If you're an Apple Watch owner and have been stacking up various bands for the best smartwatch, Apple may have some bad news for you next year.

According to Kosutami, Apple's serial leaker, the Apple Watch band connection system will be completely redesigned next year. That means all existing watch bands will no longer be compatible with future releases like Apple Watch 10.

Since its debut in 2015, the Apple Watch has used the same watchband latching system, and owners of earlier models can reuse the same watchband when upgrading to subsequent versions. Apple has changed the design of the Apple Watch over the years, but did not make any major changes to the band connection.

This move may anger Apple Watch owners who have intentionally purchased multiple bands to replace them at any time. If the new Apple Watch has the new connection, such people will have two choices - continue to use the older, ostensibly inferior model, or ditch all their bands in favor of the new version. The latter option would obviously be more costly.

A possible middle way, though, would be for Apple to offer an adapter to make the old watch bands compatible with the new Apple Watch at the same time it launches the new latch system. It would be even better if it offered that adapter in a box and did not charge customers a fee.

Apple has not commented on its plans for a future Apple Watch, nor does it plan to connect to the watchband. However, Kostami's claims follow a Bloomberg report earlier this year that Apple is planning a major redesign of the Apple Watch.

According to sources in the Bloomberg report, Apple wants to change the latch system on the upcoming Apple Watch 10. By freeing up that space, it could instead offer a larger battery or add other internal components.

Apple Watch rumors have piled up in recent days. According to several reports, Apple plans to call its 2024 flagship Apple Watch the Apple Watch X or Apple Watch Ten. The company is also reportedly planning to include significant design changes, a blood pressure monitor, and even a sleep apnea detector in the watch.

It is still unclear exactly when this version of the Apple Watch will be available, but Apple tends to release new versions in the fall along with its latest iPhone. That means we have many more rumors, providing important details about the watch's features and pricing, and we have many months to wait.