According to a new supply chain rumor, Apple will switch to thinner resin-coated copper motherboards for a future Apple Watch, echoing earlier reports about the iPhone 17.
As the name implies, resin-coated copper (RCC) is a thin film of copper coated in resin. On motherboards, it replaces the nonconductive bonding sheet material that is usually green, grey, or black. It is thin, light, and offers manufacturing benefits, said analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in October 2023.
Digtimes reports that this same RCC technology will be used in at least one upcoming Apple Watch model, according to unspecified sources in the supply chain. Although it’s not clear if this refers to the 2024 models, the “Apple Watch Series X” has previously been rumored to undergo a major redesign.
Digitimes reports that Apple will once again use Nan Ya PCB for the new Apple Watch. Apple is said to have previously worked with the company on other space-saving Apple Watch designs.
It is unlikely that the Apple Watch chassis will be slimmer as a result of the switch to a thinner motherboard with RCC. Rather, it will offer more space within Apple Watch’s case for other components due to the difference in width.
As Apple is regularly reported to be working on adding blood pressure sensors to the Apple Watch, this would make sense. There is always a demand for a bigger battery as well
