Donald E. McNamara 
Source: Daniel Bader / Android Central
A new report claims Apple is working on a rugged Apple Watch that could debut later this year.
From Bloomberg:
Apple Inc. plans to launch an Apple Watch with a rugged casing aimed at athletes, hikers and others who use the device in more extreme environments, according to people familiar with the matter. The Cupertino, Calif.-Based tech giant has discussed internally introducing such a watch variation later in 2021 or 2022 at the earliest, the people said, who asked not to be identified. to discuss private matters.
Apple would have thought of the idea once before, spurred on by “strong sales” from watchmakers of more rugged devices. Mark Gurman says such a robust option would be added to Apple’s main Apple Watch model, just as the Apple Watch Series 6 is complemented by the Apple Watch SE:
If Apple goes ahead this time around, the rugged version would be an additional model similar to how Apple offers a cheaper option called Apple Watch SE and special editions co-branded with Nike Inc. and Hermes International. Sometimes dubbed the “Explorer Edition” inside Apple, the product is said to have the same functionality as a standard Apple Watch, but with additional impact resistance and protection in the vein of Casio’s G-Shock watches.
The watch would also feature a rubberized exterior for a more rugged design. An exciting prospect, Gurman tempers the rumor by saying the project could be delayed by Apple or ultimately canceled.
A recent Apple Watch patent revealed that the company also considered redesigning the Apple Watch with a flexible display and moving away from the square design of current models.
