SuperWatches

Super Smartwatches and Wearables

Maygen

Garmin Venu Review

Garmin Venu

The new Garmin Venu has a brilliant display and long battery life. Offering a host of fitness tracking features, this is one of the best all-rounders we’ve seen for a while. Similarly, if you’re a sporty person, you won’t be disappointed by the sports apps in the library, either.

Recently Garmin launched the Venu Sq which new and updated square version of this watch. This is a bright 1.3″ display with 20 different sports mode to track and lots of health monitoring features. Battery life is 6 days and the quality is what you would expect from Garmin. A music version is also available for slightly more.

Garmin Venu Sq, GPS Smartwatch with Bright Touchscreen Display, Up to 6 Days of...
Garmin Venu Sq, GPS Smartwatch with Bright Touchscreen Display, Up to 6 Days of...
  • Fits wrists with a circumference of 125-190 mm
  • See everything clearly on a bright color display that includes an always-on mode, perfect for quick...
  • Health is important to you, so monitor everything from your Body Battery energy levels, respiration,...
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Garmin Venu price and release date

The Garmin Venu was launched in September 2019, so you’re able to buy it now.  The Garmin Venu Sq was launched in September 2020 and is available online.

The original Venu comes in different color choices for those in the US. Firstly, black with slate hardware, and then blue with silver, black with gold or light sand and rose gold. The new Sq comes in 7 different colors depending on the model.

Garmin Venu, GPS Smartwatch with Bright Touchscreen Display, Features Music, Body...
Garmin Venu, GPS Smartwatch with Bright Touchscreen Display, Features Music, Body...
  • Beautiful, bright amoled display and up to five-day battery life in smartwatch mode; Up to six hours...
  • The broadest range of all-day health monitoring features keeps track of your energy levels,...
  • Easily download songs to your watch, including playlists from Spotify, Amazon music or Deezer (may...
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Garmin Venu Design

The round case is 43.2mm by 12.4mm. The Venu Sq has a 1.3″ screen.

It has a water-resistance of 5ATM. Therefore it’ll work fine, even in heavy rain and also perfect for swimming.

It’s lightweight at 46.3g

The Garmin Venue is a subtle device considering it’s a fitness tracker and a good-looking timepiece at the same time. Its grooved stainless steel band sits around the bezel. There’s a circular polymer body which is reminiscent of the popular Vivoactive 3. If you like a sporty-looking watch with smart features, you’ll certainly love this.

Some feel it makes more of a statement of style than the Apple Watch. Additionally, it’s bolder than the Suunto 7, too. For example, you could easily slip into the office from the gym with the Venu and no one would think your watch was out of place in either setting. The slim 12.44mm depth means it’ll happily sit under your sleeve. Furthermore, the band has a quick-release catch which means you can swap your 20mm strap to suit the occasion, should you choose.

The metal ring surrounding the case certainly adds a premium feel. The polymer is what makes the Venu a featherweight. Therefore, all day wear is unlikely to cause you any wrist ache.

However, differing from the Vivoactive 4, the Venu comes in one size only. Some think that’s restrictive. However, with a 43mm face it’s a great balance of case dimension and screen size. If you’ve got a smaller wrist, it won’t take up too much real estate. 

Screen, interface and controls

1.2 inch display with 390 x 390 AMOLED touchscreen. 1.3 inch on the square version (Sq)

The Venu offers customisable watch faces, a widget list and home screen shortcuts. The screen is something of beauty. Vibrant and bold, it has a wonderful user experience compared to other Garmin devices. Your colours are deep and vivid, which means it’s easy to read in all lighting conditions.

The watch faces are just as crisp, thanks to the 390 x 390 pixel resolution. This puts the Venu up against the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3, Fossil Gen 5 and Apple Watch Series 5. The display has a minimalist vibe and boasts the popular always-on feature.

The software on board is intuitive to use. Widgets are displayed vertically in a list and you access them by swiping up or down on your home screen. The experience is pretty seamless.

