The second-generation Apple Watch Ultra is rumored to launch later this year, and this time Apple may take a new approach to manufacturing in order to increase production and reduce costs: 3D printing.

This is according to trusted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who in a recent post on Medium described Apple's next-generation wearable as the "2H23." This timeframe leaves much to speculation, but at the very least it suggests a wearable that could be demonstrated alongside the iPhone 15 at Apple's September event. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously predicted that the Apple Watch Ultra 2 would arrive in 2023, and Kuo's report seems to confirm that.

Perhaps more interesting than the Ultra 2 timeline are the details regarding its manufacturing. According to Kuo, Apple is "actively introducing 3D printing technology" into the manufacturing process, and some of the Ultra 2's titanium mechanical parts will be 3D printed. This change could be a serious game changer for Apple.

"Currently, 3D printed mechanical parts have to go through a back-end CNC process, but that still improves production time and reduces production costs," Kuo wrote.

What kind of mechanical part would that be? That's what we can infer from the original Apple Watch Ultra. The digital crown, side buttons, and action buttons are the only mechanical parts on the device. These titanium parts are now CNC machined. Of course, it is possible that the second-generation device will employ more mechanical parts that we do not yet know about.

Apple will print these parts using components from IPG Photonics, Farsoon, and BLT, Kuo said. This appears to be a trial run of sorts for Apple, incorporating 3D printed parts into devices that are smaller in production scale than something like the flagship iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Pro. The Ultra 2 is also said to be a testbed for Apple's Micro-LED technology, which will enable brighter screens.

However, if all goes without a hitch, it may lead the iPhone maker to further adopt 3D printing technology in its manufacturing process in the future.

"If shipping goes well, more Apple products will adopt 3D printing technology, which will help improve production costs and ESG performance in Apple's supply chain.

In the not-too-distant future, the best MacBooks and iPads may feature 3D printed components. If Kuo and Garman are correct, we should learn more about the Watch Ultra 2 at Apple's September event, where the Apple Watch Series 9 is also expected to appear.