Since the debut of the original Apple Watch in 2015, Apple has consistently adhered to a rectangular display. However, recent reports from Bloomberg indicate that Apple’s industrial design team is re-evaluating the future of its wearable lineup, exploring circular displays and screenless fitness devices to stay competitive.
While the upcoming Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 are slated to feature iterative hardware upgrades, a radical hardware revamp is quietly taking shape behind closed doors.
Why Apple Is Rethinking the Rectangular Dial
Market Saturation âž” Competition from Screenless Rings âž” Re-imagining Wearable Form Factors
Apple faces increasing competition from minimalist fitness wearables like the Oura Ring alongside traditional circular Wear OS smartwatches. Internal discussions at Apple are exploring several new form factors:
- Circular OLED Displays: Offering a classic, wristwatch aesthetic preferred by purists.
- Screenless Health Bands: Lightweight wearables focused purely on biometric telemetry.
- Varied Case Sizes & Materials: Expanding options across entry-level and high-end luxury tiers.
The UI Engineering Dilemma: Square vs. Round
Transitioning watchOS to a circular form factor involves significant UI design challenges, particularly around text rendering and notifications.
| Architectural Aspect | Rectangular Display (Current watchOS) | Circular Display (Potential Future) |
| Screen Real Estate Utilization | Maximized edge-to-edge text layout | Edge clipping on long text & lists |
| Notification Banners | Full horizontal banner coverage | Masked corners; requires center-aligned text wrapping |
| Developer Ecosystem | Standardized grid & card components | Requires adaptive UI layouts for round viewports |
| Patented Tech Baseline | Standard pixel matrix | Circular pixel driver arrangement (U.S. Patent 9,965,995) |
Competitors have handled this in different ways: Google’s Pixel Watch uses software-masked square viewports, while Samsung utilizes a squircle frame beneath a round bezel. Apple’s extensive patent portfolio—including a 2018 patent for circular pixel array drivers—demonstrates that the underlying display technology has been in development for years.
Timeline: When Can We Expect a Circular Apple Watch?
Despite internal prototyping, industry analysts confirm that a round Apple Watch will not arrive immediately. The upcoming generation will focus on incremental processor improvements, health sensing, and deep AI integration with the Health app.
A major design overhaul featuring circular displays is targeted for future iterations as Apple finalizes its next-generation watchOS interface.