The Reviews are in for the New Apple Watch Series 6

Reuters
October 4, 2020 Topic: Technology Region: Americas Blog Brand: Techland Tags: AppleTechnologyLuxuryUpgradeWatch

The Reviews are in for the New Apple Watch Series 6

The sale tactics tied to the Apple Watch have changed a lot since the first one debuted five years ago. Now, it’s been sold much more as a health device than as a luxury status symbol.

Apple debuted its newest Apple Watch, the Series 6, at its “Time Flies” event last month, while also unveiling a new, lower-cost Apple Watch SE. 

Apple Watch Series 6 completely redefines what a watch can do,” Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer, said in the announcement of the new watch. “With powerful new features, including a Blood Oxygen sensor and app,  Apple Watch becomes even more indispensable by providing further insight into overall well-being.”

Now, the reviews are in for the new Apple Watch, and they’re mostly positive while noting that the new Series 6 isn’t a dramatic improvement over the previous Series 5. 

Engadget gave the new Apple Watch a score of eighty-nine out of one hundred, praising the device’s faster performance, faster charging, “slightly improved battery life,” and its handwashing feature, which reminds users to wash their hands for a certain length of time. The lone con listed is that “Sleep tracking in watchOS 7 isn’t super useful.”

The new review also notes that the selling of the Apple Watch has changed a lot since the first one debuted five years ago, as it’s been sold much more as a health device than as a luxury status symbol.

“The Apple Watch Series 6 isn’t much different from the Series 5, and the changes that matter most aren’t necessarily the ones you can see,” the review said. “That said, we’ll never complain when an already great smartwatch gets practical improvements like faster performance, longer battery life and quicker charging. The sleep tracking feature could use work, but that’s something Apple could potentially address through a software update.”

In their review, The Verge describes the Series 6’s “minute improvements.” The reviewer, Dieter Bohn, states that each of the last few Apple Watches has been the best product available in the smartwatch category, and that Apple “would have to massively screw something up with the Apple Watch for it to be knocked out of the lead spot.”

Bohn, in giving it nine out of ten, praises the “big, bright display,” third party applications, and “built-in sleep tracking,” while criticizing the lack of third-party watch faces, the lack of Android phone support and the unreliability of the new blood oxygen feature. 

The review, like that of Engadget, did note that the Series 6 isn’t a massive upgrade over its immediate predecessor. 

“My honest advice is to spend as much as you’re comfortable with, and don’t sweat that you’re missing something vital by ignoring the upsell,” he wrote. “Because the truth is that the things that make the Apple Watch Series 6 great are shared by all those other Apple Watches.”

Stephen Silver, a technology writer for the National Interest, is a journalist, essayist and film critic, who is also a contributor to Philly Voice, Philadelphia Weekly, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Living Life Fearless, Backstage magazine, Broad Street Review and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. Follow him on Twitter at @StephenSilver.

Image: Reuters