Since the release of the first-ever Apple Watch in 2015, the device has moved from strength to strength, continuously adding a wide range of innovative, much-requested features. And while the Apple Watch is by no means cheap, it’s one of the most feature-packed wearables available today. But are all those state-of-the-art features worth the exorbitant price?
The Apple Watch can do most of the essential things your iPhone can do, such as answer calls, compose texts, check emails, play music, and make payments with Apple Pay. It can also track your sleep, monitor blood oxygen levels, and detect falls and car crashes. They still can’t take pictures though!
Apple’s entire smartwatch line-up consists of wonderfully multifunctional pieces of equipment. Let’s look at what precisely the Apple Watch can do, what are the most popular Apple Watch features, how you can connect the device to your iPhone, and how much it costs so you can make an informed decision.
What Can Apple Watch Do?
With the latest watchOS 9, you can track your sleep, get cycling directions, share watch faces, and even check your Blood Oxygen levels (Apple Watch 6 and later).
Along with offering new watch faces, the latest Apple Watch also comes with a calculator app, a Health app that allows you to monitor your cycle and hearing health, a Wallet app to store your digital key safely, and much more.
The device allows you to do most of your day-to-day tasks without taking out your iPhone. Some other things you can do with your Apple Watch include:
- Answer calls.
- Record a voice memo.
- Monitor safe hearing levels.
- Listen to podcasts, audiobooks, and music.
- Use the Watch as a flashlight.
- Track your cycle.
- Use it as your car key.
- Unlock notes and passwords on your Mac.
- Track your runs.
- Get directions.
- Pay with Apple Pay.
- Check your email.
- Control your Apple TV.
And before we go too much deeper, just know that in this article we’re going to address the features that come on all of the Apple Watches up to an including the Apple Watch Ultra (on Amazon).
While the Ultra has unique features like longer battery life, dive-watch functionality, we’re going to focus on the core features similar across the Ultra, the SE, and the Series 8 (links to amazon).
What are the Most Popular Apple Watch Features?
When you strap an Apple Watch to your wrist, you get a smart fitness partner that offers meaningful health insights, monitors all the different ways you move, and establishes a connection to the things and people you value most.
To help you determine whether an Apple Watch is really worth buying, let’s take a more in-depth look at some of its most popular watch features:
Siri
You can activate Siri on your Apple Watch by saying “Hey Siri” or holding down the Digital Crown. You can then use the assistant to text a contact, get turn-by-turn directions, check your calendar, and more.
Figure out which song is playing, get an immediate language translation, and find the right directions by simply raising your wrist and asking.
Navigation
Maps allows you to quickly find walking, cycling, and transit directions wherever you’re going. The Watch also gives you a tap on your wrist when you’re near a turn, so you can fully focus on the road ahead.
Text/Calls
With Apple Watch, you can text without taking out your phone. If you have cellular availability, you can stay connected with your friends and family even if you’re out of the country.
It’s effortless to compose messages on an Apple Watch. You can use Scribble, emojis, and dictation all at once and then add a personal photo or GIF to spice up the message.
If you have the Apple Watch Series 8 or Apple Watch Ultra, you can even type your message using the QWERTY keyboard.
The device’s small Bluetooth speakerphone also allows you to answer calls without your phone. However, it’s best to keep the conversation short as the audio quality isn’t as clear as the speakerphone of the iPhone itself.
Health
Apple Watch boasts several apps that help you closely monitor your health and wellness. These apps protect your hearing from all loud sounds, send you regular reminders to clean your hands, and help ensure you’ve taken all your medications for the day.
The Heart Rate app notifies you as soon as it detects irregularities in your heart rate, allowing you to take immediate action and visit a doctor.
The device also has an advanced sensor that measures your blood oxygen levels, a crucial indicator of your health and wellness.
Along with physical health, Apple Watch also focuses on your mental well-being. For example, the Reflect feature boosts mindfulness by helping you focus on a thought-provoking theme, while the Breathe feature regulates your breathing, allowing you to center and connect.
The device can detect if you’ve slipped and hurt yourself and contact emergency services if you cannot move. You can also call for immediate help during emergencies (even if you’re traveling internationally) by pressing and holding down the side button.
Apple Pay
With the Wallet app, you can store your debit, prepaid, and credit cards on your Watch and make quick and secure purchases via Apple Pay by simply double-clicking the side button.
You can also use the Messages app on your Watch to send and receive money.
What’s the Newest Version of the Apple Watch, and What are the Features?
Apple Watch Series 8 is the latest version of the Apple Watch and boasts a big, bright Always-On display. In addition, narrow borders push the touch screen to the edge, elegantly integrating it with the curve of the case.
