Apple Watch SE & Series 6

Apple Watch SE & Series 6 – What’s new?

In this topsy-turvy year it is easy to forget what normality feels like, but never fear, we can always rely on the autumnal launch of Apple’s latest line of gadgets to keep our sense of routine. So, what have they provided us with on this latest rollout?

Firstly, and certainly a little under the radar, the new iPad. The newly introduced iPad has the ability to work seamlessly on multiple apps at the same time and funky new features, such as the ability to pair the device with your gaming console at home.

However, the more interesting release was that of the new Apple Watch SE and Apple Watch Series 6.

What did we learn about the new watches?

Before you get too excited, do not expect to be able to wear the watch for days on end without needing to be near a charger. Unfortunately, upgrading the battery life was not a concern Apple looked to fix with this latest update. The battery life still stands at a relatively low 18 hours, which means a nightly charge is still required if you want seamless daily use.

The real updates have been seen on the fitness capabilities of the watches. The activity tracking monitors your daily movements and records vital data, which you can use to pinpoint areas you can improve.

The biggest talking point from the launch of the new watches centered around the ability for the watches to calculated how oxygenated your blood is, something I am sure most people are wondering about themselves all day long...

Joking aside, the oxygen saturation feature is pretty neat. The watch will shine red and green LED’s along with infrared light onto your wrist, the light reflected back then calculates how oxygenated your blood is. Apple has stressed that this is not something to be taken as a serious medical device but more of a guide. Admittedly, even if you do not quite know how it does it, the addition of this feature is an exciting new update showcasing the potential of this and future watches.

It is important to note that the Apple Watch SE is the slightly cheaper model and therefore the previously mentioned oxygen calculator does not feature on this watch.

WatchOS 7 brings a few small updates but the most interesting is the new Sleep tracker. This will monitor how long you are sleeping for and store the data, which can then be used to see when you are getting the most, and least, amount of sleep. However, it is quite a simple function so do not expect it to tell you your REM cycle or what you were dreaming about! Also, as you are required to wear the watch when sleeping for this function to work, the battery life also comes back into play, as you would need to charge the device before going to bed...