It’s been ten years since the Apple Watch came out. Looking at pictures of the device in that time, it doesn’t look like it’s changed much – even the app drawer seems the same. But slowly and quietly, the Apple Watch – the company’s first new product line of the post-Steve Jobs era – has become capable of a lot more than it is today.
Over the past few years, the Apple Watch’s feature set has taken some big leaps forward, including wrist-based ECG and heart rate readings that once belonged in the realm of science fiction.
We’ve heard numerous testimonials, mostly at Apple events, about how the Apple Watch has saved lives – whether it’s fall detection or atrial fibrillation. Smartwatches as a category have matured and found their niche, it seems, and the Apple Watch has carved out a comfortable niche in the sector.
So I was surprised when the Series 10 launched last week to very little fanfare. I guess I was expecting Apple to be a little more self-congratulatory, but the company ignored the product’s birthday. Instead, we got to know the device’s slim profile and big screen with wide viewing angles.
It also has small onboard speakers, apps for water sports enthusiasts, and health features like new sleep apnea monitoring and alerts. That might seem lackluster compared to the futuristic features seen in the early days of Apple Watch, but the Series 10 is following in the iPhone’s footsteps.
It’s a mature product that has traded massive annual overhauls for iterative updates over time. For a smartwatch that’s consistently been called the best in its class, the Series 10 largely continues that tradition, even if it has a feature or two held back due to an ongoing copyright lawsuit.
Apple Watch Series 10
The changes brought to Apple’s tenth-generation wearable mostly relate to its size and screen, and blood oxygen detection is still missing. But it’s still the best smartwatch for iPhone owners.
Design and display
Compared to the Series 9, the latest Apple Watch is slightly larger than before and noticeably thinner and lighter. It’s not a big enough difference that you’d notice without putting the two side by side, but I definitely feel a little spark of joy every time I pick up the Series 10. The squatter shape, slimmer profile and more rounded corners somehow make the new watch feel like a biscuit, whereas the Series 9 feels like a tiny mahjong tile.
Both sizes of the mainstream Apple Watch have gotten slightly bigger, with the 41mm version now 42mm and the 45mm version coming in at 46mm. I’ve been wearing the smaller Series 10 and the Series 9 on both wrists for a few days now and I don’t feel a huge difference in everyday use. I think the slimmer body and lighter weight are important in the Series 10, not that I was having trouble squeezing its predecessor through jacket sleeves before. I would say the new model would definitely be more comfortable under my cuffs.
Apple making the Series 10 just 9.7mm thin is certainly an achievement, considering the Pixel Watch 3 is still 12mm thick. Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 7 is the same height, so Google needs to catch up a bit here.
The Series 10’s larger screen makes it easier to see certain things, like street names on Maps and the clock when you’re in Spotify. You’re likely to get more mileage here if you choose larger font sizes, which is a slightly obvious note but at least on the Series 10 you’ll have more room to work with. If you need something even bigger, you should consider the Watch Ultra 2, which has a 49mm screen.
Apple is using wide-angle OLED this year to make it easier to read things even if your wrists are resting on a table, not in front of your eyes. Again, in my side-by-side observation, the change is noticeable, but not in a huge way. There appears to be more contrast between the time digits than in the photo in the background, which makes the watch more visible at an angle.
It’s worth pointing out, though, that when you look at the Series 10 from the front, you might find its bezels noticeably thicker than those on the Series 9. Even if you’re planning to upgrade from the Series 9, where you’ll most likely feel the impact of the larger bezels on the design, this is still a minor complaint, if at all. The thick borders don’t really affect the watch’s performance.