The new Apple Watch Ultra will, of course, be the center of attention. However, the Apple Watch 8 offers an upgrade even if you are only interested in the base model. Will there be a discernible difference between the ’new’ Apple Watch 8 and its predecessor, the Watch Series 7, or will it simply be renamed?
Price and Availability
The pricing of the Apple Watch Series 8 has been established in the United States at $399 for GPS and $499 for cellular, which is not going to come as much of a surprise to you. Pricing in Australia has not been determined at this time but begins at $419 in the United Kingdom and $529 with cellular connectivity. When it comes to the Apple Watch 8 release date, you’ll be able to get your hands on one beginning September 16, and pre-orders are currently being accepted.
Design
When compared to the Apple Watch 7, the most noticeable difference between the new Watch and the older Watch is arguably the addition of additional color options. The design of the Apple Watch 8 hasn’t changed too much at all in this regard. If you need a refresher on what happened in the previous year, here it is: a larger screen and a push to 41mm / 45mm chassis. This delivered a slightly larger screen that could show off more information, and that’s the shape that we’re seeing on the Watch 8. The Watch 8 is offered in a stainless steel finish as well as an aluminum finish. Midnight, starlight, silver, and product red are the four colorways that are available for the watch’s aluminum case, while steel comes in silver, gold, and graphite metallic colorways. The one made of stainless steel is significantly more expensive, coming in at $749 or £779. In addition, the Digital Crown and the app/power button in the shape of a lozenge are located on the right-hand side of the Watch 8, and the crystal-covered heart rate monitor is located on the back of the device. The watch is comfortable to wear on the wrist and the screen (which is an OLED display) is just as crisp and bright as it was before, and it rotates easily under the finger. It comes with a helpful always-on display that will show basic information when dormant, before lighting up when the wrist is raised. The watch is swift and accurate as usual thanks to the new S8 chipset inside that powers things along quickly and efficiently.
New Temperature Sensor
The most significant updates to the Apple Watch 8 can be found on the interior, where a new temperature sensor that can read your body’s heat as well as a new S8 chip that delivers a few minor improvements can be found. When it comes to the temperature sensor, after some time of usage, it will learn the base rate of your body. Additionally, for women who are trying to conceive, it will be able to detect when you first started ovulating, which will be helpful for family planning purposes. The Apple watch wouldn’t be able to forecast ovulation in the future; rather, it would give a direction to individuals wishing to follow said movement within their bodies. Any individual who is concerned that their menstruation data could be revealed or seen has entire control themselves; even Apple is unable to see it. In addition, the company made it extremely clear that this data could never be shared with anyone without first receiving specific permission to do so. The temperature variations are detected via a sensor on the skin and another immediately under the display on top of the Watch 8. This means that it is able to more correctly forecast overnight how your body is responding to things like ovulation, illness, jetlag, and other such things. The temperature sensor on the Watch 8 appears to be quite accurate, since it is able to detect shifts in temperature to an accuracy of 0.1 degrees, despite the fact that it is more of a tool to be used than something that can provide particular recommendations.
Car Crash Detection
Another feature is the car crash detection. Using an improved gyroscope and an accelerometer that can now detect G-force changes up to 256G, Apple is sure that the new Watch 8 will be able to detect when you’ve been in a collision and will immediately contact emergency personnel, providing all the relevant data if you’re unconscious. This functionality will only function when the wearer is in motion, using GPS and the iPhone’s connection to determine if he or she is in a car. Consider this a peace-of-mind feature rather than a compelling incentive to purchase the Apple Watch 8. All previous health features are included, including the ability to detect atrial fibrillation, blood oxygen levels, an electrocardiogram, and more. Given the abundance of previous Apple Watch models still available, it is difficult to get enthusiastic about these new capabilities as reasons to purchase the new Watch 8.
Battery
The Watch 8’s battery life is the same as usual: 18 hours, which is sufficient to get you through the night. There is now a low power mode that can increase the battery life to 30 hours. This new mode will disable the always-on display, slow down some of the sensors monitoring your vitals, and disable features like as automatic workout detection. Low power mode will assist, but you can’t use it to measure temperature overnight because the sensors turn off, so you’ll need to plan your usage accordingly.
Early Verdict
Considering what the Apple Watch Ultra can do, it’s difficult to get too enthusiastic about the new Watch 8. Apple’s tradition of releasing a device with only a little upgrade from the previous year is still evident here, with the company counting on the fact that people will simply visit an Apple store to obtain the newest model rather than going out of their way to purchase one. Given that the Apple Watch SE 2 incorporates many of the new capabilities of the Apple Watch 8 and is significantly less expensive, this could lead to a surge in demand for the entry-level model, given Apple’s most recent wearable device offers few innovations. This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional. © 2022 Maina Wilson