Control your music with the Garmin Venu. Simply swipe across and up.

If you press and hold the top button you’ll be presented with an array of icons, which you can customise. Things like Garmin Pay, music and brightness. Conversely, if you hold the bottom button you’ll dive deeper into the settings for more customisable options.

Garmin Venu, GPS Smartwatch with Bright Touchscreen Display, Features Music, Body...
Garmin Venu, GPS Smartwatch with Bright Touchscreen Display, Features Music, Body...
  • Beautiful, bright AMOLED display and up to five-day battery life in smartwatch mode; up to six hours...
  • The broadest range of all-day health monitoring features keeps track of your energy levels,...
  • Easily download songs to your watch, including playlists from Spotify, Amazon music or Deezer (may...
Check Amazon Price

Garmin Venu performance and fitness tracking

Smart features aside, the Venu is a comprehensive sports watch. As you’ve come to love about Garmin, there are multi-sport options. You can load these onto your device. Aside from the usual running, cardio, strength training, swimming and golf you can pick a host of other sports including rowing. 

Keen runners can benefit from Garmin’s Coach, a guided program to help you reach your goals. Gym bunnies can tell the Venu to count reps.

The Venu has a decent set of sensors on board. GPS, GALILEO and GLONASS, for starters. Signal is picked up quickly with little lag. Routes are reliably presented, even in areas of dense woodland. Complimented by an on-board barometric altimeter, it’s great at recording elevation across terrains.

When it comes to more everyday tasks, the Venu will monitor this, too. There’s a pulse oximeter for blood oxygen level monitoring during exercise, sleep and rest. It’ll make note of your body’s responses to intense moments of stress or exertion. 

Naturally, there’s a heart rate tracker. The HRM on the Venu is one of the best on the market. 

Health and fitness features

What will the Venu do with that heart rate information? Other than tracking your exercise intensity, it’ll monitor your wellness. Based on your heart rate variability, it can estimate how many breaths you take per minute. This respiration rate can be seen in your Health Stats widget, alongside a 7 day average.

If needed, you can use this data to be guided through a breathing exercise. There’s a widget for it if needed.

Furthermore, the sleep tracking offers plenty of data for things like blood oxygen, respirator and heart rate during the night. 

It’ll tell you how much water you lost during exercise. You can also manually tell the app how much water you’re drinking and with every sensor combined, it’ll tell you via Garmin’s Body Battery how much energy you have. Useful for knowing if you need to step it up or down with your exercise.

Smart features

Beyond being a great fitness tracker, the Garmin Venu offers smart features too. Notifications and safety alerts, to start. You’ll also get offline music control, Garmin pay and an app library to choose from including watch faces.

It’s best if you pair your Venu with your smartphone, using the Garmin Connect app. 

You don’t get a voice assistant with the Venu, but that might not be a dealbreaker for you.

Battery life

Garmin has boasted strong battery life for some time. Whilst the Venu won’t offer you weeks at a time, it’ll happily last five days. This is monster compared to the 18 hours Apple has to offer. Be warned, though, if you put it into GPS mode and listen to music at the same time, the battery will last only 6 hours. As with any smart or sports watch, it all depends on how you’re using it and for how long.

Verdict

The Garmin Venu is primarily a sports watch with some smart features second. It’s definitely one of the best you can buy if your priority is health and fitness.

The addition of the AMOLED display is a welcome change as it offers a host of sports modes which will benefit from better readability. 

If you have the Garmin Venu, let us know in the comments what you like best about it

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Fitbit Sense Review

Fitbit Sense

The Fitbit Sense is out and it’s had a lot of attention from those in the know. It’s been put on a pedestal as the most advanced fitness and health tracker we’ve seen on the market yet. 

Let’s have a look at everything it has to offer

Stress management

There are lots of trackers offering stress management, simply by monitoring your heart rate with accompanied recovery data. Very few can actually help you to understand it. The Fitbit Sense has an electrodermal activity sensor (a world-first). This measures minute changes to the sweat levels found on your skin. 

