New Features in Apple Watch Series 8, Watch Ultra and Watch SE – Compared

Series of Apple watches revealed at Apple Event recently held on September 7, definitely owes an attention, as Apple digs deep in uncovering the potentialities of a wearable, besides its iPhone 14 Pro Series. Apple Watches unleashed recently has quite compelling features that covers health, and safety of a person in a more technological way.

Apple Watch Series 8

The most anticipated Apple Watch Series 8 drives out crazy with a lot of improvements in health features and performance enhancements.

To start with, its innovative temperature sensor enables advanced features for women’s health and crash detection for car-crashes.

Apple Watch Series 8 features the beloved design of Apple Watch, including a large, Always-On Retina display and a strong crack-resistant front crystal.

The Watch Series 8 builds on best-in-class health and safety features like ECG app and fall detection by introducing temperature-sensing capabilities, retrospective ovulation estimates, crash detection and international roaming.  

It is claimed that Apple Watch Series 8 with a two-sensor temperature sensing design, can measure changes as small as 0.1⁰C every five seconds. The sensors also help in retrospective ovulation estimates in its Health App with improved period predictions for women.

Additionally, with iOS 16 and watchOS 9, all Cycle Tracking users can now receive a notification if their logged cycle history shows a possible deviation, such as irregular, infrequent, or prolonged periods, and persistent spotting, which can be symptoms of underlying health conditions.

Its ‘Crash detection’ is leveraged by a new more powerful gyroscope and accelerometer. Crash detection uses two sensors to detect impacts and will automatically connect the person wearing it to emergency services, passing along their location info. It will also notify emergency contacts, if the user is unresponsive after a 10-second countdown.

Series 8 Watch’s low power mode can extend the battery life to reach up to 36 hours from its usual 18-hour battery life. However, the mode disables certain sensors like always-on retina display, workout autostart, heart health notifications and more temporarily.

The watch runs with watchOS 9, having 32GB storage, water-resistant upto 50 meters with prices starting at Rs.45,900 / $399. Technically, you will be getting the crash detection and temperature sensors as new features for an extra Rs.4,000 when compared to Apple Watch Series 7.

Apple Watch SE

The new Apple Watch SE delivers advanced features at a new low price, and is a great way for users to start their Apple Watch journey, use with Family Setup, or gift to their loved ones.

Apple Watch SE is powered by S8 dual-core processor, the same that fits in Apple Watch Series 8 & Apple Watch Ultra. This makes the wearable 20% faster than the previous generation.

Apple brings in Crash detection and international roaming in Watch SE too.

With WatchOS 9, Apple Watch SE users can enjoy the benefits of the new Compass app in addition to the enhanced fitness and wellness features.

Read this too: What’s New in Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro & iPhone 14 Pro Max?

Apple Watch SE is one of Apple’s affordable smartwatches (among only Apple’s), that comes at a price of $279, available in two variants 40mm and 44mm aluminium cases.

Apple Watch Ultra

Apple Watch Ultra introduces a 49mm titanium case and flat sapphire front crystal that reveals the biggest and brightest Apple Watch display yet. A customisable Action button offers instant access to a wide range of useful features. Apple Watch Ultra has the best battery life of any Apple Watch, reaching up to 36 hours during normal use. Additionally, a new low-power setting, ideal for multi-day experiences, can extend battery life to reach up to 60 hours.

Built for endurance, exploration and adventure, Watch Ultra is inspired by explorers and athletes around the world and is specially designed for extreme environments. The most rugged and capable Apple Watch yet, says Jeff Williams, Apple’s Chief operating officer.

For the first time ever in an Apple Watch, the precision dual-frequency GPS integrates both L1 and the latest frequency, L5, plus new positioning algorithms. Apple Watch Ultra delivers the most accurate GPS of any Apple Watch to date, providing users the most precise distance, pace, and route data for training and competing.

The on-wrist operating temperature was designed to help explore the most extreme and remote locations, from freezing cold mountains at -4° F (-20° C) to the blazing desert heat at 131° F (55° C).

 Apple Watch Ultra is certified to the relevant aspects of MIL-STD-810H, used for military equipment and popular among rugged equipment manufacturers. Testing includes Low Pressure (Altitude), High Temperature, Low Temperature, Temperature Shock, Contamination by Fluids, Rain, Humidity, Immersion, Sand and Dust, Freeze/Thaw, Ice/Freezing Rain, Shock, Vibration, and more.

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Apple Watch Ultra cost starts at ₹89900 / $799.

All the new three watches will have watchOS 9 and will be available for purchase from September 23. Apple also proffers three months of Apple Fitness+ for customers who purchase Apple Watch Ultra, Apple Watch Series 8, or Apple Watch SE.