Apple is kicking off its Far Out event with the Apple Watch, specifically with a dedicated film speaking to customers sharing stories about experiences with the wearable device. Many of these speak to emergency scenarios like using the Apple Watch to call for emergency services, acting on a health notification for a high heart rate or for an afib notification.
Apple (AAPL) is looking to improve on all these experiences with some new hardware and a bevy of features. Tim Cook then tossed it to Jeff Williams, COO, who started by calling out that the Apple Watch is the number one selling smartwatch in the world.
Read on for all the details about the ultra-affordable Apple Watch SE (second-generation), the new Apple Watch Series 8, and the brand-new, adventure ready Apple Watch Ultra.
The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website.
How to Preorder the Apple Watch Series 8, SEThe Apple Watch Series 8 is up for order today and will begin arriving to customers on Sept. 16. It starts at $399 for GPS and $499 for Cellular.
The second-generation Apple Watch SE is even cheaper than the former with a starting price of $249 for GPS, and just $299 for Cellular.
And lastly, the flagship Apple Watch Ultra will cost a bit more. It’s $799 for every model, which includes GPS and Cellular, along with the 49 mm display.
Apple Watch Series 8: What You Need to Knowapple.com
Williams immediately introduced Apple Watch Series 8 which starts with an Always-On Retina display that stretches to the edges and is swim proof, dust proof, and crack resistant. And yes, this is the direct successor to the Series 7. You can track any exercise or take a class with Fitness+.
The Series 8 adds a temperature sensor into the mix which aims to provide more details around women’s health. This temperature sensor is baked into the Cycle Tracking experience, with key improvements around ovulation. Apple is able to provide these new readings thanks to the temperature sensor which will give you retrospective data on ovulation.
The temperature sensor resides underneath the display, which is on top of the rear facing sensor stack which still powers heart-rate, ECG, and blood oxygen. Of course, you can view the data on the Apple Watch itself or via the Health app on your iPhone. With Cycle Tracking in use, the Health app will send notifications routinely as well.
Jacob Krol/TheStreet
Scroll to Continue
In addition to this new sensor, the Series 8 is also getting car crash detection. Apple calls it Crash Detection which can use the onboard sensor stack to detect if you were in a crash, contact emergency services and contacts, and send your location along with it. There are two new motion sensors and a brand new accelerometer, which lets the Series 8 detect a crash accurately. To create this feature Apple studied different types of crashes and identified what the sensors (and other tech) would call out when these occur.
Apple is still promising all-day battery life (estimated for 18 hours) like the Series 7, but the tech giant is also finally introducing low power mode which delivers up to 36-hours of battery life. With this enabled it turns off the always-on display among others, but still lets you track activity and health features.
And here’s the great news — Low Power Mode is coming to Series 4 and later with watchOS 9. And Series 6 onward with cellular will now sport International Roaming.
The Apple Watch Series 8 will come in four aluminum styles and two stainless steel options. Of course, you can choose to get these with or without cellular. It will start at $399 for GPS and $499 for Cellular. It’s up for order today and will be arriving on Sept. 16.
Apple Watch SE (Second-Generation): What You Need to KnowApple’s also introducing the second-generation Apple Watch SE in Starlight, Midnight and Space Gray. Better yet, all of these finishes are made from recycled aluminum. You still get activity tracking, key durability like swim proofing, heart rate tracking, and other ones. But like the Series 8, it also sports the new S8 processor (20% faster than the previous SE) and the new motion sensors for crash detection.
And here’s the scoop: it’s just $279 for GPS and $299 for Cellular. It’s a significant amount of value, and if you’re alright without an always-on display or some of the more advanced health features, this is likely the best option.
Apple Watch Ultra: What You Need to KnowApple Watch Ultra
Jacob Krol/TheStreet
The event was tossed back to Jeff who teased they’ve been working on something entirely new, while on top of a large cliff. So yes, the rumored more durable, fitness focused Apple Watch is indeed real.
And it’s the Apple Watch Ultra. It’s made from aerospace grade titanium, which connects to the flat sapphire crystal display. And it’s a big one at 49 mm, with more brightness. On the left side it sports an action button which lets you customize the experience, while the right side still features a tougher Digital Crown and a side button.
What else does Ultra get you? Well, two speakers and more advanced microphones along with cellular being in every model. It also sports the largest battery which delivers 36 hours on a single charge, and can last for up to 60 hours with a feature coming later this fall.
There’s also a much more technical face called “Wavefinder” which lets you pack a ton of data. Likely perfect for long hikes and adventures. There’s a new band which combines two layers, and an ocean band is a high-performance elastomer that features a titanium buckle. And for those who hike, you’ll want to look at the trail loop. We’re looking to confirm if it works with previous generation bands.
The other big change with Apple Watch Ultra is enhanced GPS. It’s a dual frequency GPS which sports L1 and L5 along with customized notifications. Apple says it’s the most accurate GPS of any smartwatch on the market. This paired with the new Fitness tracking capabilities of WatchOS 9, should make this ideal for those looking to track everything. You can even use the “action button” on the Apple Watch Ultra to start a workout instantly.
Apple Watch Ultra can also handle extreme heat — like this writer’s experience in California — or extreme color, more than a standard Apple Watch Series 8. And for safety there’s an 80-decibel siren built in which is great for workouts but also for safety around anywhere.
Apple Watch Ultra will be $799 and it will be up for order today.