The Apple Watch 5 is now hard to buy - does that mean the Apple Watch 6 is near?

Apple Watch 5
Apple Watch 5 (Image credit: TechRadar)

Every year, when the launch of Apple's new series of gadgets draws near, the company stops selling older ones. Some have reported that's the case with the Apple Watch 5, adding fuel to the rumors that the Apple Watch 6 is coming soon.

As reported by 9to5Mac, some looking to buy the Apple Watch 5 from the company's website have found it's out of stock, suggesting the company is gearing up to replace it with the Watch 6. This would follow Apple's usual habit, as it does this every year.

It's worth pointing out that in our own investigation, we weren't able to replicate this - the Apple Watch 5 seemed to be available to buy in the US and UK. 

It's possible the users weren't accustomed to Apple's potentially-confusing website, wherein you have to select which case size and connectivity option you want for your watch before the 'Add to Basket' option becomes available.

It's possible Apple accidentally stopped selling its watches on its website earlier than intended too and has since re-instated the product.

Some third-party retailers continue to stock the Apple Watch 5 too, but that's almost always the case with older Apple products. Other shops often sell it longer than Apple does, but it's worth noting that Verizon's Apple Watch 5 listing now displays it as "Out of Stock".

Is an event coming up?

There are some rumors that Apple would launch the Watch 6 and iPad Air 4 on September 8. That's today, at time of writing, so we could hear about the new gadgets very soon.

The most vocal voice has been Twitter leaker Jon Prosser who claims to have reliable sources within Apple that say the wearable is still coming later today. That said, other voices within the leaks space have said we'll be waiting until at least October.

While it's possible we'll see the Apple Watch 6 very soon, it's not certain and some leakers expect it to come out alongside the iPhone 12 sometime next month.

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Tom Bedford
Contributor

Tom Bedford was deputy phones editor on TechRadar until late 2022, having worked his way up from staff writer. Though he specialized in phones and tablets, he also took on other tech like electric scooters, smartwatches, fitness, mobile gaming and more. He is based in London, UK and now works for the entertainment site What To Watch.

He graduated in American Literature and Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. Prior to working on TechRadar, he freelanced in tech, gaming and entertainment, and also spent many years working as a mixologist.