Apple Watch Series 10 is here with bigger screens, slimmer design and new health features

Apple has officially launched the iPhone 16 series, accompanied by the highly anticipated Apple Watch Series 10. While earlier rumors suggested that the new smartwatch would be called “Series X” to mirror the major redesign of the iPhone X, those predictions did not come to fruition. Instead, the Apple Watch Series 10 retains a design similar to last year’s Series 9, though it does come with some noteworthy refinements.

Apple Watch Series 10: What’s new on the outside

Although the overall look of the Apple Watch Series 10 remains familiar, the new model is Apple’s slimmest and lightest watch to date. In addition, this year’s lineup introduces an eye-catching “Jet Black” finish, providing the first all-black option for Apple Watch fans. Complementing the new Jet Black is a fresh Rose Gold finish, alongside the traditional Silver, rounding out the aluminum body options.

A central talking point this year could be the new titanium watch body options, which will replace the stainless steel options in the previous Apple Watch generation. The titanium body options come in three polished metal colorways and are 20% lighter than the stainless steel Series 9. To match the Titanium finish, Apple has released new bands and a cool new “Reflections” watch face that shimmers when light hits it.

The Apple Watch Series 10 has slightly bigger screen sizes than the previous Apple Watches, and the casing options have grown to 42mm and 46mm from the 41mm and 45mm options available previously. The corners are more rounded, and the aspect ratio is somewhat wider. Apple has also added a new “wide-angle OLED display” to the Series 10, which is up to 40% brighter when viewed from an angle, which should make it easier to see in different lighting conditions.

While the Apple Watch Series 10’s battery life claims haven’t seen any changes, charging speeds have significantly improved, thanks to a larger, more efficient charging coil. Apple claims the Series 10 can reach 80% battery in just 30 minutes, making it the fastest-charging Apple Watch to date. Other physical improvements include the Series 10 Apple Watches finally being able to play media directly through the watch’s built-in speakers, a feature that Android smartwatches have had for a long time.

New features on the Apple Watch Series 10

The Apple Watch Series 10 runs on the new WatchOS 11, powered by the S10 chip, which features a 4-core neural engine. This brings improved performance to various features, including on-device Siri, automatic workout detection, crash detection, and background noise suppression during calls.

One of the most critical additions this year is that the Apple Watch Series 10 can now detect sleep apnea, a condition in which one’s breathing stops and starts during sleep. Notably, this feature was also introduced in the Galaxy Watch 7. The Series 10 also gets Apple’s Depth app from the Apple Watch Ultra, which is excellent for divers and swimmers. Apple also talked about new capabilities and features that make the watch even better for water sports.

The Apple Watch Series 10 starts at a slightly higher price tag of $399 for the GPS-only model and $499 for the GPS+Cellular model with the smaller screen size. The price difference between the two size options is only $30 this year. The Titanium Apple Watch Series 10 models are priced significantly higher, starting at $699. You can pre-order today, and they’ll be available on September 20.