This isn’t automatic. You have to undergo a ‘Quick Scan’ on the device, which takes two minutes. Otherwise, you’ll need to go through one of their guided mindfulness sessions, accessed via the Fitbit app. You’ll need somewhere quiet and to start you’ll have to press one palm over the watch face.

Once this is completed, Fitbit uses that information to calculate a Stress Management Score from zero – 100. You want a higher score. This means your body isn’t showing too many signs of stress.

It works the score out based on how much strain your heart is under, the variability of your heart, electrodermal activity, exertion levels and sleep quality.

If you’re a Fitbit Premium user, you can go further into this data by seeing what might be having an influence on your score.

SpO2 Clock face

This is one of the most eagerly-anticipated features for the Apple Watch Series 6. But, the Fitbit Sense has one, too! This tracks your oxygen sat levels (essentially, how much oxygen is in your blood). It’ll do this as you sleep and will tell you how easy or difficult you found it to breathe whilst you slept.

It’s not identical to the Apple version, though. Fitbit uses it purely as a sleep metric. To use this feature, there’s a clock face you have to use and cannot tailor. 

Fitbit Sense Advanced Smartwatch with Tools for Heart Health, Stress Management &...
Fitbit Sense Advanced Smartwatch with Tools for Heart Health, Stress Management &...
  • EDA Scan app detects electrodermal activity which may indicate your body's response to stress and a...
  • The Fitbit ECG app has received FDA clearance and is available in the U.S. Availability in other...
  • An on-wrist skin temperature sensor tracks yours each night so you can see how it varies
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Check your temperature

We all know that it’s invaluable to be able to quickly check your temperature at the moment. Fitbit didn’t plan to help out during these unprecedented times; it’s just a lucky accident. A new temperature sensor sits in the Fitbit Sense and can be handy for illnesses or for women tracking their ovulation cycles…

Knowing what your baseline temperature is (typically taken when you first wake up) is useful for period tracking. Hormone changes cause ovulation and this is usually accompanied by a slight rise in your temperature. 

Fitness tracking

Fitbit hasn’t forgotten its roots. The Fitbit sense comes with all the features you’ve come to know and love. This iteration carries a more advanced heart rate monitor, the Pulse 2.0 as well as more workout modes. You can count your calories burned, steps and distance as normal.

You’ll find running, hiking and biking are tracked better thanks to the on-board GPS. This has been previously used on the Fitbit Charge 4, Versa 3 and Ionic. It’ll give you a GPS map of your heart rate zones after you’re done on your adventure. This will help you to understand where you need more or less effort in your training.

Other cool features

  • Active Minutes – a handy metric which compares your activity (fat burning, cardio and peak) against government recommendations.
  • Cardio Fitness Score
  • Always-On display
  • Compatibility with Alex and Google Assistant
  • Accurate sleep tracking
  • Spotify controls
  • On-board storage for Deezer and Pandora
  • Built-in speaker (if you wait for the update later this year, you’ll be able to use this for calls)
  • Menstrual cycle tracking 

The verdict

Advantages of the Fitbit Sense
  • Lightweight, sleek and premium aesthetic
  • Improved heart rate monitoring through Pulse 2.0
  • On-board GPS
  • Free Fitbit Premium subscription for 6 months
  • Controls for Spotify
  • On-board music storage for Deezer and Pandora
  • 6 days battery life and faster charging
Disadvantages of the Fitbit Sense
  • SpO2 sensor works with only one clock face
  • Screen sensitivity could be better for responsiveness

The Fitbit Sense is really nipping at the heels of the Apple Watch Series 6. It offers more holistic health tracking than any other predecessor. It’s comprehensive, yet easy to understand.

The best part is that it doesn’t just collect and pump out data, it tells you what to do with it and how. It offers a genuine lifestyle improvement.

