The new Series 8 Watch comes with some upgrades and new features such as crash detection, body temperature monitoring and an improved Bluetooth version for fast and robust connectivity to the phone.
The new Series 8 Watch comes with some upgrades and new features such as crash detection, body temperature monitoring and an improved Bluetooth version for fast and robust connectivity to the phone.
At this year’s Apple launch event, we saw the launch of three smartwatches along with the smartphones, the Watch SE is the entry level, followed by Series 8 that we will review, and the Ultra version. The new Series 8 Watch does not differ from the Watch 7 in appearance and design. Still, it comes with some upgrades and new features such as crash detection, body temperature monitoring and an improved Bluetooth version for fast and robust connectivity to the phone. Also, the new Series 8 is available in two size variants 41mm and 45mm and we have the latter. The price of the 45mm (GPS) Apple Series 8 starts at ₹48,900.
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Design
Over the years, Apple Watches have kept their basic look and with each new series there have been a few minor refinements as the latest Series 8 comes with a faster crown and the power button slimmer and infused with the rectangular dial. The Watch 8 has the standard Apple Watch look that gets repetitive and boring. The crown is used to measure EKG. On the back of the watch are the sensors to monitor heart rate, temperature, and blood oxygen levels. A speaker output can be seen on the left side of the watch. Also, as previously seen in the Watch SE, the strap on the Series 8 is also easy to attach and detach, which we liked. The band used by Apple is very good at keeping the weight of the watch face well distributed over the wrist, making it easy to wear all day long. The new Series 8 Watch comes with IP6X certification making the watch resistant to dust and has WR50 water resistance making the watch swim proof. The company designed the watch to be tear-resistant, which we didn’t test.
Display
As mentioned before, the 45mm variant offers quite a large space. The same type of display is also present in the Series 8 on the Watch SE, which is a Retina LTPO OLED display with a brightness level of 1000 nits. The bezels on the screen are very thin, something the new Series 8 has an advantage over the Samsung Watch5 Pro which offers a little more space. Unlike the Watch SE, you get Always-on display in the Series 8, which has its own pros and cons, such as being able to instantly view the content on the screen while consuming more battery power. The visibility of the screen is very good, so you can view all messages or content on the screen very comfortably even in bright daylight.
Operating system and processor
Apple has used watchOS 9.0 for all three of the latest watches launched this year. The processor remains the same and that is the S8 which is even present in the Watch SE. The latest operating system brings new smart features like customizable training modes, a new interface, medication reminders, etc. The processor works very smoothly, as you can feel when you scroll through the content and apps on the screen. The haptics are very in-depth and make sure you don’t miss any received notifications.
The integration between the watch and the phone is very strong because you get instant notifications. The watch allows you to respond to text messages, click links and make/reject calls and if you have activated the eSIM card on the watch, you can make calls directly from the watch without outsourcing the phone.
The watch comes with 32GB of internal storage that allows you to store your favorite music and photos that you can access right on the watch.
New on Series 8 Watch
Apple has unveiled its smart crash-detection feature, which determines whether you’ve been in a car collision using a three-axis gyroscope, a new G-force Accelerometer, a microphone, a barometer, GPS and an advanced sensor fusion algorithm. It makes emergency calls to the nearest service in the event of an accident.
The company has also added a new temperature sensor on the back of the watch. This new feature is especially useful for women to track and predict their cycle. The temperature sensor is also used to track sleep activities and determine what affects your sleep.
Health features
The new Apple Series 8 Watch comes with Blood Oxygen Monitoring and the ECG feature that was absent in Watch SE. The usual heart rate monitoring feature is also available, which will alert you if there is an abnormality in the heart rate pattern. Sleep tracking is now more advanced in the Series 8 watch, as it shows you how much time you spent in REM, Core or Deep sleep, as well as when you woke up. There are several fitness modes on the watch that detect your activities during exercise and provide suggestions.
To call to action
The calling on the Series 8 Watch is very good and while reviewing it we really enjoyed making calls through the watch. The sounds produced are very clear and loud and the person on the other end was able to hear us and understand us very clearly. The only thing to keep in mind when making calls through the watch is to keep it close to your mouth for better clarity.
Battery
The new Series 8 Watch will last for 16-18 hours of normal use, something the company needs to work on as its competitor offers advanced battery life. One can extend the battery life by using the power saving mode, which makes the watch last about 36 hours. In terms of battery power, we liked what Samsung Galaxy Watch5 Pro has to offer.
verdict
The new Apple Series 8 Watch takes the mantle of a genuine update to Series 7, quite comfortable with several new features. The watch checks in on all the necessary functions needed to turn the watch into a complete smartwatch. Everything is smartly tuned except for the battery life, which needs some work as we’d like to see 2-3 days of battery life in the upcoming Apple watches. Some design changes to the dial will be appreciated, maybe next year.
