Apple Watch bands rumors: What's coming in the Fall collection?

Apple Watch Bands
Apple Watch Bands (Image credit: Rene Ritchie/iMore)

Since Apple Watch launched in 2015, Apple has announced new band collections every spring and fall to date. In addition to the original sport, leathers, and metal bands, we've seen woven nylon, sport loops, Nike, and Hermès added to the mix, as have a plethora of new colors. As fall 2018 approaches, what might we see from the next round of Apple Watch bands? Let's take a look.

Check out the current Apple Watch band collection

New colors

Apple Watch bands

Apple Watch bands (Image credit: iMore)

New Apple Watch band colors are a given: We're expecting new shades for many of Apple's classic bands, including the sport band and classic leather; they'll also likely match any new silicon and leather iPhone cases that the company releases.

Stripes and co-colors have been the rage as of late, but we could also see diamonds, triangles, zig-zags, or anything at all coming up in the Fall.

Although Apple gave them to some celebrities, the company never released gold or rose gold link bracelet editions. The same holds true for the new ceramic edition. Other watch vendors that offer ceramic cases offer ceramic bracelets to go with them. No doubt, an Apple ceramic link bracelet would be expensive, but it would also glorious.

Additionally, anodized gold and rose gold (to match the aluminum cases) may not be resilient enough for Apple — but I have a suspicion many people would love to see them anyway.

More Nike+ and Hermes

Apple Watch Models

Apple Watch Models (Image credit: iMore)

Since Nike+'s release, we've also seen custom Nike+ bands appear in the store as stand-alones; this season should be no different.

All bands in all sizes

Since launch, the Leather Loop has only been available for the 42mm casing and the modern buckle, the 38mm. Sadly, wrists and tastes come in all shapes and sizes, and some would love smaller loops and bigger buckles.

Making all bands available to all people is simply the right thing to do. Hopefully, Apple does it!

Deploy! Deploy! Deploy!

The deployant (deployment in English, and if you really want to annoy the watcherati) gives you the look of a leather buckle but the convenience of a clasp. Apple currently offers one, but only in partnership with Hermès. An Apple single deployment proper would be great for the ceramic Watch specifically. Many other watch makers currently offer deployment, sometimes by default, because the loop is safer — less chance the ceramics will fall and hit hard tiles or floorboards. Versions for the other Apple Watch finishes would be great in general as well.

Lotsa leather options

Rally straps are leather buckles or deployments that have three or more distinctive holes punched on either side. Based on old-time racing gloves, think of them like the Nike+ bands — stylish yet breathable.

Aviators are another leather option. They feature extra-long bands that, traditionally, fit over pilot jackets, and rivets that give them a distinctly detailed look.

Much more metal

Sure, Apple has the Milanese, but what about the shark mesh? And the link bracelet is great, but what about an oyster or engineer? There's more than one way to make a metal mesh or segments steel, and we'd love to see a clever take from Apple on yet more classics.

Whether there's a market for the higher-end bands, I'm not sure. But perhaps they could serve as part of yet more partner plays?

Speaking of partner plays...

It would be great to see more team-ups like Hermès and Nike+, and even more separate endeavors like Coach. What would be even greater would be some sort of mechanism that allowed you to unlock special watch faces when you buy the bands, even separately.

For example, pick up a Hermès or Nike+ strap, enter the code that comes with it, and get the Hermès or Nike+ watch face. Or, as my colleague, Lory Gil put it — like Amiibo for Apple Watch!

What Apple Watch looks are you looking forward to this fall?

Just because Apple gave us new looks this spring doesn't mean we're guaranteed new looks this fall, but it's one of the easiest ways for Apple to breathe new life into the watch lineup on an ongoing basis. You can change up the look with just a couple quick presses and slides and go from fun to fancy or sport to social.

So, a few new colors would be great. A few new styles, terrific. What do you think we'll see from Apple Watch in Fall 2018?

Updated March 27 2018: Added info about new Apple Watch bands.

Rene Ritchie
Contributor

Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.

17 Comments
  • They definitely need to release the Nike Plus bands and I'd like to see (but don't suppose they ever would do one) a space grey aluminium link bracelet! Sent from the iMore App
  • For the Nike Plus style, go on Amazon and pick one up for 10 bucks. Same quality without the Apple surtax.
  • Nike Plus please in ALL Black. Sent from the iMore App
  • I would love to see more bands in the style of the sport. The feel of the excess band tucked underneath is so nice. A leather loop for 38mm in this style would be heaven to me.
  • There are great bands on eBay. Many are free shipping and no tax Sent from the iMore App
  • Options in rose gold. They don't tell you when you're buying a rose gold watch that you'll never get another Apple band with anything rose gold on it ever again. If Steve Jobs were alive, you know we'd be able to get stuff that matches.
  • I would like a band made out of licorice for when I get hungry. Strawberry and traditional black licorice. Sent from the iMore App
  • I'd like some more bands that match my Nike watch. The current leather and fabric straps have silver buckles, and the leather ones have silver lugs too, but my watch is a gunmetal colour so they look rubbish when paired with it. Maybe it's bit much to expect gunmetal trim on the straps but black at least would be an improvement. I'd love a nice leather strap but the current ones with silver lugs look terrible with my watch body
  • Price cut for Leather Loop X) Sent from the iMore App
  • Absolutely.... I purchased one of the 3rd party loops on Amazon and you actually can't tell the difference between it and the OEM. The difference being real leather vs. some sort of leather/poly mix and $120 in price. The Apple Loop is way too expensive. My 3rd party version is holding up very well after constant use for 5 weeks. Actually, I don't think you can get the Apple version if you wanted...they have been out of stock since Christmas. Wondering if they are discontinued or just hard to produce. Either way, they need to produce one in the $75 - $90 range.
  • More fashion brand partnerships. Hermes is a nice line but more geared towards women (sorry Rene!). Would love to see someone like Tom Ford.
  • MAKE THEM AVAILABLE IN INDIA
    I mean seriously you cannot find in any partner stores (Apple dont have official stores India) whatsoever not even a single band is available which is ridiculous. Even online stores don't have them.
    I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY RELEASE THE WATCH BUT REFUSE TO SELL US THE BANDS.
  • More colours for the modern buckle. Nike band in neon pink! Sent from the iMore App
  • I normally don't recommend 3rd-party accessories for something like this, but having purchased a space gray Milanese Loop watch from some 3rd-party manufacturer (I got it at Best Buy, I don't even remember the name of the company that made it) for ⅓ the cost of Apple's band, I'll never buy another band from Apple. It's holding up great, fits perfectly, etc. The Apple bands are fantastic, but the cost is hard to justify for fashion sake. There are some really bad band makers, but at the prices they're charging it's almost hard to get upset if the thing falls apart in 6 months to a year.
  • Definitely the modern buckle in 42mm. Also larger bands to support people with thicker wrists.
  • Space gray options. Period.
  • WHAT IS THE POINT OF THIS ARTICLE IF THE COMPANY DOESN'T SELL THEM to begin with.
    You cannot find Apple watch bands from Apple in any of their stores in India and not to mention through any online partners. I have no other option but to use third party ones which again are very scarce.