A lot of these features are only accessible via Fitbit Premium. However, to get a taste of it, you do get 6 months free when you buy a Sense.

At $329.95, it’s on par with the new Apple Watch SE (albeit the latter is cheaper at $279).

If you want a decent fitness tracker without the mindfulness bells and whistles, you might be more interested in the Versa 3 (we’ve compared the two, here). If you’re looking to control your stress, the Sense might be just perfect for you.

Fitbit Versa 3 Health & Fitness Smartwatch with GPS, Alexa Built-in, 24/7 Heart Rate,...
Fitbit Versa 3 Health & Fitness Smartwatch with GPS, Alexa Built-in, 24/7 Heart Rate,...
  • Run, bike, hike and more phone-free—and see your real-time pace & distance—with built-in GPS....
  • Active Zone Minutes uses your resting heart rate to gauge exercise effort and gives you a buzz when...
  • Better track heart rate 24/7 with PurePulse 2.0, Fitbit’s enhanced heart rate technology
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Are you a fan of Fitbit, let us know in the comments which your favourite Fitbit model is

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The new Apple Watch SE – Review

Apple Watch SE – Image Credit: Apple

The Apple Watch SE was revealed this week along with the Apple Watch 6. It’s been marketed as the more accessible Apple Watch and it really is. People should not be fooled into thinking it is a cheap version.

It’s stripped back, but it’s got a powerful punch. If you compared the SE to an Apple Watch Series 3, you’d see that you get a superior model for your money.

With that, people are referring to the SE as the successor of the Apple Watch 3 and that’s a fair assessment. The Series 3 is not being reduced in price and is still available around $264.

The Apple Watch SE is by no means ‘cheap’. It’s less than a Galaxy Watch 3, granted, but it lines up with the eagerly anticipated Fitbit Versa 3, Oppo Watch and Huawei Watch GT2. 

Here’s everything you’ll want to know about the new Apple Watch SE.

The design is the same as the Apple Watch Series 6, but doesn’t come in as many options. It got its shape from the Series 4, although naturally Apple have made some minor changes and the SE is incredibly sleek. You get the same dimensions and display (including the resolution) as the Series 6, so you can trust you’re getting a quality visual experience.

It comes in the standard 40mm and 44mm sizing.

It will come in an LTE version. This will not only be capable of making phone calls, but thanks to the latest WearOS 7 on board, allows users to enjoy the new Family Setup feature. This makes the SE a great smartwatch for families with kids or elderly relatives. The user can pair a Watch with an iPhone. Meaning, you can limit the use of the watch for kids (things like only sending messages to trusted contacts or selected app downloads). Best of all, no one will get lost by using the location tracking features. Safety is paramount!

New Apple Watch Series 6 (GPS, 40mm) - Space Gray Aluminum Case with Black Sport...
New Apple Watch Series 6 (GPS, 40mm) - Space Gray Aluminum Case with Black Sport...
  • GPS model lets you take calls and reply to texts from your wrist
  • Measure your blood oxygen with an all-new sensor and app
  • Check your heart rhythm with the ECG app
Check Amazon Price

Quick comparison – SE versus 6

The SE doesn’t come with the newer S6 chip, and that’s the compromise you make. There’s an S5 chip inside but it’s still twice as fast as the Series 3. You’ll need this as Apple’s apps continue to improve.

You shouldn’t expect the ECG and blood oxygen sensors, so the SE is more a smartwatch than fitness and health tracker.

You don’t get an always-on display, so you still need to flick your wrist to see your notifications or the time.

Don’t fear, it’s not all cut-backs; you get access to new features.

SE and Series 6 users can both enjoy the accurate accelerometer and altimeter as well as noise monitoring, fall detection and improved emergency SOS features. 

