and is 38 mm wide. These cases yield display sizes of 1.57 and 1.73 inches diagonally.

“Young says that the new ‌Apple Watch SE‌ 3 will be available with 1.6-inch and 1.8-inch display sizes, which suggests little in the way of an upgrade over the current ‌Apple Watch SE‌ models,” MacRumors explains, speculating the company could stick with the existing 40mm and 44mm case sizes for the Apple Watch SE 3.

Another possibility is for Apple to equip the next Apple Watch SE with 41 mm and 45 mm screens like the Apple Watch Series 9. The design of the Apple Watch SE 2 is based on the Apple Watch Series 6 (with case sizes introduced with the now-vintage Apple Watch Series 4). That said, however, it’s unclear whether the Apple Watch SE 3 may retain that design or be based on the Apple Watch Series 7 or newer model.

“The display sizes could be off somewhat due to rounding issues and Apple could be planning for a larger Series 7 design with 41mm and 45mm sizes, or the new Apple Watch SE could get an entirely new design,” MacRumors writes.

When will the Apple Watch SE 3 launch?

It’s hard to pinpoint the Apple Watch SE 3 release date due to conflicting rumors. If you ask industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the third-generation Apple Watch SE is due this fall alongside the Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 models.

On the other hand, Young’s latest prediction suggests that the next Apple Watch SE probably won’t arrive this year because Apple is still actively developing the device.

According to an older rumor, the company experimented with 3D printing for some smartwatch parts. Another rumor called for an Apple Watch SE with colorful, plastic cases that would especially appeal to kids. However, there’s no word as of yet on how far along the development processes are on those initiatives or whether Apple has abandoned them. Apple pitches the Apple Watch SE as a low-cost alternative for kids, so a smaller model in a bunch of fun colors would fit that strategy perfectly.