Wondering if you should invest in the newest Apple Watch? Now it's officially available to buy, we've got the need-to-know information on the latest in Apple's line-up of fitness trackers.
For those interested in one of the best fitness trackers, the newest Apple Watch is a seriously good choice. Not only does it offer all the essentials in fitness tracking (with plenty of workout modes, statistics, and metric measurements on offer) and health monitoring (which includes sleep monitoring), but the latest models work to make general life easier too. With new processors speeding up the device, new features, and minimal changes to the much-loved design, there's no better time to take the plunge.
There's just one new device announced so far - an upgrade to the Apple Watch Series 9. While it has some impressive new features, it's a good idea to weigh up the pros and cons of them both and to weigh up competitors like Fitbit vs Apple Watch, to work out which one will work best for you. As woman&home's digital health editor, I'm walking you through the latest from the range.
What is the newest Apple Watch 2024?
The Apple Watch Series 10 is the newest Apple Watch, available to buy from 20 September 2024. Marking a change from the previous model, the brand promises the watch features the largest display with the thinnest design yet, enhanced functionality, advanced health tracking, and more seamless connectivity with other devices in the family.
Apple Watch Series 10
The Apple Watch Series 10 was announced in September 2024. At the unveiling, Apple said that this new watch would be the largest one yet - even larger than the Apple Watch Ultra, released last year. It also reportedly has the brightest display and thinnest design yet - measuring just 9.7mm, which is 10% thinner than the previous Apple Watch Series 9. The aluminium casing is also 2.4g lighter than the previous version.
While battery life remains the same at 18 hours, this is the "fastest-charging Apple Watch ever" and is "extremely power efficient", according to Apple, so perhaps it won't be necessary to charge the watch so often with the upgrade.
As well as the new addition of a speaker so users can play music and podcasts, and make and receive calls without needing headphones, the Series 10 is available in a new material: titanium. This is lighter and stronger than the aluminium, which the standard watch is made from - though choosing this alternative material comes with an additional £300 on the £399 price tag.
The brand says the watch is carbon neutral and created with 100% renewable energy. It's also available in two new colour options: polished "jet" black and rose gold, along with the brushed silver we've seen on previous models.
Features-wise, reviewers have been getting excited about a new feature which claims to detect sleep apnea - a condition where some people temporarily stop breathing in their sleep. Up to 90% of people with the condition go undiagnosed, per the Cleveland Clinic, and it's thought to affect more than a billion people around the world.
Is the newest Apple Watch worth buying?
Whether you're deciding between the Apple Watch Series 10 compared to previous models, it may well be worth upgrading if you find the newer features contribute positively to your daily life. Much like how it's always worth buying the newest Fitbit, opting for the latest model of any fitness tracker is going to guarantee (99% of the time) a better working product with up-to-date features and software. Plus, the newer the model, the longer it should last.
For those considering the Apple Watch Series 10, the improvements in screen brightness, speed, and health features make it a winner. It also offers better interconnectivity between other Apple devices, so if you're an Apple fanatic at home and on the move, it's worth opting for the Series 10.
Price-wise, the RRP of the new release is the same as the Series 9 when it launched last year: £399. For the newest Apple Watch, this is fairly standard and other advanced fitness trackers and smartwatches, such as those from Garmin, can set you back a lot more. As always though, consider what you need to know before buying a fitness tracker before making a decision.
What are the other recent releases from Apple like?
Apple Watch Series 9
The Apple Watch Series 9 was launched in September 2023. When it comes to using the watch for daily life and monitoring health and fitness, all the essentials are there: heart rate tracking, including notifications for high and low heart rate; a wide variety of workout types, everything from yoga and strength training to dance and customised options; automatic workout detection, in case you forget to start your workout; mindfulness options like breathing exercises and mood logging; and advanced health tracking around sleep, ECG monitoring, irregular heart rate, and blood oxygen.
Those interested in potentially upgrading can expect the Series 9 to work faster than other models (up to 30%, the brand says), so swiping through the best workout apps, tapping out a text, and pressing to send the device to sleep will all elicit a quicker response on the screen.
There are a couple of new features which set the Apple Watch Series 9 and previous versions apart, including better screen brightness, eco-friendly credentials (the case is produced from 100% post-consumer aluminium), double the storage (64GB compared to 32GB), and more accurate, sensitive tracking, along with another colourway (pink).
However, perhaps the biggest change is the introduction of a new processor and something called a U2 ultrawide-band chip, which offers a pretty useful feature to users who often have their hands full. When wearing the watch, you can double tap your index and thumb (on the hand wearing the watch) together to access some features, including answering and ending phone calls, launching widgets in the new Smart Stack feature (you'll know it from changing the home screen on the iPhone), ending a timer, snoozing an alarm, or playing and pausing music.
Apple Watch Ultra 2
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the brand's most advanced fitness tracker, offering more than ever before in terms of features, fitness tracking, health monitoring, battery life (up to 72 hours on low power mode), and navigation. With the 2024 release of the Apple Series 10, the Ultra 2 comes in a new colourway.
Along with all the features Apple Watch lovers are used to seeing, such as quick and accurate GPS, health monitoring, and sleep tracking, the Ultra 2 comes with some updates. The main upgrades on this newer version of the Ultra include a brighter screen (double that of the previous model), a faster processor (as also featured on the Series 9), the same Double-Tap feature as the Apple Watch Series 9, and better altitude and depth sensors for hikers, climbers, and divers among us, and watersports tracking features for the scuba divers and freedivers. Many users also report that the GPS is quicker to sync, making heading off and recording a walk, run, or hike even quicker and easier. It also comes with the same carbon-neutral credentials as the Series 9.
Needless to say, the extensive advanced features, rugged design, supreme outdoor focus, and premium pricing mean this isn't a standard Apple Watch. I'd advise opting for the Series 9 over the Ultra 2 unless you're someone who relishes the thought of a 36-hour battery life and spends more time outdoors on the move than inside.
Will there be a new Apple Watch released in 2024?
Yes, the Apple Watch Series 10 is being released on 20 September 2024. There are also rumours of another version of the Apple Watch SE, given that the page on the Apple website says it's available for pre-order - but nothing's been officially announced yet.
It's been two years since the release of the last version and the brand is celebrating its 10th anniversary of the watch in 2024.