New Apple Watch SE (GPS + Cellular, 44mm) - Gold Aluminum Case with Pink Sand Sport...
New Apple Watch SE (GPS + Cellular, 44mm) - Gold Aluminum Case with Pink Sand Sport...
  • GPS + Cellular model lets you call, text, and get directions without your phone
  • Large Retina OLED display
  • Up to 2x faster processor than Series 3
Check Amazon Price

Release date and price

You can order your SE (or 6) right now and shipping starts Friday, September 18th.

The SE model also comes in 40mm or 44mm versions and starts at $279 if you want the GPS variant.

If you want to enjoy the location tracking features, you’ll need the cellular version which starts from $329. 

If you’re not sure which Apple watch is best for you then we have created an easy comparison of all Apple offerings from the first generation to the Series 6 and SE. Check it out here.

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The Apple Watch 6 versus Apple Watch SE – What’s the difference?

Apple Watch 6 vs SE. Image Credit: Apple

Apple launched two new smartwatches this week (on September 15th), the Apple Watch 6 and Apple Watch SE. They both run on the new Wear0S 7 and both come in wifi-only and cellular variants, but the Watch SE has been consciously designed to be cost-effective. It offers fewer features and runs on a less cutting-edge S5 chip, but that does not make it the poor person’s Apple Watch.

An Apple Watch 6 will set you back $399 whereas the Watch SE will cost you $279.

If you’re interested in an Apple Watch and it’s either your first time or you’re not sure which model to get next, we’re going to compare them for you here,

Apple Watch Design

Off the bat, they look incredibly similar. The Series 6 is available in more variants, though.

Both the 6 and SE offer the same display (including the same resolution), so to the eye you get the same experience. They’re both water-resistant so you can confidently take them swimming. Apple has offered users two new bands; the Solo and the Braided Solo.

The Watch 6 comes in more colour and design choices. Additionally to the usual grey, silver, gold and aluminium, the Apple Watch 6 comes in a new blue and never-before-seen red. You can opt for a steel or titanium version, of which both come in different colours.

The well-known fashion brand Hermes has teamed up with Apple to offer exclusive bands in different materials and colours for the Series 6.

The Series 6 continues the always-on feature. This was first seen on the Series 5 last year. This feature means your display is literally always on so you don’t have to flick your wrist to turn it on to check the time or your notifications.

Inside 

The Apple Watch Series 6 comes with the S6 chipset; the latest from Apple. The SE, on the other hand, comes with the S5. The whole point is that the SE had to make some sacrifices to be more accessible and this is one of those elements. Users will notice that the SE isn’t as advanced as the 6. Apple did claim the SE is still twice as fast as the 2017 Series 3.

The Series 6 comes with an Ultra Wideband (also known as a U1 chip). This is what you typically see in an iPhone, starting with the 11 onward. It’s used for spacial awareness and its function is to allow devices to find other devices with accuracy, albeit within short distances. Apple said this was being used to further develop AirDrop, the service that allows an iPhone user to share things with other iPhones in close proximity. Apple teases us with their promise that this is just the beginning of what they’re planning. People have suggested that the U1 will be used for Apple’s tile tracking device, which has been rumoured for a while.

Blood Oxygen App

One huge difference between not only the Apple Watch 6 and Apple Watch SE, but all predecessors is the addition of the blood oxygen sensor. More commonly referred to as an oximeter. This will track key information about your breathing and blood circulation. Getting a reading will take exactly 15 seconds. This will give insight into your overall cardiac and respiratory health. It’s been coined the “COVID-catching watch” as blood oxygen levels can tell us how deeply this virus is affecting the body. You can read more on how smartwatches are diagnosing COVID-19 in our article.

There’s an app that accompanies the oximeter. It will continually take measurements in the background (like when you’re asleep), but you’re able to take a manual reading any time you like. The data will be shown in the Health app and you can monitor changes and trends.

Both devices have an optical heart rate sensor which will keep an eye on your heart rate. The Series 6 has the accompanying ECG app, which we saw make its debut on the Series 4. This will catch an irregular heartbeat.

