Apple Watch 7 may not fit your band from Apple Watch 6

“[For what it’s worth] I’ve heard from an Apple store employee that they’re not getting anymore 40/44mm bands in and expect the new Apple watch to use different bands that won’t be compatible with old watches,” writes Weinbach.

Quoting “Apple staff” isn’t the most reliable source claim, by the way, so it’s way too early to get worked up about anything. As a rule, Apple’s secretive plans for upcoming products are not shared even with inside staff, apart from those strictly involved in the design.

For the sake of long-time Apple Watch fans who wish to upgrade, we hope the rumor is nothing but a red herring and they won’t be forced to throw out any of their beloved bands. Those things certainly aren’t cheap at their $49 selling price—for people who have been stockpiling them for years, sudden obsolescence for the important accessory would be bad news indeed.

Another leaker, “Uncle Pan” (who had originally called out the 41mm and 45mm sizes in August) earlier reported his belief that the old watch bands would, in fact, fit the Apple Watch 7, so there’s a substantial possibility that the new incompatibility rumor is false.

When will we find out?

And with new leaks constantly coming in, the anticipation will only grow. We already know that the Apple Watch 7 will be a tiny bit girthier than before, allowing for a bigger battery. The display is rumored to be a 1.9-inch screen with a 396 x 484 resolution—both improvements from the previous generation.

The Apple Watch 7 will also have thinner bezels and flatter edges, along with the bigger body. The chipset is rumored to be a double-sided S7 chip, featuring improved wireless connectivity as well as ultra-wideband support. The Watch 7 case is also receiving a redesign.