Along with a sleek, elegant look, the Watch offers several new innovative features, including:
Always-On Retina Display
The Watch’s Always-On display makes the various detailed watch faces even more stunning and easier to read, allowing you to glance at the screen without raising your wrist.
The larger display offers enough space for all your favorite widgets and makes typing, swiping, and tapping a snap.
Temperature Sensing
Apple Watch Series 8 has a new sensor that monitors your temperature, even when sleeping, allowing you to track changes over time. Cycle Tracking then uses this data to estimate when you likely ovulated, making the feature especially beneficial for family planning.
The device also combines this temperature data with your logged cycle and heart rate data, giving you a detailed summary of your menstrual cycle.
Apple Watch sends notifications if it detects possible cycle deviations, such as prolonged or irregular periods. You can then share this cycle history with your doctor for better and more informed conversations.
ECG and Sleep App
The ECG app on Series 8 watches generates an ECG similar to that of a single-lead electrocardiogram.
On the other hand, along with tracking your time asleep, the Sleep App also monitors the amount of time you spend in Core, Deep, or REM sleep and even shows when you may have woken up.
Crash Detection
The biggest innovation in the Apple Watch Series 8 is Crash Detection, a feature that can detect if you’ve been in a violent car crash. Once the Watch detects a collision, it automatically contacts emergency services, provides dispatchers with your exact location, and notifies all your emergency contacts.
The feature has been designed with the combined power of a g-force accelerometer and a 3-axis gyroscope. It also uses a GPS, barometer, and a trained sensor-fusion algorithm for accurate crash detection.
Like the Watch Series 7, this model also boasts a fall detection feature that detects hard falls and contacts emergency services if you cannot move.
How Does an Apple Watch Connect to an iPhone?
To use watchOS 9 on your Apple Watch, you’ll need to pair it with an iPhone 8 or newer with iOS 16 or newer. Setup assistants on your Apple Watch and iPhone work together to pair and set up the Watch.
If you’re still having difficulties, here’s how you can connect your Apple Watch to your iPhone:
- Strap your Apple Watch to your wrist. Select a band size that allows you to fit the Apple Watch comfortably on your wrist.
- Switch on the Apple Watch by pressing and holding down the side button until the Apple logo appears on the screen.
- Place your iPhone near the Watch and tap Continue once the Apple Watch pairing screen appears on your iPhone. You can also launch your iPhone’s Apple Watch and select Pair New Watch.
- Select Set Up for Myself.
- Position your iPhone in such a way that the Apple Watch appears in the Apple Watch app’s viewfinder.
- Select Set Up Apple Watch and follow the instructions on both your Apple Watch and iPhone to finish the setup.
How Much Does an Apple Watch Cost, and is it Worth it?
The price of the Apple Watch varies with each model:
- Apple Watch SE: From $249
- Apple Watch Series 8: From $399
- Apple Watch Series 7: From $399
- Apple Watch Ultra: From $799
Although the Apple Watch is by no means cheap, its seamless iOS integration makes it well worth the exorbitant price for iPhone users. The Watch provides an unparalleled experience, allowing you to do most of your day-to-day tasks without even taking out your phone.
Realistically, the Watch Series 7 is a good buy as well if you don’t necessarily need the new temperature sensor. However, you’ll need an iPhone to use all these features.
If you don’t have an iPhone, then the answer to whether an Apple Watch is worth the price gets a bit more complicated.
Since there are compatibility issues, the next best alternative for Android users is the Galaxy Watch 5. At $279, it’s worth a look, especially considering the more expensive Fitbit and Garmin devices on the market.
What are the Disadvantages of the Apple Watch?
Although the Apple Watch is worth the money, this doesn’t mean it’s without its faults. Even with the new low-power mode, the battery life remains one of its biggest disadvantages. Some other drawbacks of the Apple Watch include:
Compatibility Issues
If you own an Android device, you won’t be able to use the Apple Watch. And even if you own an iPhone, you’ll have to sync it with Apple Pay and iCloud for the smartwatch to be fully functional.
To add insult to injury, the Apple Watch is only compatible with iPhone 5 or above. Unfortunately, this means that you may need to first spend triple the cost of the smartwatch to use it.
Low Battery Life
With more functions and features, the Apple Watch has a relatively low battery life. The battery drains faster, especially when you multitask, such as playing music in the background or running its tracking system.
According to Apple, the smartwatch can work up to 18 hours, but this timeframe doesn’t account for the number of tasks simultaneously running in the background. In short, the device will work for a long time only if you use it for one task at a time.
Small Screen Size
While the latest Apple Watch has a bigger screen size, it’s still too small to manage. In addition, the small interface may make it challenging to select the right option.
Also, if you’re used to a bigger screen, then using those same functions on a 40 or 44-mm interface might be too bothersome.