Apple unveiled the Apple Watch Series 10 at its Glowtime event on Monday, giving us a first look at what the next generation of its beloved smartwatch has to offer.
In short, it's introducing new features, boasts a thinner, lighter design, finally has dedicated speakers for more than just phone calls or Siri, and is the first watch (alongside the Apple Watch Ultra 2) to introduce a titanium chassis that's less weighty while remaining ultra durable.
The device isn't making a phenomenal leap when compared to the Apple Watch Series 9 and if you do already have a previous generation model, it's not worth investing anywhere from $399 to $799 for something that isn't a mind-shattering upgrade.
But, if you, like me, have never owned a smartwatch, the appeal might be more pronounced.
Apple has been focusing on the health benefits of a smartwatch in its advertising for years, and this year was no different. At its latest Glowtime presentation Apple fused testimonials like "Colten Holman was safely rescued after Crash Detection on Apple Watch called 911" and "Steven Luemba uses the ECG app on Apple Watch to check his heart after surgery."
On one hand, it's hard not to bristle at Apple's ad-based fear-mongering, but on the other, what I once found silly is actually starting to make sense. What I mean is that the Apple Watch Series 10, is the first smartwatch I'm seriously willing to buy.
Why the Apple Watch Series 10 is making me reconsider
After years of hearing the same thing over and over again — specifically about how beneficial the Apple Watch is in monitoring heart rate notifications, blood oxygen levels, fall detection, and more — I've started accepting that owning a smartwatch is a superior way of life.
It's proof that Apple's advertising works: I used to think the Apple Watch was wasteful when I already had a smartphone, but now, it's clear to me that Apple's smartwatch stands on its own two legs. There's maybe no better example of the Apple Watch's solid identity as its own device than the newly introduced sleep apnea notifications.
For the uninitiated, sleep apnea is a condition where people will stop breathing (or breathe shallowly) while they're asleep. It can result in suddenly jolting awake throughout the middle of the night because the brain forces you up in order to stop yourself from suffocating.
It can be the cause of your drowsiness during the morning, and in extreme cases, it can result in sudden cardiac death or heart failure according to the Cleveland Clinic, a non-profit academic medical center.
Sleep apnea monitoring is just another way the Apple Watch allows us to monitor our health, and during the presentation, it struck me how the benefits of owning one have stacked up.
And it's not just health monitoring that has me intrigued. I'm not a fancy person who needs the largest size or titanium chassis, plus the latest model has a larger screen, thinner build, and speakers that can actually play music, podcasts, audiobooks, and third-party applications.
That's a lot to love in a smartwatch, and while I'm most of the way convinced, there is just one (fairly big) obstacle.
Apple Watch might not be for me (yet)
I don't own an iPhone and never have. I've been an Android user for my whole life, and while I grew up with Apple products like the MacBook and iPad, my phones have jumped from Motorola to Samsung to Google.
Unfortunately, the Apple Watch is designed to be a companion to your iPhone, which means its features are limited when not connected to one. That obviously puts a damper on my plans, but the fact the Apple Watch Series 10 even has me considering pulling the trigger says a lot.
Apple Watch Series 10 is the culmination of years upon years of smartwatch technology evolving to a point where it seems worthwhile for anyone — not just Apple power users.
It's a useful companion that can monitor your health, and although I wrote the Apple Watch off as pointless years ago, it's clear that they have real value by offering unique features that are outside the smartphone wheelhouse. In fact, Apple might finally have me hooked — the Series 10 might be the product that finally pushes me to buy an iPhone.
