We've already heard rumors that the next version of the Apple Watch SE might drop the aluminum casing for a hard plastic one to cut costs Now, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reiterates the rumor in his Power On newsletter

Gurman does not go into details, but only states that it is "increasingly likely" that the next-generation Apple Watch SE will use hard plastic This is unfortunate for those seeking a low-cost smartwatch made of high-end metal, but may be ideal for those who value low price and cheap design

We previously heard rumors that Apple was testing a way to 3D print the Apple Watch casing, but Garman later confirmed that this would not happen anytime soon Apparently, Apple is still looking into the possibility, but manufacturing capacity is not currently sufficient for mass production

At the time, Garman also said that Apple was looking at ways to use less material, speed up production, and reduce costs A switch to plastics would help with that in many areas Casting hard plastic is likely to produce far less waste than milling metal frames, and plastic itself is generally a much cheaper material, even in harder, more luxurious shapes

Plastic smart devices like the iPhone 5c (remember those?) and Samsung's Galaxy S23 FE are often much brighter in color than their metal counterparts

You may remember that Apple launched a website last month promoting the "Apple Watch for Your Kids" and touted the smartwatch as an alternative to the iPhone So it makes sense that Apple would want to make future watches attractive to both kids and parents The colorful, low-priced Apple Watch SE would certainly be one possible route

We won't know for sure until Apple actually unveils the new Apple Watch SE It will probably be unveiled at the September Apple event, along with the Apple Watch Series 10 and iPhone 16 Until then, stay tuned here at Tim's Guide for the latest news and rumors