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Apple Watch

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Apple Watch is Apple's wearable is designed to help you stay active, motivated, and connected. It runs watchOS, and it comes in 40mm and 44mm size options.

How to see all Apple Watch apps

History

The original Apple Watch (later called Series 0) was released on April 24, 2015, after years of rumors. While there was a lot of initial hype around it, the third-party watchOS apps were slow to launch due to API limitations. Native apps were available in watchOS 2. The original watch came in 38mm and 42mm sizes.

The Series 2 Watch was released on September 16th, 2016 along with a Series 1 Watch. The Series 2 included the S2 chip, built-in GPS, and water-proof construction. The Series 1 included the S2, but lacked GPS and waterproofing.

The Series 3 Watch was released on September 22, 2017, and it included an LTE option and the S3 chip. The Series 4 Watch was released on September 21, 2018. New hardware included the S4 Chip, Electrical heart sensor w/ ECG app, and larger display (40mm and 44mm sizes).

Apple Watch Series 5 was announced during Apple’s fall event on September 10, 2019. Customers were able to purchase the device later that day, and it was released on September 20. The headline feature for this model was the wearable’s always-on display. The new display always shows the time and complications and is also the first from the company to include a built-in compass.

Apple launched international emergency services to every cellular model. Series 5 also brought back ceramic white, and new natural brush and space black titanium models.

Apple Watch Series 6 was unveiled on September 15, 2020 at the “Time Flies” event alongside the more affordable SE and new iPad Air. New features of the Series 6 include blood oxygen monitoring, new watch colors, faster S6 chip, new watch faces, and more.

Apple Watch features

Apple Watch is designed to help you stay active, motivated, and connected. The newest versions are Series 6 and SE while Apple still sells Series 3 as the most affordable option.

Features include:

  • Heart rate monitoring (all models)
    • Including high, low, and irregular heart rate notifications
  • ECG readings (Series 4 and later)
  • Blood oxygen monitoring (Series 6)
  • Workout tracking, Activity Rings, competitions, and awards
  • Works with Apple Fitness+
  • Sleep tracking (with watchOS 7)
  • GPS and GPS + Cellular models
  • Always-on display (Series 5 & 6)
  • Water-resistant to 50 meters
  • Emergency SOS and fall detection
  • Phone calls and Messages
  • Music, Podcasts, and more
  • Third-party apps available through App Store built into watchOS

watchOS

watchOS is the dedicated software that runs on Apple Watch. The current version is watchOS 7 that was released in fall 2020 and is compatible with Series 3 and later.

watchOS 7 brought new features like native sleep tracking, Family Setup, watch face sharing, new workout tracking types, cycling directions in maps, and automatic handwashing reminders.

Apple Fitness+ support and new cardio fitness notifications came with watchOS 7.2 And watchOS 7.4 is coming with the exciting new Apple Watch unlock for iPhone feature.

Current Apple Watch lineup

For all the latest deals on Apple Watch, bands, and accessories, check out 9to5Toys.com.

Subscribe to 9to5Mac Watch Time to get a bi-weekly discussion around Apple Watch and the future of the product.

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watchOS 11 unlocks a new level of usefulness for double tap on Apple Watch

Apple Watch watchos 11

Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 introduce the double tap gesture, and I’ve found that the upcoming watchOS 11 update makes the hands-free input method more useful.

Double tap lets you interact with the Apple Watch by doing a two-tap gesture with your thumb and finger with your watch-wearing hand. This gives you the ability to do things like reply to messages and scroll through lists without touching your watch.

While the gesture provides a practical way to interact with the Apple Watch when you’re carrying something in your other hand, double tap is also natural and reliable enough to mindlessly do it when checking your watch for updates, even if both hands are free.

A new feature coming in watchOS 11 has turned my Apple Watch double tap usage way up — don’t say it, don’t say it, don’t … to eleven.

