Apple released a slew of new products including four new iPhones as part of the iPhone 14 series, upgraded AirPod Pros, and now three new smartwatches that will track your health, last all day, and save your life.
Kurt was at Apple Park in Cupertino, California alongside Tim Cook as he debuted the Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch SE, and the all-new Apple Watch Ultra.
Apple’s 3 new Apple Watches
Apple Watch Series 8
With more tracking power than ever before, the new Apple Watches take care of your health and your life on a daily basis.
Apple Watch Series 8 has an 18-hour, all-day battery life, and for the first time, Apple Watch will feature low power mode. That means you can conserve battery, and with low power mode, Apple Watch Series 8 can last 36 hours on a full charge. Low power mode still tracks your activity and detects falls (and car crashes as we’ll discuss further, soon) but it will disable the “always-on display” and workout detection.
Apple Watch Series 8 comes in two case sizes: 41mm or 45mm, and you can choose from either an aluminum or stainless steel case. Case colors for an aluminum finish include starlight, midnight, silver, and (PRODUCT)RED, while the stainless steel case comes in silver, graphite, or gold. You can spend more and show off your personal style with a Nike or Hermès band.
Apple Watch SE
Apple Watch SE is the second new Apple Watch and it debuted with the lowest starting price of the three. It’s a great watch to start an Apple Watch journey as it uses Family Set Up.
The second generation of the most affordable Apple Watch SE is also 20 percent faster than the first edition of the phone. It’s available in a 40mm or 44mm aluminum case, and color choices are midnight, starlight, and silver finishes, and is compatible with all bands.
Apple Watch Ultra
The Apple Watch Ultra [link to the article when published] is Apple’s most durable smartwatch yet, and it’s also the coolest new must-have in tech.
The first-of-its-kind Apple Watch Ultra features the biggest and brightest screen yet and an all-new case made from aerospace-grade titanium. There’s a larger crown with coarse grooves which are designed to let you use it while wearing gloves, and there’s also a new button called the Action Button.
Every Apple Watch Ultra comes with GPS and Cellular and features amazing settings to help with hikes on trails, climbs in the mountains, or dives underwater.
Read my more in-depth impression on why Apple Watch Ultra may be the new status symbol.
What health benefits did Apple Watch add?
If you do use Apple Watch for working out and tracking your activity, you’ll now be able to keep track of your stride rate in addition to distance.
Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch Ultra include new features geared towards tracking women’s health. You’ll find a Cycle Tracker for menstruation and ovulation thanks to the new temperature-sensing capabilities of Apple Watch.
If you use an AFib you can turn on the FDA-cleared AFib History, or keep track of your heart rate zone in the Health app. Plus improved sleep tracking and an app to keep track of medication.
Plus Apple Watch will keep track of your heart rate and other health features, including the ECG app and fall detection. Plus the new safety features including the brand new Crash Detection are bound to save more lives than Apple Watch has already.
Crash Detection
If you’re in a car crash, your Apple Watch will detect it and give you a countdown before notifying emergency assistance. It’s an amazing feature because it still works if you’re not able to reach your device to call for help.
Your Apple Watch and iPhone work together using the barometer, GPS, and microphones on the phone to detect whether a severe crash took place. Your device detects G Force measurements up to 256 G’s thanks to Apple testing over one million hours of real-world driving.
International Roaming on Apple Watch
Apple Watch now also allows international roaming. You can stay connected to a cell network if you add it to your plan on an Apple Watch series 5 or later, using Watch OS9 which comes September.
How much does Apple Watch Series 8 cost?
The Apple Watch Series 8 starts at $399 and the Apple Watch SE starts at $249. Apple Watch Ultra starts at $799, which is the most expensive Apple Watch thus far.
Verizon Deal:
When is Apple Watch Series 8 available?
You can order Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch SE today order today here, with availability beginning Friday, September 16. You can order in more than 40 countries and regions now, and the phone is officially available on September 23.
Verizon Deal:
Click here for all the coverage on the September Apple Launch event, including details on the new iPhone 14 series, the second-edition AirPod Pros, and more on Apple Watch Ultra.
Catch up on 10 outrageous Apple Watch tricks until you get the new one.