14 DAY TRIAL // | INTRODUCTION |
|---|
| THE SMARTWATCH | THE FITNESS TRACKER |
| HARDWARE | BATTERY LIFE |
| CONCLUSIONS |
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Apple Watch has quickly become one of the best-selling wearables on the market, with statistics showing that it’s doing well in both the fitness activity tracker and the smartwatch categories.
Third-party data shows that Apple Watch is the second best-selling device in combined figures that include smartwatches and activity trackers, after leader Fitbit, while Apple’s own data points to something that’s even more flattering: the Apple Watch is also the second best-selling watch, while Rolex continues to be the leading brand worldwide.
The second-generation Apple Watch presented by Cupertino on September 7 during the eagerly-anticipated iPhone 7 launch was supposed to continue the success of the original model and achieve even better sales figures thanks to upgrades that customers have been drooling over for a long time.
Apple calls the new model “Apple Watch Series 2,” even though the company could have launched it simply as Apple Watch 2, but given the similarities between the old and the new versions, it probably makes more sense this way.
In terms of design, the new Apple Watch is almost exactly the same as its predecessor and it’s basically impossible to tell which one is which when comparing them side by side.
The model we've tested and which looks quite exquisite, as you can see for yourselves in the photo gallery below, is the Stainless Steel with Milanese Loop band in 42mm size.
Hardware
Apple claims that the Watch Series 2 comes with substantial hardware upgrades, and while on paper these are very obvious, not the same thing can be said about real-time performance. But let's discuss the hardware for now and scroll down to read more about performance.
First and foremost, Apple has upgraded the CPU, just like it does with every new generation of the iPhone. The Watch Series 2 comes with the dual-core S2 chip, whose specs Apple is yet to unveil. Nevertheless, this is a welcome upgrade from the S1 clocked at 520 MHz.
The display continues to feature sapphire crystal, which is super tough and durable, and truth be told, we can confirm this is indeed the case after using the first-generation Watch nearly every day since its launch in 2015. Sapphire is also being used on the iPhone 7's camera, so Apple's clearly betting big on this material for durability.
The screen, however, got some upgrades too, and Apple says that it's now two times brighter than its predecessor. There's indeed a small difference, especially in direct sunlight, but otherwise, it's very hard to spot.
Other than that, there's one major addition to the Apple Watch 2: the GPS sensor. Apple wanted to make the watch work independently from the iPhone, so it comes with a GPS sensor that can monitor your workouts and provide you with information such as route and distance.
The GPS can also make the device more accurate, as it can measure distance in a more effective way. Previously, the Apple Watch was using the phone's GPS, when available, to measure distance, but figures were often off target by a big margin.
The other features are all there, including Bluetooth and Wi-Fi support (wireless networks are being used when the iPhone is connected to the same networks too and Bluetooth is not available).
The same sensor lineup continues to be available, including heart rate, gyroscope, accelerometer, and ambient light sensor.
One more thing before ending the hardware section: the Apple Watch Series 2 is waterproof, which means that you can finally wear it in the shower and even swim with it because it won't break down. Apple says the Watch can resist in water up to 50 meters deep, and the company also offers some new workout modes for swimming.
“Breaking water-ejecting feature.”
Waterproofing has been achieved with the same sealing method as on the iPhone 7, with just one exception: the speakers. Because Apple still wanted the Watch to offer crystal clear sound, it used a technology patented in 2014 and which makes it possible for speakers to automatically eject water after a workout using a high-frequency sound that makes the speaker membrane vibrate.
Overall, the Watch 2 comes with worthy upgrades, but hardware is not necessarily the star of the show here. The stainless steel version looks super exquisite, feels heavier just like a regular watch, and with the right band, it looks perfect with any outfit.
The smartwatch
Apple Watch Series 2 comes with watchOS 3.0, a major upgrade for Apple and a small one for users.
There are several updates in this new release, but most of them are just minor and are unlikely to make the Apple Watch feel like a completely new product. For example, there's a new Breathe app that's supposed to help you breathe correctly, meditate, and relax, all using instructions that show up on the screen. Interesting, but certainly difficult to become a breaking feature.
Additionally, the new OS version also introduces a new face with Minnie Mouse and enables the animated characters to talk the time upon touching the screen. There are some new activity-oriented faces as well, and the companion Apple Watch app on the iPhone comes with a face gallery to let you customize everything from the bigger screen.
Apple also claims that the new Watch Series 2 is super fast, but after using it for a few days, it just feels like the original model. You can barely tell the difference between the two and everything seems to be loading exactly the same way on both watches.
And yet, watchOS 3.0 doesn't fix some of the biggest annoyances with the Watch and the older version.
First and foremost, you're still not allowed to configure the way notifications are displayed on your devices. When the Watch is connected, it pulls all notifications and the iPhone is completely dead, and the only way to deal with this is to disable Wrist Detection, which in turn disables some activity tracking.
A potential workaround here is to keep the Watch on airplane mode when the iPhone is around you, so alerts will still arrive on your phone. The watch will continue to track your moves, only that it won't buzz on new messages.
Then, it's the notification syncing between devices. There are moments when the Apple Watch fails to alert of new notifications, and given the fact that the iPhone doesn't ring because of the aforementioned reason, missing notifications is quite easy. And annoying too. It happened several times during our test to miss notifications just because we weren't aware of them and it most often affects third-party apps such as WhatsApp and Gmail.