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My favorite features coming to watchOS 11 this year [video]

We are about a month away from Apple’s yearly iPhone event. Of course, they will announce the new iPhone lineup, but this event is also the jumping-off point for releasing new software to the public. Among those software updates will be watchOS 11. I have been using watchOS 11 since its developer beta release in early June, and I’m excited to share some of the best features!

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Get the Nomad Glow 2.0 Apple Watch Sport Band and iPhone Case while you can [U]

Nomad Glow 2.0 Apple Watch Sport Band and Sport Case iP

Last year Nomad launched a fun limited edition Glow in the Dark Sport Band for Apple Watch. It ended up selling out on the first day. Now the company is back with a new and improved Glow 2.0 Sport Band plus a Sport Case for iPhone 15 Pro/Max – available for a short time.

Update 8/6/24: Back by popular demand, the Glow 2.0 Sport Band and iPhone Case (for iPhone 15 Pro Max) have returned for a limited time.

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watchOS 11 one month in: these three features have made the biggest impact

Apple Watch on watchOS 11

The Apple Watch was supposed to get a small update this year. With much of Apple’s attention focused on Apple Intelligence and other iOS 18 upgrades, plus last year bringing us the big watchOS 10 update, expectations were for an underwhelming watchOS 11 release.

After a month of use, however, I’ve found that there are several watchOS 11 features that make a big difference to the Apple Watch experience—maybe even more than last year’s update did.

Here are the three key watchOS features making the biggest impact for me.

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New iPod-like device turns a strapless Apple Watch into a click-wheel ‘phone’

tinyPod

Apple’s most successful product of all time, the iPhone, was at one point going to look a lot more like an iPod than the device we ended up getting. The iPod was such a hit for Apple that the company naturally explored making an iPhone that looked and felt similar to its then-biggest moneymaker.

17 years after the iPhone’s launch, that idea of an iPod-inspired phone has not been forgotten. In fact, there’s a company that has created one…kind of.

Say hello to the tinyPod.

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Close your rings…but in watchOS 11, it’s okay if you don’t

Health and fitness | Activity rings graphic

Ever since the Apple Watch first debuted nearly a decade ago, its signature feature has been the three Activity rings: move, exercise, and stand. “Close your rings” has been the motivational mantra of the device.

But what about when you’re ill? Or on vacation? Previously, any ring streaks you’d racked up would be lost if you missed a single day. Now, that’s finally changing in watchOS 11 with the addition of rest days.

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Find My helps man recover his Apple Watch more than a year after losing it in the ocean

Lost Apple Watch survives hours at sea and is returned to his owner thanks to Find My

We’ve covered many stories of people getting their Apple devices back after losing them for days or even months in challenging situations, and something like this happened to Jared Brick. After losing his Apple Watch in the Caribbean over a year ago, Apple’s Find My helped Brick get his hands back on his watch – and it’s still working.

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Should there be an Apple Ring with health tracking and gesture support? [Poll]

Would you buy an Apple Ring similar to the Samsung one shown?

Health and fitness tracking is the primary pitch of the Apple Watch, but has the time now arrived for the option of a more compact device in the form of an Apple Ring?

Samsung yesterday unveiled its Galaxy Ring, which collects health data (including sleep tracking), in a device with a claimed battery life of seven days …

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Do we really need a radically redesigned Apple Watch?

Apple Watch design

Apple Watch is turning 10 this year, and although the product has evolved a lot, its design is still very similar to the original introduced in 2014. In recent years, there have been many rumors about a major redesign coming to the Apple Watch – but they never saw the light of day. But after all, do we really need a radically redesigned Apple Watch?

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Should you get an Apple Watch for your kid? Here are all the benefits

Apple Watch for Kids

If your child isn’t old enough yet for an iPhone, the Apple Watch can be a great alternative device that offers many of the key safety and communication features of the iPhone, but with fewer potential pitfalls.

Apple’s new ‘Apple Watch For Your Kids’ website provides a go-to hub for outlining all the benefits of giving your child an Apple Watch. Here’s what it says.

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