Software

As we’ve said, both devices run on WearOS 7. New to this version is the Family Setup feature. This lets a user pair either device with an iPhone. This is great for people with kids or elderly relatives. You can do things like limit which contacts the watch can send messages to, apply controls over app downloads or set automatic location tracking. Breaking away from the norm for Apple, the other user doesn’t have to have an iPhone to use this feature. We wrote more on this and why it’s great for families with kids, here.

Aside from Family Setup, WearOS 7 comes with new watch faces including Memojis.

There have been a few other exciting updates like noise level monitoring, fall detection, more accurate altimeter (which Apple say will detect to one foot of difference) and emergency SOS contacting.

Price

Apple Watch Series 6

The Series 6 takes the throne from the Series 5. Happily, the pricing remains the same. 

The 40mm GPS model is $399

The 44mm starts at $429

The cellular versions of either will add $100 to the tag

New Apple Watch Series 6 (GPS, 40mm) - Space Gray Aluminum Case with Black Sport...
New Apple Watch Series 6 (GPS, 40mm) - Space Gray Aluminum Case with Black Sport...
  • GPS model lets you take calls and reply to texts from your wrist
  • Measure your blood oxygen with an all-new sensor and app
  • Check your heart rhythm with the ECG app
Check Amazon Price

Apple Watch SE

The SE model also comes in 40mm or 44mm versions and starts at $279 if you want the GPS variant.

If you want to enjoy the location tracking features, you’ll need the cellular version which starts from $329.

New Apple Watch SE (GPS + Cellular, 44mm) - Gold Aluminum Case with Pink Sand Sport...
New Apple Watch SE (GPS + Cellular, 44mm) - Gold Aluminum Case with Pink Sand Sport...
  • GPS + Cellular model lets you call, text, and get directions without your phone
  • Large Retina OLED display
  • Up to 2x faster processor than Series 3
Check Amazon Price

Release date

Shipping commences Friday, September 18th.

If you’re not sure which Apple watch is best for you then we have created an easy comparison of all Apple offerings from the first generation to the Series 6 and SE. Check it out here.

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COVID-19 .. Will your fitness tracker or smartwatch help identify if you have it?

Covid

Smartwatches could be proving valuable in the fight against COVID-19. Some countries including the States and the UK are experiencing a shortage in diagnostic testing. Wearable fitness and health trackers are providing a surprise solution to early detection of COVID-19 symptoms before the virus itself becomes present. 

At the end of June, the Senior Director of Research at Global Data said that wearable health and fitness trackers with heart rate monitors and other sensors might be a game-changer in detecting COVID-19.

Given that the virus is so highly-contagious, being able to detect it early is critical in reducing the rate of infection. Especially so as economies around the world are being opened up again.

Issues

The problem people are having is severe delays in getting their test results back. This makes it all the more critical that we pick up on the earlier signs. Data collected by our wearable fitness and health trackers are showing promise for detecting the virus.

Your fitness tracker or smartwatch might have the capability to monitor your health stats like your heart rate, sleep quality, blood oxygen levels, temperature and more. 

Currently, there are ongoing studies that are harnessing the data from wearable devices, including a huge selection of Fitbit users, to detect early signs of COVID-19. Results from these studies are looking promising, too. There’s a pressure on companies to address pricing as the benefits of their devices are so clear, but not necessarily accessible to all. 

Detecting covid symptoms

Fitness trackers and smartwatches with health sensors are an existing tool for getting an idea of your general health. Studies have been ongoing since before the current pandemic. Fitbit user data has been used to identify influenza in the past. Looking at symptoms like elevated heart rate during daily activities versus rest periods as a sign of infection. The new Apple Watch 6 is a fine example of a smartwatch that cares about your health.

Fitbit fitness trackers

Fitbit devices monitor both your heart rate and sleep quality. An elevated heart rate is a common sign of potential infection. Most Fitbit devices carry a heart rate monitor as standard. As they’re monitoring your heart rate around the clock, even when you sleep, any abnormal changes can be swiftly identified. 

