At Apple’s big event yesterday, it also unveiled the sixth generation Apple Watch simply called the Apple Watch Series 6. Then there’s the Apple Watch SE as well which debuts a lower cost than the Series 6. The Apple Watch Series costs $399 while the SE goes for $279.
The new sixth generation Watch comes with a new sensor that dives deeper into your health. It reads yours SpO2 which is he blood oxygen saturation level.
SpO2 is a measure of the amount of oxygen-carrying hemoglobin in the blood relative to the amount of hemoglobin not carrying oxygen. The body needs there to be a certain level of oxygen in the blood or it will not function as efficiently. This simply means that the new Watch Series 6 can measure the amounts of red blood cells carried by your lungs to the rest of your body to see if you are functioning properly or not. This is done by an infrared light that shines from the sensor through your skin directly into the bloodstream.
New infrared sensor measures SpO2 levels
In the WatchOS 7 which powers the new Watch Series 6, there is now the sleep tracking feature that can also take blood oxygen level readings in the night and adds it to the Health app on the Watch. All of these data can tell the wellness of an individual over time. Even when working pout, the data is constantly being measured and this for example can inform you whether to continue doing vigorous exercise or slow down. For those with high blood pressure problems for example, a measure of heart and lungs performance during workouts is crucial so you don’t overwork them to dangerous levels.
Like its predecessor the Series 5, the new Series 6 has an always-on display but goes into power saving mode when your wrist isn’t active. The difference in display between the two is that the latest one is 2.5 times brighter than the previous in the power saving mode. They didn’t say so much about any battery life improvements in the new Watch though even as it goes on sale from this Friday.
The Apple Watch Series 6 comes with the A13 Bionic based processor like that of the iPhone 11 which makes processing time fast. With new sleep tracker feature, Apple has made the new Watch an all the time wearable for optimal performance.
The new Watch is available in six colours. According to Apple, “for the first time, a new blue colour joins the silver, space grey, and gold aluminium case options, along with a (PRODUCT)RED Apple Watch with exclusive matching bright red bands. Stainless steel models are now available in graphite — a rich grey-black hue with a striking high-shine finish — and an updated classic yellow gold colour.” So, users now have a wider array to choose from with respect to bands. Still on bands, Apple is touting a new design called the Solo Loop which is a continuous piece without a buckle. Apple further defines it as “In an industry first, the ultralight Solo Loop introduces a continuous and stretchable band design that comes in two materials: soft silicone and braided yarn. A special UV treatment process used on the soft silicone of the Solo Loop creates a smooth, silky finish, while a precision-braiding machine interweaves the 16,000 polyester yarn filaments, made of 100 percent recycled material, with ultrathin silicone threads, giving unique stretchability and a distinct look to the Braided Solo Loop. “
Apple now has a new feature which makes sense to quite a number of users. Called the Family Setup, family members can now have the Apple Watch without necessarily having an iPhone which used to be the case if you want to enjoy the full features of the Watch.
You can now pair your Apple Watch with another person’s iPhone and still have your unique number. So, Imagine the benefits to parents and parents when they can have the Watches of their older parents and younger children paired to their iPhone in order to monitor their wellbeing in real time. But because as good as this sounds, there is also the potential huge privacy concerns in the hands of bad players, like other Apple services, there will be a primary person say a parent who can approve or disapprove new contacts. The new Family Setup also supports Apple Pay which allows a parent or caregiver to send money and monitor spending habits of children in particular.
The new Watch SE mirrors many of the features of the Series 6. It also supports fall detection and activity tracking. The Watch SE has a dual-core processor called the S5 which sis two times the performance of the Series 3 compared to the faster processor the Series 6 carries.
