A inexpensive Apple Watch is right here.
Screenshot/CNET
This story is part of Apple Event, our full coverage of the latest news from Apple headquarters.
Ever since Apple launched its first smartwatch, again in 2015, the Apple Watch has been a extremely prized wearable throughout many various demographics — although the value tag made it unaffordable for some. That modified on Tuesday, when the corporate introduced the Watch SE, a extra reasonably priced look ahead to these whose budgets beforehand did not stretch to Apple smartwatch possession.
Learn: Here is how to install iOS 14 and iPad OS 14 when it is accessible tomorrow and how to prep your device now.
With the Watch SE beginning at $279 (£269, AU$429), Apple is trying to enchantment to a brand new viewers of smartwatch wearers — together with kids. The brand new Apple Watch Family Setup feature lets individuals join a number of watches to at least one iPhone, and Apple is clearly hoping mother and father may be satisfied to put money into a smartwatch for his or her beloved offspring.
Although it is very similar to the present Sequence 3 watch in look, the Watch SE comprises a extra highly effective processor than Apple’s older timepiece. The Sequence 3 dates again to 2017, so prospects might be reassured to know Apple is doing greater than rebadging an previous product; the corporate has given the gadget a much-needed inner refresh to make it related in 2020 and past.
Watch this:
Apple unveils lower-priced Apple Watch SE
1:55
As you might expect from a less expensive model, the SE doesn’t have all the advanced features of Apple’s higher-end watches, such as the FDA-cleared ECG app, but it still has a number of fitness-tracking capabilities and the fall-detection feature introduced in the Series 4. These include the same accelerometer, gyroscope and always-on altimeter as the new Apple Watch Series 6. The company also promises larger and easier to read metrics on its “most advanced” watch display, which is actually 30% bigger than the screen on the Series 3.
Apple’s September event is usually an opportunity for the company to show off its latest iPhones, but with no phones making an appearance Tuesday, watches were able to take center stage. We’re expecting to see Apple unveil the iPhone 12 in just a few weeks, but until then, the company has offered up some things to get excited about.
Among the announcements Apple made at Tuesday’s event, the unveiling of the Apple Watch SE stands out for potentially bringing a much-loved (and lusted-after) product to a fresh audience. Though seasoned smartwatch owners or those who require deeper insights into their health metrics still may be drawn to the more expensive, top-of-the-range Apple Watch, the SE may do a fine job of serving the majority of people looking for an attractive and capable smartwatch.
The Watch SE could also benefit Apple by allowing it to hold on to its position as market leader in global sales of wearables. A less expensive smartwatch might allow the company to lure in buyers who might otherwise have opted for a budget fitness tracker from rivals such as Fitbit.
