Apple's (AAPL) Apple Watch Series 7 is here. Available in stores since a month, the latest generation of the world’s most popular smartwatch starts at $399 (Price in India starts from 41,900 INR), and brings along a larger screen, more durable design, and faster charging.
Apple says the bigger display provides more room for text, while the watch’s tougher body means it’s less prone to cracks. The faster charging means, well, that the Apple Watch will charge faster.
Think of the Series 7 as Apple honing a product that was already the best on the market, rather than a completely reinvented Apple Watch. That’s not a bad thing, either. But it does mean you should think before making the jump to the latest version of Apple’s bestseller.
Apple Watch design and screen
The Apple Watch Series 7 didn’t get the major redesign that was rumored. Instead, it looks almost identical to previous Apple Watches and maintains compatibility with all previous Apple Watch straps, although there are very subtle changes in its overall size and curves.
The Apple Watch Series 7’s new 41-millimeter and 45-mm displays offer 20% more screen space than the Series 4 through Series 6, including the Apple Watch SE, and 50% more than the Apple Watch Series 3.
Some apps significantly benefit from the Series 7’s larger display compared to the Series 6’s. The Calculator, Stopwatch, and Control Center, for instance, all get larger buttons that are easier to press.
Apple also added a full QWERTY to the Messages app on the Apple Watch, allowing you to type out or swipe texts directly from the watch’s screen compared to the previous option of using Apple’s Scribble feature, which lets you write out messages one letter at a time; speech to text; or canned responses. Speech to text is probably still the best option, but the QWERTY keyboard gets the job done when you don’t feel like speaking to your watch while standing in line at the grocery store!!
Finally, the larger screens on the Series 7 bring along new watch faces. The first, the Contour face, spills over the edges of the display, making for a dramatic new look, while the Modular Duo face adds several complications; including heart rate levels over time, weather, and activity throughout the day. Speaking of faces, the Series 7 gets a brighter always-on display indoors — meaning it’s easier to look at the time without having to raise your wrist.
The Series 7 comes in a plethora of new colors including midnight, starlight, green, and blue, as well as product red.
A More Rugged & Durable design
Outside of its larger displays, the Apple Watch Series 7 also gets a 50% thicker front crystal which makes it more crack-resistant than its predecessors. It’s not as though prior generations of the watch were fragile by any means. But, we’re talking about a 30k piece of technology on my wrist, and that is enough to make me do a double-take. So it’s nice to have the peace of mind that this version is even stronger than before.
Beyond the tougher screen, Apple has added IP6X dust resistance to the Series 7. Essentially, this means that the Apple Watch can withstand dust and dirt blown at it and not break down.
The Apple Watch Series 7 also gets faster charging as long as you use the charger provided in the box. Apple says charging is 33% faster relative to the Series 6, and which you can charge from 0% to 80% in 45 minutes. Battery life is still about a day and a half, the same as the Series 6.
What's the same?
While the improvements to the Apple Watch Series 7 are notable, the latest watch carries over most features found on the Series 6, Series 5, and even the SE. The watches all have heart rate sensors, though the SE doesn’t have an ECG monitor; fall detection; work with Apple’s Apple Fitness+ workout program, and offer WiFi and cellular connectivity.
The Series 7 doesn’t get any spectacular new sensors or features not available on the Series 6 or Series 5. The processor is also the same speed as the one found in Series 6.
Should you get it?
The Apple Watch Series 7 is an iterative update of the best smartwatch in the world. At $399, it’s hard to recommend anyone coming from the Series 5, Series 6, or even SE upgrade to the latest and greatest model.
If you have one of those older Apple Watches, I don’t think there’s anything here that should compel an upgrade. All the new features are great but not necessary. Also, while the Series 3 is available for cheap, I don’t think it’s a smart buy anymore. The Apple Watch SE is a better value.
There’s no reason that we should expect a major update for the Apple Watch. These smaller iterations might not be what we’ve been hoping for — a major redesign with much more battery — but that doesn’t make the Series 7 worse on its own merits.
It’s a great watch — again, the best smartwatch. If it’s time for you to replace your watch (or buy your first one), you’ll love it. If it’s not time to replace your watch, it’s not time to replace your watch.
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