The new Apple Watch Series 10 officially made its debut sporting a design refresh and plenty of new features. The question is, are these enhancements enough to warrant an upgrade by Apple Watch Series 9 users?
Given that the aforementioned is barely a year old and far from being yesterday’s tech, the answer very well may be ‘no’ for most Series 9 owners. However, there are several strong reasons for making the jump to the newer version, explained below.
Before proceeding, it’s worth noting that we haven’t yet had the chance to fully test the new smartwatch, though my colleague Kate did spend hands-on time with the Series 10 at its launch.
Apple Watch 10 vs. Apple Watch 9: price
The Apple Watch 10 is available for preorder now and is expected to ship on September 20th. Notably, it has the same starting price of $399 as the Series 9 despite all its upgrades (add $100 for cellular connectivity).
In fact, across the board, pricing is the same. The larger Apple Watch 10 model starts at $429, the same as the larger Apple Watch 9, and increases to $529 for cellular.
Apple accepts trade-ins to help offset the cost of your upgrade, though the most you’ll get for your Series 9 Watch is $170.
Winner: Apple Watch 10
Apple Watch 10 vs. Apple Watch 9: battery life
The Apple Watch Series 10 promises the same, unremarkable (by 2024 standards) 18 hours of battery life as its predecessor. I say unimpressive because similar watches from rivals like Google comfortably hit the 48-hour longevity mark.
The new Apple Watch should charge 20% faster than its predecessor, though, and Apple claims the device can reach an 80% charge in just 30 minutes, something I look forward to testing.
Winner: draw
Apple Watch 10 vs. Apple Watch 9: design and comfort
I’ve yet to try on the new Apple Watch 10 but my associates who were at its live unveiling and spent time handling the new release report a noticeably lighter and thinner device that wears slightly more comfortably than the Series 9 and feels much less bulky than the Apple Watch Ultra 2.
The larger Apple Watch 10 now has a 46mm case size (compared to 45mm for the Series 9) and sports an even larger screen than the Ultra 2. That upgraded display, now a wide-angle OLED affair, is 9% larger than its predecessor’s display and 40% brighter when viewed from an angle.
The screen is also more responsive in always-on mode. While previous Apple Watch models update once a minute, Series 10 models update every second when using always-on, allowing users to add a functioning second hand to their watch face.
Winner: Apple Watch 10
Apple Watch 10 vs. Apple Watch 9: case materials and finishes
The Apple Watch Series 10 is available in a new Jet Black aluminum finish along with Rose Gold and Silver. Apple also unveiled a new, lighter titanium version of the Apple Watch 10 that’s 20% lighter than the stainless steel Apple Watch 9.
It too comes in some rather tempting finishes including Natural, Gold and Slate Grey. That said, the titanium models start at a rather steep $699. Still, it's nice to have so many choices.
Winner: Apple Watch 10
Apple Watch 10 vs. Apple Watch 9: health features
The Apple Watch 10 was long rumored to include a sleep apnea detection tool, something that came to fruition. Well, sort of.
The potentially life-saving feature will be available at launch in some markets but is still awaiting FDA authorization in the U.S. and until that happens, U.S.-based customers will have to get on without it.
This is a bit of a bummer for two reasons. One, Samsung managed to get authorization for the same feature before launching the Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Ultra, and two, members of my family suffer from sleep apnea, so the inclusion of a detection tool was something I was really looking forward to.
It's worth noting that once authorized, Apple plans to bring the feature to Series 9 and Ultra 2 devices, too.
The Series 10 offers other new health features courtesy of watchOS 11, like access to a new Vitals health app and additional metrics to help users avoid overtraining. However, Watch 9 owners can also access these improvements by simply upgrading to the newest software.
Winner: draw
Apple Watch 10 vs. Apple Watch 9: smart features
There are other new handy features both watches get access to thanks to watchOS 11, like machine-learning powered on-wrist translations, access to Apple’s Check In safety tool, the ability to pause Activity Rings and improved women's health tracking.
However, several feature upgrades are unique to the latest device like a new depth gauge and water temperature tool aimed at avid snorkeling enthusiasts.
The Watch 10 is also Apple’s first wrist-based wearable that can play music and other audio directly through its onboard speaker. On past models, the speaker can only be used for phone calls. On the subject, when using the new Apple Watch to place a call, folks on the other end should hear fewer audible distractions on their end thanks to the magic of machine learning noise suppression.
Those bells and whistles aside, the Apple Watch 10 doesn’t do all that much more than the Series 9.
Winner: draw
Apple Watch 10 vs. Apple Watch 9: Should you upgrade?
Depending on what you prioritize most in a smartwatch, the Apple Watch 10 is either a meaningful and worthy update over the Series 9 or an iterative one.
In defense of the former, the introduction of Apple’s largest screen ever on a device is a pretty big deal, even if you only get 9% more display real estate than last year’s model. Plus, the slimming of the case and weight reduction measures could potentially make the Watch 10 Apple's easiest ever to wear day and night.
However, with battery life still stuck at 18 hours per charge, marquee health upgrades bogged down in government bureaucracy (in the U.S., at least), and only a handful of unique new features to speak of — some rather niche in their appeal — I could certainly make a case for skipping this release, too.
Ultimately, I’m going to hold off on making a final judgment call until I've had a chance to assess the Apple Watch 10 myself. When that happens (and our review goes live), I'll be sure to revisit and update this comparison.
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