Competition for the Ultra 2

Last week, Apple not only introduced new iPhones, but also sent the Apple Watch into the next round. To mark the anniversary of its own smartwatch, Apple has come up with some interesting innovations. Various media representatives, journalists and influencers have now taken a closer look at whether the innovations justify a purchase.

Photo credit: Apple

Apple Watch 10

Today the press embargo expired, so we have the first Apple Watch Series 10 reviews. The official market launch of the Series 10 will take place on Friday, and pre-orders can already be made – including on Amazon and the Apple Online Store.

The Series 10 has a new design – the new smartwatch is almost 10% thinner than the Series 9 at 9.7 mm thick. The case of the premium version of the Apple Watch is now made of titanium instead of stainless steel. The titanium versions are available in gray, gold and untreated titanium.

The new wide-angle OLED display is 40% brighter and can update the display every second, even in continuous operation. The chip used is the S10, which features a revised 4-core Neural Engine. Apple Intelligence is not integrated into the Apple Watch, but there are many functions based on neural processing and machine learning. The new S10 chip ensures that these functions run even better. The Series 10 also has a new speaker that allows users to play songs or podcasts directly from the watch. The new Apple Watch also offers a quick charge function, with which the watch can be charged up to 80% in just 30 minutes, according to Apple.

As for health features, Apple Watch can now detect sleep apnea. If the smartwatch detects repeated pauses in breathing during sleep, the device will recommend the user see a doctor for further help. This is similar to the way the watch can already inform the user with alerts about irregular heart rate, low heart rate, low blood oxygen levels, and other health conditions. Similar to the new Vitals app in watchOS 11, users will need to wear the Apple Watch while sleeping for a few days to receive a sleep apnea diagnosis.

So much for the theory, now it’s time for the testers’ reports:

Apple Watch 10 review

Mirror

In its test report, Der Spiegel highlights that the most important innovation of the Apple Watch Series 10 is the shorter charging time. The battery only needs a freshening treatment of 15 to 30 minutes on the charging pad to be ready for everyday use. The test report states:

“The improved charging function of the Apple Watch Series 10 is likely to prove much more important in everyday life.” Apple promises that it can be charged from 0 to up to 80 percent within 30 minutes. In the test, my test devices at least came very close to this value. After 15 minutes of charging, it showed 41 percent battery capacity, after 30 minutes 77 percent. A Series 9, which I ran in parallel, was still at 54 percent at this time. This difference can be important in everyday life, because according to the data sheet, the battery lasts for up to 18 hours. But if you use the watch for long training sessions, for example, this value can quickly shrink.”

star

The Stern also praises the fast charging time, although it is noted that the overall battery life has unfortunately not improved. An interesting aspect of the test relates to the comparison with the Apple Watch Ultra, which now has its toughest competitor in the form of the Series 10:

“With the Series 10, the Apple Watch has been significantly upgraded – especially compared to the Apple Watch Ultra 2, which did not receive a successor this year.” The slimmer design, the larger display and, above all, the wider viewing angle make the Apple Watch Series 10 appear much more “watch-like”. The elegant titanium models in particular are suddenly in the same league as the Apple Watch Ultra 2, if you are not dependent on its sports tracking and longevity.

The other improvements are more in the details, but bring real benefits in everyday life. The most medically exciting innovation, the detection of sleep apnea, is also available in the previous models.”

9to5Mac

9to5Mac also explains that the new model is in some ways like an Apple Watch Ultra Lite. Although the Series 10 does not offer the long battery life of the Ultra, it can be used day and night thanks to fast charging:

“The Series line has adopted a few things from the Ultra line. Apple Watch displays have grown over the years. We're now at a point where the smaller Series 10 is the same size as the larger Series 3. […]

Apple certainly has data showing that some Ultra customers care more about screen size than extreme sports features. The larger Apple Watch Series 10 is the result.

In some ways, the Apple Watch Series 10 is the Ultra for the rest of us, and that's great. I love the Ultra as an endurance watch. However, the Series line is unmatched when it comes to being an attractive accessory. That's even more true now with the design of the Series 10.”

Wired

Wired, meanwhile, is excited about the new display and faster charging:

“The most incredible thing about the Series 10 is that the display on the 46mm model is actually larger than that of the 49mm Watch Ultra 2. This feat is accomplished through the miracle of geometry.” The watch's case has curved edges and the display extends down the sides, while the Watch Ultra 2 has a flat display and a titanium case that protects the corners from bumps and knocks […]

Two other important improvements are faster charging and a better speaker in the watch. Now I'll give you my most important tip: If you have a fast-charging Apple Watch and a fast charger that you plug into the socket in your bathroom, you can fully charge your watch every morning in the time it takes you to shower, brush your teeth and get dressed, which took me about 20 minutes.”

The edge

The Verge calls the Apple Watch 10 an iterative update, but says Apple has made solid decisions and created “a more wearable Ultra”:

“Apple Watch Series 10 is another steady, incremental improvement in a long line of steady, incremental improvements.” But not all iterative updates are created equal. With the Series 10, it feels like Apple has an answer to one question: How can we get the biggest display possible without sacrificing comfort and battery life?

The bottom line is that the Series 10 is a slimmer, wearable Ultra. It lacks sporty features like dual-frequency GPS, action button, and 80dB siren. The Ultra also has better battery life. But I can't stress enough how many people prefer the size of the screen and the portability of the device over the bells and whistles – especially people who are more casual exercisers or fashion-conscious. Considering that the new Titanium version with sapphire crystal costs $699 – a full $100 less than the Ultra? I can see a lot of people trading in their Ultras for a Titanium Series 10.”

While GQ would have expected more innovations for an anniversary product, they believe that the large display, lighter casing and polished titanium finish are a worthwhile upgrade and justify a purchase:

“There is no super-luxurious special edition for this occasion. Thanks to a whole series of small but notable improvements, the watch is a real step forward for a wearable. This year the Watch feels better than ever […].

While Apple hasn't mentioned it often, it's worth noting that the Series 10 is also the lightest model in seven years. You have to go all the way back to the much smaller Series 3 to find a watch that sits this lightly on the wrist, and that's more or less true whether you choose an aluminum or polished titanium model.”

CNET

A feature that receives little attention in many tests is the audio output via the integrated speaker. CNET writes about the capabilities of the Series 10:

“I conducted my own, highly unscientific test to see how disruptive it would be to play a heavy rock song at full volume through the watch's speaker.” In a quiet indoor room, my colleague Faith Chihil could hear the speaker from about 100 feet away. Outside, with street noise, she had to stand right next to me to hear anything. In short, it's nowhere near as loud as the maximum volume of a smartphone speaker.

I measured the Apple Watch Series 10's maximum volume using the Noise app on an Apple Watch Ultra 2, and it reached about 92 dB on this heavy rock song. But most of the other songs I played were in the 80 to 87 dB range.”

CNBC

Last but not least, let’s look at the voice isolation during phone calls, which CNBC says is “stunningly good”:

“Of course, I wanted to test this in the loudest environment I could imagine, so I went to Lion Dance Me in San Francisco and called my colleague Lisa Eadicicco. “If you've ever heard a dragon dance at events like the Lunar New Year celebrations, you'll know that the drums can be incredibly loud. It felt like my ears were being blown off in real time, but the Series 10's voice isolation was so good that the drums sounded like they were a block away. Lisa could hear me loud and clear, even when I felt like I was screaming into the clock.”