Except for any big changes, it seems to accomplish everything.
At this year’s ‘Far Out’ launch event, Apple introduced a completely new model of its Apple Watch dubbed the ‘Ultra,’ which has been a huge talking point. It’s larger, chunkier, has superior technology, and is built with a particular specific group of users in mind. Another thing the Apple Watch Ultra did was grab the spotlight from the normal Apple Watch Series 8. The new model does have some improvements over the previous Series 7, but not as many as we had hoped. Is it worth upgrading to the new Apple Watch Series 8 or should you keep with (or upgrade to) the Series 7?
Price of Apple Watch Series 8 in India
The Apple Watch Series 8 comes in two case sizes (41mm and 45mm), as well as two casing finishes (aluminium and stainless steel). Another factor to consider when selecting an Apple Watch is connection. You may choose between the GPS device or the GPS + cellular variant here.
The Apple Watch Series 8 with 41mm aluminum casing costs Rs. 45,900 for the GPS variant and Rs. 55,900 for the GPS + cellular model. The Series 8 in 45mm aluminum casing costs Rs. 48,900 for the GPS variant and Rs. 58,900 for the GPS Plus cellular model. The stainless steel Apple Watch Series 8 versions are only available in GPS + cellular configurations and cost upwards of Rs. 74,900. (for the base 41mm case).
There are a variety of colors to pick from, and the watch bands vary from basic silicone straps to robust steel and luxury leather alternatives. For this evaluation, I got the Apple Watch Series 8 GPS + cellular variant in Midnight with the 45mm aluminium casing.
Design and specs for the Apple Watch Series 8
The Apple Watch’s design hasn’t altered much throughout the years. The Apple Watch Series 7 had a larger display last year, and Apple has kept the same display for this year’s model. In reality, there are no visual differences between the two watches until you turn them over and look at the back casing, which now reads ‘Series 8’ instead of ‘Series 7’. Even earlier bands from the Series 7 are compatible with the Apple Watch Series 8 (depending on case size).
The quality, fit, and finish of the new Apple Watch Series 8 are the same as before, which is extremely nice. While my watch came with the regular black Sport Band (made of silicone), I used it with the Summit White/Black Nike Sport Band, which is available separately for Rs. 4,500. Despite its 38.8g weight, the Series 8 was rather pleasant to wear when working, exercising, or otherwise, so much so that I wore it to bed, something I don’t typically do with conventional watches.
The Ion-X glass display on the Apple Watch Series 8 did not become damaged over the testing period, and the aluminium body did not get scratched despite rubbing against a thick metal chain. The more premium stainless steel variant has superior display protection with a sapphire crystal glass display, but it is also much more expensive.
The Apple Watch Series 8 is water resistant up to 50 meters and dust resistant with an IP6X certification. Thankfully, Apple still includes the Magnetic Charger in the package, along with a USB-C connector on the other end.
In terms of specs, the Apple Watch Series 8 has the new S8 SiP or system-in-package and 32GB of storage for synced tunes, images, and apps (apart from the watchOS software and respective app caches). Despite upgrading from the first-generation Apple Watch SE (Review), I only used roughly 10GB of the available storage capacity. The new S8 SiP incorporates WiFi, Bluetooth 5.0, and the W3 wireless chip for connecting with Bluetooth-enabled peripherals, as well as the U1 chip (Ultra Wideband).
The Apple Watch Series 8 contains numerous health sensors for measuring blood oxygen levels and the ability to record an ECG, much like the previous model. The Series 8 has a more powerful gyroscope and accelerometer, which aids Apple’s new Crash Detection function, as well as a new two-temperature sensor design, which is used to detect skin temperature when sleeping and for the new ovulation tracking tool for women.
Performance of the Apple Watch Series 8
The 1.9-inch LTPO OLED display on the Apple Watch Series 8 is the same as on the Series 7, with a peak brightness of 1000 nits and an always-on brightness of up to 500 nits. I had no trouble reading the display outside in the intense afternoon light since it is pretty bright. Every watch face in the Face Gallery works flawlessly with the always-on implementation.
This works well not just with the usual watch faces that display information (time, date, weather, etc. ), but also with the Portrait watch face, which dims the picture to a level where it’s still feasible to read and appreciate every photo even when the watch is constantly on. This allowed me to quickly and easily peek at information provided on a watch face without having to constantly flip my wrist and wake the display.
Opening and running applications, using the watch to track workouts, or just switching between the beautifully designed watch faces is a seamless and fluid experience with watchOS 9 and the new S8 SiP. Playtime is one of the new watch faces, with these whimsical, inflated numerals drifting in and out of the display to indicate the current time.
