14 DAY TRIAL // Apple has unveiled the second-generation Apple Watch, which it calls “Series 2,” at its iPhone 7 event today, announcing new features that make it one of the most advanced smartwatches on the market right now.
The new Apple Watch is swimproof, which means that you can wear it while swimming, as it can withstand water with a depth of up to 50 meters. Apple says that “you can wear your watch with confidence in the water” because it won’t break down.
In order to make the device waterproof, Apple sealed all external parts with just one exception: the speaker. Because “the speaker needs to generate sound,” as the company itself said, it couldn’t rubber-seal it, so it turned to a completely new technology here. You can work out with the Apple Watch Series 2 in water, and at the end of the workout, the speaker automatically ejects the water.
Apple says that the Watch 2 is “robust enough for those who want to swim every day, so we built a simulator to test the device 24 hours a day.” And the result was what you’d expect, with the Apple Watch 2 passing all tests with flying colors.
Apple Watch Series 1, an upgrade over the original model
Apple is also unveiling the Watch 2 Nike+, a device that’s specifically tailored for runners, so it comes with a custom band that sports a unique design to support running and sweat elimination. It's available in four different colors.
In terms of hardware, the Apple Watch 2 comes with a CPU upgrade and features a dual-core processor that’s two times faster than the previous version. The GPU is also two times faster, and Apple says that it used a completely new display that’s “the brightest screen the company has ever shipped” and will look brilliant in the sun too.
The Apple Watch Series 2 also features built-in GPS, so you no longer need the phone to map your workouts. “You literally hit start and begin working out, and then you get pace and distance, you get a map color coded with speeds,” Apple said. This is similar to the Microsoft Band, so it’s a welcome improvement.
The Apple Watch 2 will be available in three different case versions, namely aluminum, stainless steel, and ceramic. This last version will be offered in white.
Apple Watch Series 2 will be priced at $369, and Apple is also launching an upgrade over the original model called "Series 1" and featuring the same dual-core processor as the second generation. The new devices will go on sale on September 16.