Of course, your fitness tracker or smartwatch is not going to send you a notification with an official diagnosis. But what you can use your wearable for is to pick up any sudden changes to your normal functioning. In the case of COVID-19, you’re able to use common sense to decide if these symptoms mean it would be best to isolate.

Body temperature

We know by now that a high temperature and persistent cough are the two most occurring COVID-9 symptoms. This means sales in thermometers has rocketed. 

Temperature sensors aren’t yet commonplace in smartwatches and fitness trackers. The newly-released Fitbit Sense is one such device, though. The fact you don’t see temperature sensors often is due to the fact that it is a complicated process to get an accurate reading from your skin. The temperature of your skin varies wildly depending on environmental factors and it’s easier to raise or lower that temperature. Your sweat and stress levels also play an influential role in this. Because of this, the contact the sensor will have with your skin isn’t always optimal for an accurate reading.

Again, a high temperature alone isn’t a diagnosis, but it’s possible to look at a combination of factors that your wearable will monitor for you and you can make a better informed decision based on the data.

Sweat and tears

Ongoing development of sensors in wearable devices is expanding the possibility of using these devices for more diagnostic purposes. COVID-19 has had a huge impact on this development and, safe to say, has also accelerated it.

It’s been suggested that a sweat sensor be incorporated into devices. This would pick up on sweat levels on the skin. This could potentially tell us vast amounts of information about the user’s health. Including, alcohol and glucose content, sodium ion levels and pH. 

Did you know your tears are useful indicators, too? Technology is so advanced that there’s research into smart contact lenses.

Covid Research

Virus detection

As we’ve said, no smartwatch or fitness tracker can tell you if you’ve got COVID-19. To do this, they’d need to detect a specific kind of virus-specific acid known as RNA. 

Detecting RNA involves many complicated steps in the process. There have been developments in reducing the amount of equipment needed, but the road to having this technology in something you wear on your wrist is a long way off.

So, whilst the tech isn’t in a wearable format yet, the direction is clear. Virus-detecting wearables will eventually become a reality. The continuous monitoring of a person’s health will be connected to tech that will indicate if they’ve been in contact with the virus, which enables that person to seek medical treatment and encourage isolation.

Any airborne virus will require some truly sophisticated sensor to collect and analyse air samples. We’re starting to talk about some real space-age sci-fi stuff, now. Whilst the technology does exist to do this, there’s no sign yet of being able to condense it into such a micro format that you’d be able to embed it into a wearable.

Wearable and accessible

It’s a bold claim that your existing smartwatch or fitness tracker could help you to diagnose if you have COVID-19 (or not), but it’s not impossible. Unfortunately, like traditional testing, not everyone has access to a wearable device. They can be expensive and, largely, the market is aimed at English-speaking territories. Vulnerable people such as the elderly may also be resistant to smart tech and being monitored.

Research and development continue. Our wearable technology is becoming more and more focused on our health and fitness. Brands have a duty to make this accessible to as many people as possible because the benefits to society are undeniable. 

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Apple Watch 6 – Everything you need to know

Apple Watch 6 – Image Credit: Apple

It’s officially here! The Apple Watch 6 has been launched. It wasn’t alone for this release, though. The cost-effective Apple Watch SE and a host of other iPad products have burst onto the scene alongside it. There was some disappointment at a lack of iPhone 12, but what we get instead is a cheaper version of the iPad and a new iPad Air 4.

Let’s go through some of the things Apple covered about the Apple Watch 6 in their release.

Apple Watch 6 release date 

The Apple Watch 6 was revealed on September 15 during a live-streamed event. 

You can pre-order yours now before the release on Friday (18 September).

Price

Your Apple Watch 6 will set you back $399.99 if you want the standard 40mm version. 

The larger 44mm will cost $429.99.

It also comes in LTE-ready models, which are $499 and $529 for the 40mm and 44mm respectively.

