Apple has now revealed all of the details about the new Apple Watch Series 6. Apple CEO Tim Cook, started the introduction with personal stories about how the Apple Watch changed users' lives by tracking their health. For those with heart issues, or diabetes, the instant feedback it provides can have a real impact. Apple makes the case that its smartwatch is a health watch.
Apple Watch Series 4 brought the incredible electrocardiogram (ECG), the headline feature of this smartwatch. This catapulted the Apple Watch to new levels of respect and demand. No longer was it marketed as just a smartwatch and fitness tracker. The Apple Watch was a health monitor and gave life-saving alerts to owners of this versatile device. Apple Watch Series 5 added the always-on display, and now the sixth generation watch is taking things further?
The Apple Watch 6 adds a blood oxygen (SpO2) sensor, which measures oxygen levels for fitness and wellness purposes via red and infrared light in fifteen seconds. Apple will be partnering with university faculty to study how this new metric can be used to help treat medical conditions. Of course, the user will be able to check blood oxygen at any time and the Series 6 also records VO2 Max and can send notifications if either of these metrics is not normal. New to the Series 6 is continuous elevation readings, which could be valuable when climbing. The processor has been updated as well with the S6 which is based on the A13 and up to 26-percent faster than the S5, found in the previous generation Apple Watch Series 5. The other big feature announced was a better always-on display, which is said to be 2.5 times brighter when the wearers arm down.
What Else Was Announced?
The new Apple Watch will be preloaded with the latest watchOS 7 which adds sleep tracking. watchOS 7 is also available for Series 3, Series 4 and Series 5, so this isn’t unique to the Apple Watch Series 6. New bands were also announced. Called the Solo Loop, these stretchable bands are described as durable and waterproof. Apple will offer these bands 7 colors and a woven and faux level, no clasp or buckle. Family set up allows set up of an Apple Watch for family members that don't have an iPhone, but someone still has to have an Apple phone in order to use an Apple Watch. The Apple Watch Series 6 will be available to purchase on Friday, September 18, 2020 with the price starting at $399, the same as the Series 5.
A cheaper Apple Watch SE was also announced, starting at $279. Apple Watch 3 will still be available at $199. So Apple expands to three models of its smartwatch for sale. One or more new iPad models were teased as the other big product announcement. So the Apple Watch Series 6 is an upgrade, but not as significant as the Apple Watch Series 4 or Apple Watch Series 5 updates were. Lastly, Apple also launched its new Apple One subscription bundle, covering Apple News, Arcade, TV, iTunes.
Source: Apple