The clock is ticking towards the expected arrival of the Apple Watch 9 at today’s iPhone 15 event, but a leak has just revealed one of the smartwatch’s supporting cast: a new band made from a new faux leather material. (Want to follow the latest Apple news live? Check out our iPhone 15 event live blog).
The top Apple Watch bands are expected to get a pretty big shake up at today’s launch event, and the Apple leaker Kosutami just released the first photos of Apple’s new ‘FineWoven Link’ band on X (formerly Twitter) below.
According to the leak, this new FineWoven strap is made from a combination of recycled nylon and polyester woven with twill. It’s also apparently more durable than it looks, with a “splash-proof finish” potentially making it a good option for everyday use.
Official appearance of the FineWoven Link (精织斜纹链式表带) #Apple #AppleEvent pic.twitter.com/U4DJnXcBdiSeptember 12, 2023
Like Apple’s current leather bands, the new band will apparently also include flexible magnets so it can snap onto your wrist without the need for clasps.
Perhaps most importantly, the new FineWoven Link looks virtually identical to Apple’s current Leather Link bands, just with a new, lighter brown color and a slightly different finish.
The development of Apple’s new FineWoven material appears to be part of the company’s overall strategy to reduce its carbon footprint and move to more environmentally friendly materials.
There have also been rumors that in addition to the stainless steel bracelet, Apple will also be moving away from its silicone bands like the Sport Band and Solo Loop as part of its move away from leather. But we’ll definitely see it during Apple’s Wonderlust event, which kicks off today (Tuesday, September 12) at 10am PT / 1am ET / 6pm BST.
A smarter choice
We’ve long been fans of the Apple Leather Link band, which has strong magnets to keep it in place and has a smart design that’s suitable for most occasions (except sports).
But Apple’s move away from leather straps makes sense given its commitment to becoming carbon neutral across the company by 2030, and an overall push for more environmentally friendly manufacturing.
So if the new FineWoven Link offers the same benefits as the Leather Link, just with faux leather, then we could see it being a popular choice among potential Apple Watch 9 buyers or owners of the top Apple Watches.
The only question is whether the price of the new band will be increased over the $99 / £99 / AU$149 asking price of the soon-to-be-discontinued Leather Link. To find out, join us soon by watching the Apple September Event 2023.