And last but not least, it's grouping notifications that's utterly annoying. When receiving multiple messages, such as on WhatsApp, a preview is no longer displayed and you're only alerted of new messages on the app with a "Dismiss" button. This isn't happening on Android Wear devices or on Samsung's Tizen, where previews are displayed no matter the number of the same notifications.
The other drawbacks of the Apple Watch still exist, though, and there's still no support for third-party faces, which means that customization is kind of limited. There are some new options now, such as Minnie Mouse and other fitness-optimized faces, but support for third-party faces would be a lot more helpful to fight the boredom that many of us are very likely to experience after a while.
The fitness tracker
In our original Apple Watch review, we complained that the device was more smartwatch and less activity tracker, and although things have improved with the Series 2, it only happened in a rather insignificant way.
GPS tracking is certainly a good addition because it can show routes and provide more accurate statistics. Whenever you go for a run, you can leave your iPhone at home because GPS helps the Watch monitor distance, routes, and provide more accurate figures for steps and burned calories. It takes its share of battery, that's true, but this is happening in the case of any other fitness tracker out there.
At the same time, the GPS generates mapping data that shows lap times and displays your fastest and slowest zones, helping you to improve in a much more effective way. But that's pretty much all about it.
“Swimming? Not there yet.”
The swimming support that so many people are praising is just basic and it can hardly impress a professional swimmer. Truth be told, the Apple Watch becomes one of the first devices that's waterproof and comes with support for swimming, but it's really hard to use it if you want to swim on a regular basis.
First of all, you have to define the length of the pool, so it can calculate how much you swim. Auto detection would clearly come in handy here and using the other sensors, such as the gyroscope, it can easily calculate the length, but for the moment, such a feature is not available.
Then, it can't make a difference between various swimming styles, so no matter how you swim, it still generates the same statistics for distance and burned calories. So basically, what you get is a tracker that doesn't provide you with more than just elapsed times, distance, number of laps, and an estimation of burned calories.
The waterproofing, on the other hand, is a little nice feature that certainly comes in handy, not necessarily for swimming, but also for cycling when raining. When it comes to swimming, however, the Watch 2 comes with a neat option to automatically eject the water in the speakers at the end of the workout using high-frequency sounds that make the membrane vibrate.
Other than that, it's exactly the Apple Watch you know. It comes with rich support for a variety of sports, it lets you set goals for each workout or per day, and thanks to watchOS 3.0, it also supports stats sharing with friends to try to convince you to exercise more.
The best thing of all is that the Apple Watch continues to be super comfortable to wear and you won't even feel it on the wrist when exercising. Depending on the band, it can fit pretty much any outfit and given the luxurious look of the Stainless Steel version, you can also wear it even when wearing a suit.
Overall, the Apple Watch Series 2 is 90 percent the same as its predecessor and if GPS and waterproofing are really important to you, then it's worth buying. Otherwise, we're not so sure about it.
Battery life
Apple says the new Watch should be able to provide longer battery life, but the experience pretty much depends on how you use the device.
As we've said in our original Apple Watch review, one-day battery life is enough for the majority of customers because most of us recharge their devices during the night, as only a few actually wear them when sleeping to monitor sleep or things like that.
And the Apple Watch Series 2 doesn't fall short of Cupertino's promise to offer one day of battery life. If there's an improvement over the first generation, it's only minor and we still got one day and a half (34 hours) per charge at most.
“You'll charge it every night anyway.”
On the other hand, if you use the new GPS sensor for monitoring workouts, you're not going to achieve the same figures, as this is the main battery hog on the new generation. GPS sensors are battery killers anyway, and the Apple Watch makes no exception.
The Apple Watch 2 can be used for approximately 5 hours with GPS turned on and anything beyond that will require a charger. Working out with GPS takes approximately 20 percent per hour, whereas running or cycling without it only uses a few percentage points at most.
Without a doubt, most Apple Watch 2 buyers will make use of the GPS sensor because it's there and it provides more advanced stats, so you'd better get used to everyday charging if you want to buy the new model.
The bottom line
For existing Apple Watch owners, the second generation comes with just two different substantial upgrades: the GPS sensor and the waterproofing.
First and foremost, the GPS module is clearly a welcome addition because it provides us with stats that were previously available on devices such as Microsoft Band and Fitbit, but on the other hand, it's nothing that you couldn't live without.
If you're running or cycling with the iPhone in your pocket or the backpack, you won't feel such a big difference because the Watch was already using the phone's GPS sensor for more accurate stats. On the other hand, if you want to leave your iPhone at home when working out, the second generation's GPS will certainly come in handy.
As far as waterproofing is concerned, it's certainly a welcome addition, not because you can swim with it (because you won't), as the existing implementation of swimming support is still in its early days, but thanks to the fact that you no longer have to be afraid of rain.
If you cycle with your Apple Watch on and it starts raining, there are almost zero chances for the new model to break down, so you can safely keep working out no matter what.
Are these two features reason enough to spend several hundred dollars on a new Watch? Maybe, but some of those who already have the first-generation model and using it mostly for its smartwatch capabilities might not feel like missing anything.
In the end, the number of upgrades and the small differences between the first and the second generation are probably the reason the company didn't launch it as Apple Watch 2. So in the end, yes, Apple Watch Series 2 just makes sense.
