The Apple Watch Series 7 Fuses Functionality And Design In A Smartwatch Worth The Upgrade - Men's Health Magazine Australia

The Apple Watch Series 7 Fuses Functionality And Design In A Smartwatch Worth The Upgrade

With a number of upgrades and improvements on last year’s Series 6, the Apple Watch Series 7 demands attention.
Apple Watch Series 7

You have to hand it to Apple: just when it seems they’ve pushed the boundary of functionality and design, their team deliver yet another product that seems to exceed all expectation. Where upgrades and new releases in the realm of tech are prone to disappointment, Apple seems to eschew the trend and not surprisingly, customers continue to gravitate to the store in droves, even if just for a glimpse of a new release. When it comes to the Apple Watch, most thought last year’s Series 6 had delivered on both functionality and design. But having now unveiled the Series 7, it seems clear that this is a watch worthy of your attention as it offers a larger display with bigger casing sizes, faster charging, an S7 chip and a number of upgrades relating to fitness tracking and performance. We are, after all, living at a time of peak wellness and if you’re on the quest to live your best life, Apple is doing all it can to help you get there. 

Though the Apple Watch Series 7 shares a number of key features with its Series 6 counterpart, there are also a number of key differences. Namely, the Series 7 offers 41mm and 45mm case sizes, with a 1.7mm border that accommodates for 20 per cent more screen area than its predecessor. Essentially, you’re getting a noticeably bigger display in a watch that still remains sleek and streamlined. Where most smartwatches these days tend to sacrifice size for added functions, the result can see you lugging a chunk of real estate on your wrist which isn’t always flattering. In contrast, the Series 7 from Apple fits easily on the wrist and doesn’t appear cumbersome at all. 

Apple Watch Series 7

With ECG and Blood Oxygen, the Series 7 serves as the perfect companion for those looking to get active and also explore. If we’ve learned anything during lockdown, it’s that now more than ever is a time to prioritise our health and wellbeing. And while indoor workouts certainly have their merits, one thing we won’t be taking for granted is time spent outside. We want to get outdoors, to get a little lost, a little scared, and find those routes less travelled. We know that these are the experiences we remember, the ones that feed the soul, and it seems Apple realises this too. As a result, the Series 7 is the most durable watch the company has released, with a more crack-resistant front crystal that has a robust geometry and is over 50 per cent thicker than the Series 6. With IP6X dust-resistance too, this isn’t a watch you take off for those adventures outdoors. Rather, it’s the one you select purely because you know you’ll be heading out. 

It goes without saying that we were incredibly impressed by the Apple Watch Series 7. It’s a watch that deserves to be in your rotation, if not one you wear daily. To find out more about why we love it so much, read on for greater insight into key features and the design behind the incredible new addition to the Apple Watch line-up.

Apple Watch Series 7

Faster charging

It’s the bane of everyone’s existence: you get home, ready to head out on a run or walk, and your watch battery is down making navigation and fitness tracking impossible. Where in the past it might have required hours of charging, the Apple Watch Series 7 provides all-day 18-hour battery life on a single charge. As well as that, it’s 33 per cent faster charging compared with Apple Watch Series 6 thanks to a new charging architecture and Magnetic Fast Charger USB-C Cable. 

watchOS 8

A new software update of watchOS 8 brings additional watch faces designed specifically for the larger display of the Series 7. The new Contour face takes the dial right to the edge of the display and fluidly animates throughout the day to emphasise the current hour. With a number of options to choose from, you’ll be sure to find a watch face to suit every aesthetic. There’s also a new Modular Duo face that leverages the extra screen area with two large, data-rich centre complications while the classic World Time face, based on heritage watches and ideal for travellers, tracks the time in 24 time zones around a double dial. The Portraits face uses the depth capabilities of iPhone Portrait mode to compose a beautiful, personalised experience. 

