This year is commemorated The 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, the best-selling rectangular wearable seen on the wrists of millions of iPhone owners. Befitting a milestone anniversary, this year’s Apple Watch 10 has an updated design that’s much thinner and lighter than the previous Watch Series 9, along with a new jet black finish. (Everyone says they want a pink watch, but I love black!)
Every year, Apple adds new health features to the Watch. This year, that feature is sleep apnea detection. (We first reported that the company was working on machine learning algorithms for sleep apnea detection back in 2017.) The most anticipated health feature was tracking for hypertension, or high blood pressure, and that has yet to appear on the Apple Watch — likely because earlier this year, Apple was ordered to stop selling watches with blood oxygen detection due to a patent dispute with Masimo Corp.
The Watch Ultra 2 didn’t get a huge update, but instead got a new style. It also now comes in a new black finish, along with a new black Milanese strap that’s specifically designed for water sports. On the display, users will get a host of new features related to water sports. However, it’s worth noting here that while this watch looks amazing, you might not want to miss out on blood oxygen sensing if you have an older model, which arrived with the Watch Series 6. Most of the exciting new updates, like Apple Intelligence and new comprehensive health algorithms, are coming to the watch via the phone app and WatchOS 11 anyway.
The Series 10 is available for preorder today for $399 and will ship September 20. The redesigned Watch Ultra 2 is also available for preorder today for $799 and will be available September 20.
The new Apple Watch Ultra 2 was unveiled during Apple’s fall event on September 9, 2024, in Cupertino, California.Photography: Julian Chokkattu
Black is back
The Watch Series 10 is noticeably thinner and lighter than its predecessor, the Series 9. Apple says it has the largest wearable display Apple’s ever built — even larger than the already massive Watch Ultra — and it has the company’s first wide-angle OLED display that’s 40 percent brighter than its predecessor, designed to be readable at any time and from any angle. Despite its increase, Apple says it’s still nearly 10 percent lighter than the Series 9.
It has new rounded corners that give it a much smoother look, along with a new jet-black aluminum finish that’s been polished with silicon nanoparticles to make it reflective. (Don’t worry, it’s still available in the popular rose gold and silver colors.) It also has new hardware improvements to make it thinner and lighter. Most notable are a new metal back that integrates the antenna into the case, and new slim speakers that can actually play music and podcasts.
There’s also a larger, more efficient charging coil that can take the battery up to 80 percent in 30 minutes, and a new S10 SIP designed for power efficiency. (Though there’s no word on whether battery life itself is improving.) A new watch face called Flux takes advantage of the big, bright display. The Watch Ultra 2 also has a few upgrades, including a new black finish with new matching titanium hardware, including a black Milanese band that’s specifically designed for underwater sports. This year, any Apple Watch in any finish can be carbon neutral, according to Apple.
Sleep and splash around
Apple wants the Apple Watch to be seen as a comprehensive health device, and it’s taking another step in that direction with sleep apnea detection. Sleep apnea is a condition where you stop and start breathing again while you sleep, reducing the amount of oxygen in your blood. It’s an often-undiagnosed condition that can lead to life-threatening events like stroke or heart attack. The company uses the watch’s accelerometer and artificial intelligence to monitor sleep disturbances over the course of 30 days and warn you (and/or your partner) that you might have sleep apnea.
