Apple Watch Series 10: Then buying the new Apple Watch is really worth it

For Apple, the Apple Watch is a safe bet. The iPhone manufacturer has interwoven its smartwatch so closely with the iPhone that there is hardly any serious alternative for all those iPhone users who want a smartwatch. And if you don’t have an iPhone, you won’t be able to use this watch anyway. Which is actually a shame. Because the Apple Watches can do something. And the new Apple Watch Series 10 comes dangerously close to the top model Apple Watch Ultra 2 in our test.

Actually, at the recent presentation of the new devices it was time for an anniversary model. Because the first Apple Watch was shown ten years ago. However, Apple missed this opportunity. The design has remained very close to the previous model. Of course, Apple designers who love detail see things completely differently and point out the differences that of course exist. If you look closely.

The new model is a little larger, a little flatter and a little lighter. She is now about ten percent thinner. That sounds like a lot, but it’s only a millimeter, which means it loses a weight of very few grams. It now has the largest display of all Apple Watches. Even the display of the top model Ultra 2 is three percent smaller. Of course, not everyone likes a big watch, which is why the Series 10 is also available in a small version with a diagonal of 42 millimeters.

Apart from the size, the display has improved in terms of readability. If you look at it at an angle, you can simply read it better because it has become brighter from the oblique angle. This is actually noticeable, even if we didn’t find the brightness to be a problem with the previous model. But if you look at your watch properly and head-on, you won’t be able to notice this difference because the peak brightness has not changed.

In our tests of the historical models, we have repeatedly found that the Apple Watches can track workouts and health data very reliably. This of course also applies to the Series 10. For the first time in a non-Ultra model, a depth gauge and a water temperature sensor are now also installed. The depth gauge works up to a depth of six meters, so it is not so much intended for diving but rather for snorkeling. The watch is waterproof up to 50 meters. Here the Ultra 2 reaches 100 meters and its depth gauge can reach 40 meters.

With the Series 10, Apple is also improving sleep tracking, as the motion sensor now also warns of sleep apnea. This is a condition that causes repeated, short-term pauses in breathing during sleep and can lead to a range of health problems. Stopping breathing during sleep can also be caused by alcohol and medication consumption.

Therefore, the watch monitors the situation for 30 days and only reports if an increased probability of sleep apnea was detected on more than half of the nights. That would be a reason to see a doctor.

Unfortunately, the battery of Apple Watches has not lasted more than a day and a night for ten years, which tends to discourage many users from wearing them at night. That doesn’t change with the new model. But the new Apple Watch can be charged to 80 percent within 30 minutes. It hasn’t happened that quickly before. A morning shower and brushing your teeth will soon be enough to draw enough electricity.

There are a few other innovations, but they are not revolutionary. The watch now also plays music or podcasts via its loudspeaker. This sounds much better with a Bluetooth earphone connected, but in a pinch it can be quite helpful. We were surprised by the audio quality from the small clock. In addition, the Apple Watch filters out background noise during a phone call thanks to the newly installed chip, so that the other party can understand a phone call better, even in louder environments.

Apple Watch Series 10 makes sense when switching from an older model

Conclusion: The Apple Watch Series 10 is an improvement over the previous model, but for many users there are probably not enough reasons to upgrade. Divers would rather use the Ultra 2 or another dive computer. How important depth measurement is when snorkeling will be left open here.

If you want to be warned about sleep apnea, you can also do this with the Series 9, as the function is also available there with the latest software update. But if you’re switching from an even older Apple Watch or an iPhone user who wants to buy a smartwatch for the first time, you’re doing everything right with the Apple Watch Series 10. Depending on size, mobile phone equipment and housing (aluminum or titanium), it costs from 449 euros.

Thomas Heuzeroth is a business editor in Berlin. He reports on Consumer- and technology topics, Consumer electronics and telecommunications.