The new Apple Watch and AirPods are about to debut. Can Apple's wearable devices revive their former glory?

According to the financial news app Zhitong Finance, at 1 a.m. Beijing time on September 10th, Apple (AAPL.US) will hold its autumn product launch event. The spotlight of this event will undoubtedly be on the iPhone 16 series, but this time, the significant updates to wearable devices are also worth paying attention to.

At this event, the Apple Watch and AirPods will receive major updates for the first time since the end of 2022. According to well-known Apple insider Mark Gurman, the three versions of the Apple Watch - SE, the standard Series series, and Ultra - will all be upgraded. Two lower-end models of AirPods will also receive their most significant updates ever.

Apple has been under pressure as it has not introduced new products for its wearable devices department, including home products and accessories. Analysts predict that the department's revenue will decline for the second consecutive year by the end of the 2024 fiscal year, but is expected to rebound in 2025 with a projected revenue growth of 6.2%, reaching $39.5 billion.

Two years ago, Apple released its first Ultra series Apple Watch - a larger and more high-end smartwatch - which raised the overall average selling price of the series. That same year, the company also launched another high-end product, the second-generation AirPods Pro. However, last year, Apple did not release new AirPods, only making minor upgrades to the Apple Watch, putting pressure on the revenue growth of the wearable devices department.

This is why this autumn product launch event will be a crucial moment for Apple's wearable devices business. Gurman mentioned that the Apple Watch Series 10 will have a significant design upgrade, featuring a larger display and a thinner body. The entry-level AirPods will also be redesigned, including a version with active noise cancellation - a feature previously only available in AirPods Pro.

By offering more affordable AirPods, Apple is expected to attract more new customers. Similarly, the company is planning to launch an improved version of the lower-end Apple Watch SE (the current model is priced at $230).

Meanwhile, the new momentum of Apple Watch and AirPods will help offset the slowdown in sales of other products. The new Vision Pro headset is also part of the wearable devices department, but it has not become a popular product for Apple since its launch in February this year. This category also includes Apple TV set-top boxes, HomePod speakers, and Beats headphones