Optimised user interface

Thanks to an innovative design that maximises the screen area while minimally changing the dimensions of the overall case size, the Apple Watch Series 7 comes available in 41mm and 45mm sizes. With the wrist down, the Always-On Retina display is up to 70 per cent brighter indoors than the Apple Watch Series 6, making it easier to see the watch face without having to lift the wrist or wake the display. The display fits more text onscreen, has larger buttons, type sizes and even a QWERTY keyboard. 

Apple Watch Series 7

Band colours and fresh collaborations

Where most would think you’d have to sacrifice style for substance, Apple proves you can have both. Apple Watch Series 7 introduces five brand-new colours: Midnight, Starlight, Green, Blue and (PRODUCT)RED. Midnight is a gorgeous shade that appears black from a distance but has blue undertones up close, while starlight is the go-to choice for those looking for a more minimal design with soft, neutral metallic colour between silver and gold. The Apple Watch Nike offers fresh band colours too, and a new face. The Apple Watch Hermes introduces a Double Tour band and Circuit H Single Tour with matching watch face. 

Improved durability

The Apple Watch Series 7 is the company’s most durable Apple Watch, thanks to innovations that helped deliver the largest always-on retina display with the strongest front crystal. With a thicker profile and stronger, more robust geometry, the crack-resistant crystal is over 50 per cent thicker at its tallest point than that of the Apple Watch Series 6. It’s also been redesigned with a flat base, creating a sturdier shape that is more resistant to cracks. Most importantly though, and in good news for those who enjoy testing their limits in the outdoors, is that the watch is the first from Apple to be certified IP6X dust-resistant – the highest certifiable level of dust protection. Able to withstand dust and particles from a windy day, sandbox, or being kicked while on a mountain bike trail, it’s sure to become your go-to watch when looking to test your physical limits in the outdoors. And for swimmers, it’s also rated WR50 for 50m water resistance, allowing you to wear it in the pool, ocean or shower. 

Apple Watch Series 7

Key health and wellness features 

For the fitness enthusiast and those looking to simply lead a more active, healthy lifestyle, the Apple Watch Series 7 offers a number of benefits including ECG, the Blood Oxygen app, high and low heart rate notifications, fall detection, cycle tracking and noise alerts. 

Blood Oxygen sensor and app

The watch features a sensor for measuring blood oxygen. While measuring blood oxygen, the LEDs shine red and infrared light through your skin onto the blood vessels in your wrist. The photodiodes capture the light that is reflected back to detect the colour of your blood. The colour of your blood indicates oxygen level, with bright red signalling blood that’s more saturated, and dark red less saturated. An algorithm then uses this data to estimate your oxygen saturation level. 

ECG

Electrical heart sensors allow the Watch Series 7 to generate an electrocardiogram at any time right from your wrist. This records the timing and strength of the electrical signals that make your heart beat and is used by doctors to help diagnose heart conditions, making it an invaluable tool that’s available right at the convenience of your wrist. The waveform, its classification and notes entered on related symptoms will then be automatically stored in the Health app on your iPhone where you can then share them as a PDF with your doctor and have a more informed conversation about your health. 

Apple Fitness+

The fitness platform Apple created entirely around the Apple Watch works seamlessly with the Apple Watch Series 7. Using the streaming service, you can do exclusive studio-style workouts and guided meditations for iPhone, iPad and Apple TV, led by a diverse and inclusive team of trainers. With workouts designed to suit any and all fitness levels, there’s something for everyone while the Series 7 watch allows you to track your fitness journey in real time. You can measure all your favourite workouts including cycling, yoga, strength training, swimming, hiking and dance and even Tai Chi and pilates. For runners, the watch features pace alerts and cadence, while swimmers can also select workouts based on pool or ocean water swims. Cyclists will also be informed when they begin riding with a reminder from the Watch Series 7 prompting you to start a workout, while also automatically pausing and resuming if you stop temporarily. 

Apple Watch Series 7

Pricing and Availability

The Apple Watch Series 7 will be available in stores starting Friday, 15 October, with prices starting at $599. Apple Watch SE starts at $429 and the Apple Watch Series 3 starts at $299. For more details and information, visit the website here. 

By Jessica Campbell

Jess is a storyteller committed to sharing the human stories that lie at the heart of sport.

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