12 Things You Need To Know About Apple Watch Series 6 And Apple Watch SE

Aadhya Khatri - Sep 17, 2020


12 Things You Need To Know About Apple Watch Series 6 And Apple Watch SE

With the name ‘Time Flies,’ it comes as no surprise that Apple Watch Series 6 is the star of the show at this year’s Apple event

With the name ‘Time Flies,’ it comes as no surprise that Apple Watch Series 6 is the star of the show at this year’s Apple event.

Following the introduction CEO Tim Cook, Jeff Williams, Apple’s COO took over to sum up what’s new with watchOS 7 and two new Apple models for different price ranges.

Apple Watch Series 6

New Series 6 Designs

The long-awaited Apple Watch Series 6 has finally come with some upgrades to both hardware and sensors, along with some changes to the design.

Apple Watch Series 6
The long-awaited Apple Watch Series 6 has finally come with some upgrades to both hardware and sensors

Williams said the new Apple Watch 6 was the most colorful ever, introducing multiple new finishes, including the gold design and grey-black "graphite" finish for the higher-end model and the electric blue aluminum on the entry-level device.

Blood Oxygen Sensor

The most significant improvement coming to Apple wearable this year is also the least surprising as we have heard about it for a very long time.

What we are talking about is the Blood Oxygen Sensor, which helps wearers have a clearer idea of their respiratory and cardiac health by measuring their SPO2 levels.

Apple Watch Series 6 Blood Oxygen Monitoring
Blood Oxygen Sensor helps wearers have a clearer idea of their respiratory and cardiac health by measuring their SPO2 levels

While Apple isn’t the first company to introduce the feature, it sets itself apart for achieving a higher level of competency.

As stated by Apple, the feature can only work on-demand for 15 seconds. However, the Apple Watch will periodically check during the day and even the night if you have the device on when you sleep.

Much like everything else the Apple Watch measures, you can see all the data in the Health app.

VO2 Max Levels

This feature was introduced back in the WWDC event in June but it didn’t get much attention from Apple then.

According to Williams, all Apple Watch models with support for watchOS 7 will be able to measure VO2 Max levels, courtesy of enhanced sensor algorithms.

VO2 Max measures wearers’ oxygen intake when they do exercise, which Apple Watch with watchOS 6 can already do. What’s new is the improved range and accuracy of the measurement.

Williams said the watch will soon be able to send a notification when the level drops too low.

New Research Studies

Along with the Blood Oxygen Sensor on Apple Watch Series 6, Apple also backs three ResearchKit studies to see how heart rate and other data the watch collects, can be combined with longitudinal SPO2 measurements to diagnose several health conditions.

S6 Chip

The S6 chip introduced this year is a real leap over the S4. It features a high-performance dual-core design built on the A13 Bionic powering the iPhone 11.

Apple Watch Chip S6 chip
The S6 chip introduced this year is a real leap over the S4

According to Apple, the enhancement with the chip can deliver 20% more speed and more power to algorithms and sensors.

A Better Always-On Display

Apple said it had had a success making Series 6 a more energy-efficient watch, which, in turn, allows it to brighten up the always-on display.

The display is now 2.5-time brighter than that of the previous generation, making it easier for users to read what’s on the display under direct sunlight.

Always-On Altimeter

The ability to better use energy allows for a new always-on altimeter which will continuously read the elevation during the day. The feature will be especially handy for hikers.

New Watch Faces

Apple new watch faces
Apple also showed some new watch faces coming to watchOS 7 and Apple Series 6

Apple also showed some new watch faces coming to watchOS 7 and Apple Series 6. The iPhone maker made public some new dev tools for developers to build their own watch faces for different purposes and tasks.

New Watch Bands

Apple Watch Series 6 comes with a slew of new watch bands, which are also compatible with older models of the watch.

Apple Watch Series 6 watch bands
Apple Watch Series 6 comes with a slew of new watch bands

The highlight of the lot is the Solo Loop, which has no separation nor buckle but rather stretchable so that you can slip the watch on.

Family Setup

While Apple has long allowed users to pair several Apple Watch to one iPhone, these devices must belong to the same person. In the case of cellular Apple Watch, they must be associated with a single phone number.

This year, the iPhone maker makes it easier for more than one user to use Apple Watches connected to an iPhone.

It appears that the goal here is to allow children to have their own Apple Watches without owning an iPhone. They can also have their phone number to make calls and text while parents can keep track of them with features like Find My.

For families, Apple introduced a new set of parental controls, including a function to restrict the little ones’ contacts. Another highlight is School Time, which turns the Do Not Disturb mode on and restrict interactions.

Apple Watch SE and Series 3

Apple Watch Series 6 isn’t the only wearable introduced in the latest Apple event. Along with it is the debut of Apple Watch SE.

Apple Watch Se
Along with Series 6 is the debut of Apple Watch SE

Contrary to what many users think, the Watch SE isn’t a rebrand Apple Watch Series 3 but a whole new smartwatch. In fact, it shares more common traits with the Series 6 than the Series 3.

Specifically, the SE will have Series 6’s large display and last year’s S5 chip. The watch also comes in cellular models, making it an ideal candidate for the Family Setup. The more affordable Apple Watch also has the Series 6’s compass, always-on altimeter features, accelerometer, Fall Detection, and gyroscope.

Pricing and Availability

Apple Watch Series 6 and SE will set you back $399 and $279 respectively for the GPS-only 40mm model. For the 40mm cellular variant, the prices for them are $329 and $499.

All models are now available for pre-order and will arrive in stores on Friday.

>>> Apple Watch Series 6 Vs. Apple Watch SE: Which One Should You Get

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