The latest Apple Watch Pro rumour could be very bad news for fans

If you were an early adopter of the Apple Watch, you might have built up an impressive collection of straps by now. One of the best features of Apple's smartwatch is its customisability – but if new rumours are to be believed, all those straps could soon become obsolete.

We've heard tell for a while that Apple is planning to release a more advanced version of the Apple Watch alongside the Series 8 this year, potentially with features including temperature tracking, and a much bigger screen. But that screen could come with a serious drawback. (Don't fancy waiting? Check out the best Apple Watch Series 7 deals available now.) 

According to one Apple leaker (as spotted by MacRumors), the so-called Apple Watch Pro will feature a 47/48mm screen with flat edges (ah, the Apple Watch rumour that won't go away) – and this new design, being wider than the current models, will allegedly not be compatible with existing Apple Watch straps.

It's easy to see why this wouldn't be great news for existing Apple Watch users. While there are plenty of cheap third-party Apple Watch bands, official straps start at $49, and can go well into the hundreds for Hermès models. Replacing more than a couple of those is going to burn a rather large hole in one's pocket.

But all might not yet be lost. That other seasoned Apple leaker, Mark Gurman, has responded to the new rumour claiming that he believes the Apple Watch Pro will indeed support previous straps (below). Gurman also recently claimed that the Pro won't feature flat edges. So it might support old straps, but it might not. And it might be flat-edged, and it might not. Got it?

Thankfully there isn't long to wait to find out. The next Apple event is scheduled for 7 September, and based on previous experience, it seems safe to assume we'll get the lowdown on the next generation on the Apple Watch Series 8 and the iPhone 14. If you're feeling impatient, check out today's best Apple Watch Series 7 deals below.

Read more:

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• Apple Watch Series 8 could get the feature we wanted
• Our first glimpse of the Apple Watch Series 8 is pretty disappointing