By now, most of you already know all of the goodies announced at today’s Apple Event. Yours truly has been laid up with a bad back so forgive the late reporting. Apple today announced the Apple Watch SE and the Series 6. The Apple Watch SE was expected, but Series 6 was a nice surprise to me anyway.
The new SE version is Apple’s attempt at grabbing the market that does not want to spend US$400 on a smartwatch. The Apple Watch SE starts at an affordable US$279 but does come trimmed down compared to something like the Series 6.
Apple Watch SE
You still get that nice edge-to-edge display, advanced fitness features, watchOS 7, most of what you get on the Series 5 is here including the new Family Setup. Family Setup allows you to pair multiple Apple Watches to one device, say for your children who may not have a device.
Apple Watch SE features the same accelerometer, gyroscope, and always-on altimeter as Apple Watch Series 6, and with the latest motion sensors and microphone, it offers robust health and safety capabilities including fall detection, Emergency SOS, international emergency calling, and the Noise app.
The next-generation always-on altimeter provides real-time elevation all day long by using a new, more power-efficient barometric altimeter, along with GPS and nearby Wi-Fi networks. This feature allows for the detection of small elevation changes above ground level, up and down to the measurement of 1 foot, and can be shown as a new watch face complication or workout metric.
The built-in compass provides users with better directions and compass headings, in addition to incline, elevation, and latitude and longitude. Users can add one of three new Compass complications to their watch face, and developers can take advantage of compass information in their apps to create rich experiences
Apple
Series 6
The Series 6 looks like and doesn’t look like the Series 5. While it’s the same design, Apple is offering new case finishes, new watchbands, and new watch faces with the Series 6. But really, the most distinctive differentiator is the new blood oxygen sensor.
Besides that nifty new blood oxygen sensor, there’s also a faster S6 System in Package (SiP) and next-generation always-on altimeter. The upgraded S6 SiP runs up to 20 percent faster, allowing apps also to launch 20 percent faster while maintaining the same great battery life. Of course, this comes with watchOS 7 and Family Setup too.
The always-on altimeter provides real-time elevation all day long by using a new, more power-efficient barometric altimeter, along with GPS and nearby Wi-Fi networks. This feature allows for the detection of small elevation changes above ground level, up and down to the measurement of 1 foot, and can be shown as a new watch face complication or workout metric.
Additionally, Apple Watch Series 6 features the U1 chip and Ultra-Wideband antennas, which will enable short-range wireless location to support new experiences, such as next-generation digital car keys. Apple Watch Series 6 offers faster charging, completing a full charge in under 1.5 hours, and improved battery life for tracking certain workouts, such as indoor and outdoor runs.
An enhanced Always-On Retina display on Apple Watch Series 6 is up to 2.5 times brighter than Apple Watch Series 5 outdoors when the user’s wrist is down, making it much easier to see a watch face in bright sunlight. When their wrist is down, the user can also now access Notification Center and Control Center, tap on complications and swipe to change faces without having to wake their watch screen.
Apple
What do you think of the new Apple Watch SE and the Series 6? Let us know in the comments below or on Twitter or Facebook. You can also comment on our MeWe page by joining the MeWe social network.
Last Updated on February 3, 2021.
