Apple Watch 6 straps just leaked — and we're not impressed

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These leather Apple Watch straps are not what we hoped for

Apple Watch 6 straps just leaked — and we're not impressed
(Image credit: Onewingleft via Reddit)

The Apple Watch 6 design isn't going to blow us away, as all signs point to Apple recycling the look of previous flagship models for its next-generation wearables. We also may not be thrilled by the company's Watch bands — sets of unreleased leather-like straps leaked online, and we're not impressed. 

If images posted to Reddit yesterday (May 27) are real, Apple has redesigned its Leather Loop straps and will offer them in camel brown, cherrywood red, sky blue and black. 

User Onewingleft shared the pictures, saying they're "from some of the manufacturers" and are "prototypes from the old factories in China" before Apple began ramping up production in Vietnam. 

"These bands show the same '4mm' and 'Genuine Leather' stamps as OEM bands, and have the same 'Assembled in China' text etched onto the metal," another user responded, supporting the legitimacy of these alleged Apple Watch bands. 

Apple watch 6 bands

(Image credit: Onewingleft via Reddit)

That's not to say these bands are real, or even made by Apple. They look very much like the company's official Leather Loop straps, which are sourced in Italy and also offer a small range of rugged hues.

The difference between this potential redesigned bands and the original, though, is the quilting pattern. These new straps opt for a more poignant bubbled texture, ditching the subtle waves of the first one. The result is a Watch band that seems sporty, rather than refined. If I were to shell out $100 for leather straps, I want them to look more expensive than this.

But again, there's not enough evidence to support that these are the next best Apple Watch bands. While Apple usually announces new accessories quietly, it has debuted its select strap models at events in the past.

If these bands are real, there's a slight chance it could discuss new Apple Watch accessories during its watchOS 7 presentation at WWDC 2020. A fall launch alongside the Apple Watch 6 and iPhone 12 seems more likely, should Apple consider the bands important enough for its keynote stage.

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Kate Kozuch
Kate Kozuch

Kate Kozuch is the managing editor of social and video at Tom’s Guide. She writes about smartwatches, TVs, audio devices, and some cooking appliances, too. Kate appears on Fox News to talk tech trends and runs the Tom's Guide TikTok account, which you should be following if you don't already. When she’s not filming tech videos, you can find her taking up a new sport, mastering the NYT Crossword or channeling her inner celebrity chef.