Apple’s new motion sensors (high-range accelerometer and gyroscope) can detect a broader range of G-forces than before. According to Apple, if the watch detects a crash, both the iPhone and Apple Watch will function in sync and automatically call for emergency services (or inform emergency contacts) if the user does not answer within 10 seconds. The new temperature sensors allow women to obtain retroactive ovulation estimations (the watch must be worn for at least two months before predictions begin), which may be useful when planning a family and is reported to give better menstruation forecasts.
While sleep monitoring was previously accessible with the Apple Watch, watchOS 9 includes sleep phases (detecting and recording REM, core, and deep sleep) to provide users with far more data to help them build healthier sleeping habits. Apple claims to have built a sophisticated algorithm to test this and to forecast sleep phases based on inputs from the accelerometer (movements while sleeping) and the heart rate sensor. In my experience, the data on sleep phases was fairly accurate. Especially because I have a tendency of checking the clock everytime I wake up in the middle of the night.
What’s fascinating is that the Apple Watch Series 8 displays two sleep monitoring readings in the Health app, one indicating the entire amount of time I spent in bed (laying practically motionless, reading a book, or watching videos) and the other indicating the amount of time I really spent sleeping. The Apple Watch still lacks the ability to monitor naps when compared to rival smartwatches, since sleep tracking only works during the designated nighttime hours. The watch now measures your temperature while you sleep, but it won’t notify you if you have a fever since it just tracks skin temperature and not body temperature.
In terms of fitness-related activities, the accuracy of the Apple Watch Series 8 was pretty impressive, whether it was GPS tracking while strolling around my tree-lined neighborhood or recording brief indoor exercises. I also conducted a simple step count of 1000 steps without the iPhone, and the figures from the watch were almost correct, with just a few steps missing.
When compared to a pulse oximeter, SpO2 monitoring was not fully precise. It kept bouncing between 95 and 97 percent every time I got a reading that was minutes apart, and doing the test and getting a result also needed me to keep my arm up in a certain posture. SpO2 measurements from the Apple Watch took just 15 seconds, compared to my oximeter, which took roughly 30 seconds but had more consistent findings.
Backtrack (also available on previous models) is a new compass function in WatchOS 9 that records your journey using GPS so you can find your way back if you get lost. It may be turned on manually or automatically when there is no data or Wi-Fi access available on the watch or through an iPhone.
The battery life of the Apple Watch Series 8 was comparable to that of the Series 7, lasting roughly two days on a single charge while linked to my Wi-Fi network or the iPhone. My use consisted mostly of seeing and reacting to alerts, as well as 30 minutes of exercise on certain days, all while the always-on display was activated. Those who exercise for a couple of hours may see their battery life reduce to around a day and a half. Switching on watchOS 9’s new low-power mode increases battery life by half a day, but it’s only beneficial for users who only use the Apple Watch for alerts since all automatic health monitoring capabilities and the always-on display are disabled.
Sleep monitoring is one health-tracking function that the low-power mode does not disable. It turned out to be the primary cause of battery depletion, without which the low power mode seemed to be rather effective. Apple’s rapid charging capability for the Apple Watch, first introduced with the Series 7, is included on the Series 8, and charges it swiftly, moving from 0 to 100% in around an hour and fifteen minutes.
Verdict
The Apple Watch Series 8 is an excellent wristwatch for health and fitness monitoring, and users can now obtain precise sleep tracking data due to watchOS 9. What hasn’t changed or improved much is battery life, which Apple seems to have addressed with the Apple Watch Ultra, although this model isn’t intended for the ordinary iPhone user. Crash Detection is a function that no other prominent wristwatch maker has explored yet, and it is presently exclusive to Apple Watch versions released in 2022.
However, the Apple Watch Series 8, like the Apple Watch Series 7, delivers just tiny incremental enhancements, with essentially no aesthetic changes this time around. If you have an Apple Watch Series 7, you really don’t need to update unless you require capabilities like ovulation tracking and crash detection. If you want to upgrade from an Apple Watch Series 5 (or earlier), I would wait for a nice deal and acquire the Apple Watch Series 7 at a lower price. The current pricing of the Series 7 is at Rs. 39,000 (online), which makes little sense given that the Series 8 begins at Rs. 45,900.
If you own an Apple Watch and want to try something new, you should consider the Apple Watch Ultra (First impressions). Given its enormous dial size, it’s definitely designed for the more adventurous type, but those searching for improved battery life, a larger display, and don’t mind paying a premium may find it intriguing.
Can Motorola’s new premium phones compete with the iPhone, OnePlus, and Samsung? On the Gadgets 360 podcast Orbital, we explore this. Orbital may be found on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music as well as wherever you receive your podcasts.
pic by – Apple Watch Series 8