Apple Watch Series 6 and Apple Watch SE | All the Details

Español

Español

Cambiar idioma

A few hours ago, Apple has finished the presentation of the new Apple Watch Series 6 and Apple Watch SE (along with new iPad and iPad Air models), also confirming a new subscription service called Fitness+ to conduct video classes guided by trainers.

The new Apple Watch Series 6 is rather continuist and there are not too many new features to report. To the new processor (something usual with each device update) only a sensor for estimating blood oxygen saturation has been added. The design is the same as Apple introduced with the Series 4 and now there are new colors.

Perhaps of more interest is the new variant of the Apple Watch: the Apple Watch SE. A watch that while maintaining the same aesthetics (and large screen size), lowers the cost by dispensing with pulse oximetry sensors and electrocardiogram recording.

Apple Watch Series 6 | Details

There are two main new features found in the Apple Watch Series 6. First, the new S6 processor that promises 20% more power than its predecessor while maintaining the same level of autonomy: up to 18 hours on (without GPS use). More than one would have preferred more autonomy while maintaining the same level of performance, and they would probably be right.

The second hardware addition to the new watch is the blood oxygen estimation sensor. The optical pulse sensor is new for poder to incorporate this new sensor.

Thanks to the new 1TP10 sensor, we can take a record of SpO2 values at any time. According to Apple, this record is done in 15 seconds with a counter on the screen. To take this reading it is necessary to remain immobile.

This new sensor with SpO2 recording will also help with one of the new features of Apple Watch OS7: sleep monitoring.

Although that will be if we manage to make it through the night with the watch charged. In this regard the Series 6 can help as its battery charge is now somewhat faster (a full charge takes just 1.5 hours).

There are other small changes. The barometric altimeter now remains active throughout the day, providing altitude information at all times.

The display is brighter than the previous model and there are changes to the power saving mode. It is now possible to access notifications, tap on complications or access the Control Center without turning on the screen completely.

The Series 6 comes in 5 different colors: gray, silver, blue, gold and a Product version (RED), which is logically red. There are also new straps: an elastic silicone strap called "Solo loop" with no clasp of any kind, it is simply an elastic strap.

The price is the same as that of the model it replaces: from 429€ for the 40mm WiFi only.

Apple Watch SE : Details

As for the Apple Watch SE it is almost an Apple Watch Series 5 but with some features trimmed down.

The processor is the same as that of the Series 5, the S5. But to cut costs Apple does not include the ECG sensor for electrocardiogram measurement nor the new optical pulse sensor with blood oxygen estimation.

Perhaps what podrás miss the most is the always-on display, something that once you get used to you appreciate quite a lot, even if the watch recognizes the turn of the wrist perfectly as with the Apple Watch.

In exchange we have a saving of 130€ and we keep the rest of the sensors of the Series 6: accelerometer, gyroscope, compass and altimeter with constant operation.

Fitness+

Finally I will talk briefly about Fitness+, the new subscription-based virtual training service that Apple has introduced today. And I will do so briefly because at the moment it is only available in a very limited list of countries, probably for music licensing reasons and also because of language barriers (at the moment it is only available in English).

Fitness+, as I say, is about virtual workouts that podemos perform with our Apple devices. Using an iPhone, iPad or Apple TV we will have videos with different types of training for 10 different sports, and the Apple Watch will be used as an external sensor to obtain data from the pulse sensor.

The service costs $9.99 per month, with the option of a one-year contract for $59.99 or bundled with an Apple One subscription (also announced today) that encompasses all Apple services.

—

So that's it, that's how the presentation of the new Apple Watches went. If we were talking about a Garmin, Polar or Suunto we would probably qualify the launch as "disappointing", as there are not too many new features to talk about.

A new processor that brings more speed (and that we probably do not distinguish if we go from a Series 5 to a Series 6) and the only novelty is the inclusion of the blood oxygen estimation sensor, something that was already present in the competition as both Garmin and Fitbit already had it some time ago.

That is why perhaps the most interesting of today's presentation seemed to me the Apple Watch SE. At the level of sports use it offers the same functions as the Series 6 with the only lack of the always-on screen. But the price difference is remarkable...

Regardless of all this, what I have no doubt about is that any of them will sell in the millions.

And with that... thanks for reading!