New Apple Watch Series 6 (GPS, 40mm) - Space Gray Aluminum Case with Black Sport...
New Apple Watch Series 6 (GPS, 40mm) - Space Gray Aluminum Case with Black Sport...
  • GPS model lets you take calls and reply to texts from your wrist
  • Measure your blood oxygen with an all-new sensor and app
  • Check your heart rhythm with the ECG app
Check Amazon Price

Design

Apple hasn’t done too much to the design of this latest release. If you put it side-by-side to an Apple Watch 4 or 5, there’s a lot of similarities. What the Apple Watch 6 does bring are new colour options.

There’s a new aluminium case in blue and you can pick up the stainless steel model in steel or gold. There’s also a really sleek black graphite option and a brand new colour to Apple, a red version.

The always-on display feature remains. It’s had some tinkering with and Apple have improved it. It’s now brighter by 2.5x than the predecessor. This is aimed at helping users see the display in various lighting conditions.

You no longer need to wake the watch fully to access either your control or notification centres. They are both accessible via your always-on display. It’s possible to change your watch face this way too.

Apple also announced a range of new bands for the Apple Watch 6. This includes new colours and styles. As for the latter, there’s now the Solo Loop and a Braided Solo Loop. Neither has a clasp and this means you need to stretch the band over your wrist to put it on.

Fitness features 

They were very excited to talk about the new fitness features. There’s an additional health sensor on the belly of the watch that will monitor blood oxygen levels. It does this through an app (called Blood Oxygen) and takes only 15 seconds to take a reading.

It’ll also take readings in the background, meaning it’ll collect data as you sleep or during the day as you go about your business. The information will be the basis of identifying any potential underlying health issues you might have.

Other than that, there’s not much else that’s new. You get features you’ve probably become familiar with already.

Battery life

The Apple Watch 6 is 20% faster than the Series 5, thanks to a new S6 processor.

Apple boasts up to 18 hours of battery life. This matches the Series 5, but the 6 charges faster. You can get a full charge in 90 minutes.

Additionally, there’s a new always-on altimeter. This provides the user with elevation data in real-time, all throughout the day. Apple claims that this will measure with such accuracy that it’ll pick up on changes as small as one foot.

Another feature Apple wasn’t as loud about revealing is is the U1 Ultrawideband chip in the watch range. You’ll see this chip in an iPhone 11 and what the rumour mill has been saying will be used in the eagerly-anticipated AirTags.

This means the Apple accessories containing the Ultra Wideband will have a very accurate, albeit short-range, communication standard for finding things like the AirTags (think Tiles, for comparison). You’ll be able to put these on the devices you want to keep safe and their location will pop up in apps like Find My, which, apparently, you can use on the Apple Watch 6.

Apple Watch 6 software

Naturally, you get the latest WearOS on the Apple Watch 6. In fact, Apple developed a new software version specifically in anticipation for this new model, in June fo this year.

WatchOS 7 allows you to collect data on your VO2 Max. This tells you if and when your blood oxygen levels are low.

Sleep tracking has had the most attention and the company claim this version supersedes all others in its capabilities.

You’ll find new and improved workouts and sleep tracking and even a COVID-related feature of tracking your hand-washing habits. Apparently, there are some big plans in progress for later release.

Watch faces

Users are really spoiled with seven new watch faces to choose from.

These are part of the new WatchOS 7 so they weren’t designed exclusively for Apple Watch 6 users. In fact, you can share your face configurations with friends and family.

Should I buy an Apple Watch 6?

If you can afford it and you’re into having the latest gadget, then absolutely. Perhaps you’re seduced by the addition of being able to monitor your blood oxygen levels because you’re currently managing some health issues closely, then this will be a useful device for you. If you like the idea of having a never-before-seen Apple Watch colour, then go for the new red version and get people’s heads turning.

If you’re not sure which Apple watch is best for you then we have created an easy comparison of all Apple offerings from the first generation to the Series 6 and SE. Check it out here.

Will you be investing the latest Apple Watch, let us know in the comments

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