Apple Watch Series 10 engineering prototype exposed, core LED array reduced in size

According to news on April 1, technology blogger @StellaFudge recently released a set of real shots of a suspected Apple Watch Series 10 engineering machine. Photos show that the health sensor layout on the back of the device is significantly different from the mass-produced version released in 2024: the core LED array has been reduced in size, and a ring-shaped light source with unspecified functions has been added to the edge of the sensor.

It is worth noting that the watchOS 11.1 beta system running on the engineering machine has never been pushed to the public. Apple health sensors are typically used to monitor heart rate and blood oxygen. Industry insiders analyze that the unusual design exposed this time may be related to two technical tests: one is an alternative to solve the existing blood oxygen detection patent dispute, and the other is preparation for the high blood pressure early warning function.

This feature has been continuously developed since 2022, but due to technical bottlenecks it has not been released with Series 10. It is still uncertain whether it can be released in time for Series 11.

Multiple news disclosed by technology media during the same period showed that many of Apple's new products are in critical stages of research and development: the iPhone 17 Pro series may abandon titanium and use aluminum frames to reduce costs; the new Magic Mouse will redesign the charging port position and optimize ergonomics. In addition, the new iPad Pro equipped with the M5 chip has entered the pre-mass production testing stage and is expected to be released in the second half of 2025.

It is worth noting that the iOS 19 system codenamed "Solarium" has been revealed to use a glass texture UI design, and the rumored folding screen iPhone may be released as soon as 2026.