The Apple Watch Series 10 just recently launched at the “It’s Glowtime” event on September 9th, 2024, and honestly, it’s a bit of a mix of super impressive features alongside a few things that might leave you a little underwhelmed. It’s the largest display Apple has ever put on a watch; the screen is even bigger than the Apple Watch Ultra 2, and it’s the thinnest and lightest. Also, now it comes with faster charging than its predecessor.
Let’s examine Apple’s new watch in-depth, including detailed specifications, pricing, reviews, new features, pros and cons, and essential upgrades. See if the enhancements make it a must-have.
WATCH HIGHLIGHTS
Largest Display
The series features the largest screen on an Apple Watch, with slimmed-down bezels.Thinner and Lighter
It is the thinnest and lightest watch yet, 10% thinner and 10% lighter than the Series 9.S10 Chip
The 64-bit dual-core processor and a 4-core Neural Engine make the watch faster and smoother.Faster Charging
It can charge up to 80% in 30 minutes, and 15 minutes charge can provide up to 8 hours of usage.New Health Features
The Watch includes sleep apnea detection (pending FDA approval) and advanced snorkeler tools like a water depth gauge.watchOS 11
Enhanced with new features like Smart Stack, real-time translation, and Training Load metrics for fitness tracking.Durability
It is water resistant up to 50m (swim-proof) and features new tools for watersports. It is also carbon-neutrally manufactured using recycled materials.Pricing
Rs. 46,900 for aluminium models and Rs. 79,900 for titanium, with sizes available in 42mm and 46mm.Battery Life
It is still up to 18 hours with normal use, but Low Power Mode extends it to 36 hours.
Design: Bigger and Slimmer
The Apple Watch 10 series has bigger cases: 42mm for the smaller and 46mm for the bigger version, increased by 1mm. It’s even larger than the Apple Watch Ultra. Despite its size, it is also 10% thinner, 9.7mm, which makes it the thinnest Apple Watch.
In terms of weight, this is about 6-7% lighter now. The stainless steel model has been replaced by titanium, which makes this version about 20% lighter and more durable.
Display: Bigger and Brighter
The 46mm model now has the biggest display on the Apple Watch, even slightly bigger than the Apple Watch Ultra. The bezels are still the same as those of previous models of the Apple Watch 9 but with a larger case size.
The Apple Watch Series 10 watch has a display that is 40% brighter at an angle, though the overall brightness is the same as that of the Series 9 at 2,000 nits. The Always-On display has significantly improved, and it now refreshes every second. On the Apple Watch 9, it was every minute. That means you will see seconds ticking in real-time.
Health and Fitness
Series 10 introduced a new feature: sleep apnea detection (pending FDA approval). If you already have the Apple Watch 9 and are interested in this feature, you don’t have to upgrade it; it will also be available on the Apple Watch 9 through software updates.
If you are into water sports, the Series 10 has a depth sensor that shows a water depth gauge and temperature sensor, which makes it a valuable watch for swimmers or snorkelers. However, it still has a water resistance rating of 50 meters only, so not for deep diving.
Speaker and Microphone
The speaker has been upgraded with multiple tiny holes instead of a single grill. While it looks sleek, I have concerns about the clogging due to dirt or sand.
The good news is that you can now play music, listen to podcasts, and do more than just calls. The microphone supports voice isolation, which makes it easier to block out background noise during calls. So, phone calls on the wrist should be better in noisy environments.
Performance
The Apple Watch Series 10 introduces the S10 chip; it has just rebranded the version of the S9; nothing changed. If you are upgrading from the Apple Watch 9, the overall performance and speed are the same, but if you are coming from the older version, you will notice the performance upgrade.
Battery Life and Charging
The battery life still lasts up to 18 hours of normal usage and 36 hours on the Low Power Mode. But now it supports fast charging, which charges up to 80% in 30 minutes and 15 minutes for up to 8 hours of normal use if you forget to charge it overnight, so you just charge for the day quickly before heading out.
If you want to use it for sleep tracking, the 8 minutes of charging will cover the 8 hours of tracking.
Pros
- 10% thinner and 6-7% lighter, making it the thinnest Apple Watch yet.
- Polished titanium option, 20% lighter than stainless steel.
- 40% brighter when viewed at an angle.
- Faster charging: 80% in 30 minutes, 8 minutes gives 8 hours of sleep tracking.
- New health features: sleep apnea detection, depth and water temperature sensors for snorkelling.
- The redesigned speaker allows music and podcast playback.
- Voice isolation improves call quality in noisy environments.
Cons
- There is no real performance boost; the S10 chip is just a rebranded S9 chip.
- Battery life remains unchanged at 18 hours.
- The depth sensor is limited to 6 meters and is only valid for snorkelling, not diving.
- Thicker bezels are the same as the Series 9.
Specification of Apple Watch 10
Feature | Apple Watch Series 10 |
|---|---|
Case Sizes | 42mm, 46mm |
Display | Wide-angle OLED, Always-On Retina LTPO, 2,000 nits max brightness |
Resolution (42mm) | 374×446 pixels |
Resolution (46mm) | 416×496 pixels |
Processor | S10 SiP with 64-bit dual-core processor |
Storage | 64GB internal storage |
Battery Life | Up to 18 hours (normal use), up to 36 hours (Low Power Mode) |
Charging | Fast charging, 80% in 30 minutes |
Water Resistance | Starting at $399 (aluminium), $699 (titanium) |
Sensors | Electrical heart sensor, Optical heart sensor, Blood Oxygen, Temperature sensor, Depth sensor |
Health Features | Sleep apnea detection, ECG, Blood Oxygen app |
Materials | Aluminum (Silver, Jet Black, Rose Gold), Titanium (Natural, Gold, Slate Grey) |
Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3, GPS, LTE (optional), Ultra Wideband |
Operating System | watchOS 11 |
Price | Starting at Rs. 46,900 (aluminium), Rs. 79,900 (titanium) |
Apple Watch Series 10 FAQ’s
The Apple Watch 10 was released on September 9, 2024, and market availability in stores will be on September 20, 2024.
The Apple Watch 10 aluminium model starts at Rs. 46,900, and the titanium version starts at Rs. 79,900.
The Apple Watch 10 offers up to 18 hours of battery life with regular use and up to 36 hours in Low Power Mode.
No, the Apple Watch 10 does not have a blood pressure monitor.
The Apple Watch 10 is worth it if you want the larger display, thinner design, and new snorkelling features. However, it is not a significant upgrade if you already own a Series 9.
Conclusion
You can think about it if you are already using the Apple Watch 9 series, considering slightly bigger screens, and looking for a faster charging option. However, if you are happy with the Watch 8 and Watch 9 features, there is nothing significant to upgrade to the Apple Watch 10, especially since the battery life and sleep apnea detection (still pending FDA approval) are minor upgrades.
In the end, if you are looking for an improved Apple Watch experience, yes, Apple Watch 10 delivers, but don’t expect a revolutionary upgrade in this release; it’s just more of a refinement.
