The Apple Watch is getting a glow-up on its 10th birthday, and I got to check it out in person following Apple’s September event. The Series 10 smartwatch starts at $399 (£399, AU$649) and launches on Sept. 20 (preorders are open now). It gets a larger screen, a thinner design and sleep apnea detection, making it seem like a notable step up from the Series 9.
The difference in display size is noticeable as soon as you pick up the watch, and it’ll likely be even more apparent if you’re upgrading from an older Apple Watch. I’ll need more time with the Apple Watch Series 10 before I can tell how much of a difference the bigger screen really makes. But it has the potential to be a compelling option for those who want a larger screen but don’t want to splurge on the Apple Watch Ultra, with all its bells and whistles.
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Apple typically introduces design changes and new health features for the Apple Watch, but it rarely does so in the same generation. The Series 5 and Series 7, for example, introduced aesthetic changes like the always-on display and a larger screen, while the Series 6 and Series 8 debuted blood oxygen and temperature sensing respectively.
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Apple Watch Series 10 gets a slim new look and ‘brighter’ screen
The Apple Watch Series 10 up close
The Apple Watch Series 10 is all about the new display and design. Apple says there’s 30% more screen area for viewing more lines of text and further increasing the font size. The company claims it’s the biggest wearable display it’s ever built, making it even slightly bigger than the Apple Watch Ultra, which also got a new black finish for the Apple Watch Ultra 2 at the event. Since people often glance down at their watch rather than looking at it straight on, Apple made the display 40% brighter when viewed at an angle on the Series 10.
Given the increase in display size, the watch comes in new size options: 42-millimeter and 46-millimeter, which is slightly larger than the previous 41-millimeter and 45-millimeter sizes.
Even though I only had a few minutes with the Series 10, you can see the difference when compared alongside the Series 9.
The Apple Watch Series 10 (top) and Series 9 (bottom)
The watch also comes in a new polished aluminum finish developed specifically for the Series 10, which will be available in a new black color along with rose gold and silver aluminum. There’s a new titanium finish as well that weighs 20% less than the previous stainless steel version.
The Series 10 felt a bit lighter, but it’s hard to make a direct comparison against the Series 9 without using the same bands on both watches.
The Apple Watch Series 10 can detect signs of sleep apnea.
Health is always a major area of focus for the Apple Watch, and that’s no different this year. Sleep apnea detection is coming to the watch through a new metric that can pick up potential breathing disturbances overnight. You’ll be able to view nightly values in the health app, and the Apple Watch will analyze your breathing disturbances every 30 days and notify you if it finds consistent signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea. Apple says it expects FDA clearance for the feature soon.
The announcement comes after Samsung introduced sleep apnea detection to its smartwatches earlier this year, further underscoring how smartwatches are becoming powerful health-tracking devices.
The new Apple Watch also has a built-in depth gauge and water temperature sensor for water-related sports and activities, another addition that could make it appealing to those who were interested in the Ultra.
