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Apple Watch Series 8's S8 chip may not be a big upgrade from S7

The Apple Watch Series 8's S8 chip probably won't be any faster than the S&, it is rumored, with three inbound Apple Watch models expected to use the same chip across the board.

Alongside the usual update to the Apple Watch Series 8, the company's wearable line is thought to consist of three distinct models. While there will be some variation on the outside and in key specifications, the trio may all use the same largely-unchanged chip.

Apple is reportedly working on the standard Series 8, an updated Apple Watch SE, and a rugged model for extreme sports, Mark Gurman's "Power On" newsletter for Bloomberg reads. However, all three are believed to be using identical S8 chips.

The S8 won't necessarily be faster than the S7 found in the Apple Watch Series 7, it is reckoned, as it will apparently have the same specifications as both the S7 and S6 before it. However, the 2023 models are reportedly going to get an "all-new processor."

On model-specific changes, the value-focused Apple Watch SE will retain the same screen size as its current iteration. The update to the S8 will be a big jump from the S5 currently used by it.

With the dropping of support for the Apple Watch Series 3 in watchOS 9, it is suspected that Apple could drop the current SE down to the Series 3 price point, turning a new SE into a mid-tier alternative.

Previous rumors include the Series 8 gaining an extra screen size, as well as a new flatter design philosophy.