José Adorno
The first reviews of the Apple Watch Series
8 and second-generation Apple Watch SE are out. Ahead of pre-orders arriving
to buyers on Friday, these early reviews provide our first in-depth look at
the modest Apple Watch Series 8 upgrades and the new generation of the entry
Apple Watch models with SE 2.
The Verge, most Apple Watch Series 8 upgrades are invisible to the naked
eye, as it has exactly the same design with slightly different colors. The
review notes how the body temperature sensor works, as Apple didnt provide
much information about it:
The watchs temperature sensing is mostly passive. Unlike the existing
EKG, heart rate, and blood oxygen sensors, you cant take on-demand
readings. You can only get wrist temperature readings when you have the
Sleep Focus turned on and sleep tracking enabled. Plus, you need to sleep
with the Apple Watch for five nights to establish a baseline. Once thats
completed, youre only going to see deviations from that baseline. Youre
never really going to look at your wrist and go, Oh, I have a fever because
my temperature is 100 degrees Fahrenheit. (
) If you happen to track your
cycles in the Health app, enabling wrist temperature readings means you can
get retrospective ovulation estimates after about two cycles.
Toms Guides, talks about the new Car Crash Detection feature, highlighting
two improved sensors of the Apple Watch Series 8:
The Apple Watch Series 8 features two new motion sensors inside, plus an
improved gyroscope and accelerometer. These together can sample motion 4x
faster than before, so the watch will be able to detect a crash precisely as
it happens. And, in the unfortunate case of a crash, the Apple Watch will
automatically call emergency services and notify your emergency contacts.
Though its a somber thought, quicker help could be a matter of life or
death.
Engadget notes that the new S8 chip isnt faster but could improve battery
in general:
Though the Series 8 uses a newer S8 system-in-package processor, it didnt
feel dramatically faster than its predecessor. It did last a little longer
in general, though I need more time testing to know for sure. I also suspect
that the larger size might have something to do with this. I used the new
low power mode in watchOS 9 one morning when the Series 8 was down to 20
percent battery and I still had to run to the gym for an 8am workout. It
managed to last another two hours at least while also being able to track my
performance during the HIIT class. I was impressed by how little it felt
like I had to sacrifice in exchange for the extra juice.
The Wall Street Journal praises the new Low Power mode:
[Low Power mode] cuts the always-on display and background heart-rate
measurements while keeping activity tracking and fall detectionideal for
long flights or a weekend away without a charger (
) In my tests, low power
mode extended the battery life of the Series 8as well as my older Series 7
watch. The watches even had some battery left after 36 hours, but needed to
be topped up to 30% for a second night of sleep tracking. (Apples 36-hour
estimate is based on testing that doesnt include sleep tracking, though
sleep tracking still works when the feature is enabled.)
TechCrunch, for example, highlights the importance of emergency features,
especially for older users. One of the new features is International
Emergency Calling:
International Emergency Calling expands the feature for people traveling
abroad, covering some 120 countries/regions across the world. The system can
also be triggered if the watch detects a fall. These arent sexy features,
by any measure and that likely contributed to the somewhat muted response
around the products launch. Id hazard to guess that these kinds of
additions arent exactly the kind of features that move the needle for too
many users, but Apple is building up a strong case as a device for older
users and those with known health issues.
The Streets sums up what its like to choose the new Apple Watch SE in 2022:
The Apple Watch SE is best for if youre new to Apple Watch, dont need
all the health features of a display that is always-on, or if you have an
older model like a Series 1, 2, or 3.
Engadget doubles down on The Streets review by highlighting what you lose
when choosing the Apple Watch:
The main features youll miss if you opt for an SE instead of a Series 8
is the Always On Display (AOD), ECG reader, blood oxygen app and the new
skin temperature sensor. Like the older SE, this years model also charges
at a slower rate than the Series 7 and 8, and doesnt have a U1 chip for
ultra wideband.
It also lacks the IP6X dust resistance rating of its more premium
counterparts, so if youre likely to take this Tough Mudding or to the
beach, it might be worth considering a more expensive model. Those who hate
chunky bezels will also find the SEs thicker borders off-putting, but
without a side-by-side comparison I didnt notice a big difference.
The Wall Street Journal talks about little differences between Apple Watch
SE 2 predecessor and for who this smartwatch could be worth it:
SE ($249 and up): If you want the basic activity tracking and safety
features, get the SE. Theres no always-on display, temperature sensor,
blood-oxygen sensor or ECG app. Like the Series 8, its water-resistant down
to 50 meters.
9to5Mac
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