Wearables

Apple enhances Watch Series 10, Watch Ultra 2 for water sports

Bigger screens, new apps, more insights

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Apple Watch Ultra 2

Apple has officially announced the new Apple Watch Series 10 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, which can now be preordered. The latest Apple Watch additions will be available on September 20.

The Apple Watch Series 10 features the biggest display and the thinnest design on an Apple Watch product yet. It sports a wide angle OLED display with up to a 30% more screen area.

This expansive screen helps users see more lines of texts on apps like Messages. It is likewise better for typing quick responses or passcodes, or simply navigating the watchOS 11 UI. Moreover, it is 40% brighter when viewed from angles as it emits more light.

And while the display is larger and brighter, the Apple Watch Series 10 doesn’t compromise power consumption. In fact, it supports up to 18 hours of all-day battery life on a single charge.

Furthermore, using OLED for its screen allows the Apple Watch Series 10 to support always-on display, wherein the seconds hand is visible even when the user’s wrist isn’t raised.

To complete the look, a Reflections watch face with a distinctive shimmering dial has been integrated. This reacts to user movements, complementing the reflective titanium cases.

Aside from its redesign, the Apple Watch Series 10 boasts of the fastest charging yet on an Apple Watch, offering up to a 80% recharge in just 30 minutes.

Detect signs of Sleep Apnea

 

Also debuting on the Watch Series 10 is a Breathing Disturbances feature to help users detect signs of sleep apnea. This joins various health monitoring functions.

The metric uses the accelerometer to detect small movements on the wrist associated with interruptions to normal respiratory patterns during sleep.

Every 30 days, the Apple Watch will analyze breathing disturbance data and notify users automatically if it shows consistent signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea.

Breathing Disturbances can also be uses to assess the restfulness of sleep. It can be influenced by alcohol, medications, sleep position, and more. Viewing this metric nightly on the Health app will allow users to check if the metric is elevated or not.

The 4-core Neural Engine on the Apple Watch Series 10 also makes it smarter. Among enhanced features are the double tap gesture, on-device Siri, dictation, and automatic workout detection, as well as important safety features such as Crash Detection and Fall Detection.

Great for water activities

As for workouts, there are many ways the new offering can make physical activities better. First off, it’s easier to read workout metrics on the larger display. Next, its swim-proof design has a 50-meter water resistance rating.

Plus, the Watch Series 10 can automatically detect swimming strokes and count laps. Custom Workouts for pool swims have also been added to watchOS 11.

Moreover, a depth gauge and water temperature sensor have been added so the wearable becomes a better companion when in water. These sensors will also display such metrics, providing vital information in real-time.

For water activities, the new Tides App comes in handy. Users can access seven rolling days of forecasted tidal information for coastlines and surf spots around the globe. This includes information on high and low tides, rising and falling tides, sunrise and sunset, ad many more.

To top it off, the Oceanic+ app also debuts on the Watch Series 10. Developed in partnership with Huish Outdoors, this app has features for snorkeling. It can easily find popular snorkeling locations nearby and provide relevant information.

Apple Watch Ultra 2

Apple Watch Ultra 2

Meanwhile, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 has been fortified to make water sports experiences even better as well. It has a Titanium Milanese Loop band, designed specifically for water activities as it is corrosion resistant.

The second generation Watch Ultra also has the most accurate GPS in a sports watch. It has precision dual-frequency GPS, utilizing advanced satellite and signal models, custom positioning algorithms, and Apple Maps data.

Like the Apple Watch Series 10, the Watch Ultra 2 runs on watchOS 11 and brings new features, including the Tides app, Vitals app, and sleep apnea-related notifications. It can also last up to 36 hours on regular use, or 72 hours in Low Power Mode.

That’s not all. The second generation Watch Ultra is also great for cyclists, hikers, and runners. For cyclists, workout metrics may be viewed live on an iPhone while it is mounted onto their bikes.

Hikers can enjoy enhanced trail experiences with offline maps too, complete with turn-by-turn directions. They can also access features like Waypoints. They can even create and save custom hiking routes in iOS 18 when synced to the watch.

What’s great about the Watch Ultra 2 is its 3,000 nits maximum brightness, providing users a clear view of what’s on the display, no matter what the scenario is.

The customizable Action button also makes it easier for users to start a workout. They can even switch between workout types during Multisport workout. When not using it for physical activities, users may customize the Action button to access Stopwatch, Flashlight, Voice Memos, Shazam, and more in an instant.

Price, availability

The Apple Watch Series 10 is available in 42mm and 46mm sizes in jet black, rose gold, silver aluminum, and titanium in natural, gold, and slate. The models come with a Sport Loop, Braided Solo Loop, or updated Milanese Loop.

The Apple Watch Series 10 starts at US$ 399. In addition, the Apple Watch SE retails starting at US$ 249.

Meanwhile, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is priced starting at US$ 799 in natural and black titanium. The Apple Watch Hermès Ultra 2, in particular, costs US$ 1,399.

News

Samsung will debut its Vision Pro rival next week

Project Moohan is coming.

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It’s not often that other brands are trailing behind Apple on an innovation; usually, it’s the other way around. But that’s not the case with the Vision Pro. However, given how lackluster the headset is, it’s no surprise that Apple’s rivals aren’t quickly jumping on the new segment. Now, more than two years since Apple’s debut, Samsung is ready to unveil its own mixed reality headset.

Today, Samsung has officially issued invites for an upcoming event on October 21. There is no mystery as to what’s coming next week. The company has explicitly stated that the event will reveal “a new category of AI-native devices”. The announcement even names Project Moohan, the current codename for the brand’s mixed reality headset.

In contrast to Apple’s native software, Samsung’s headset will run on Android XR, Google’s newest platform for mixed reality hardware, co-developed with Qualcomm. It will also, predictably, infuse the platform with AI-based features.

Looks-wise, the invite comes with a tiny sneak peek at what the headset looks like. Half of the graphic has the familiar dome shape of a typical headset, made to look like the curvature of the globe.

Other than that, we’ll just have to wait a week for the headset’s launch. If anything, the segment is finally warming up. A few months ago, vivo unleashed the Vision, its own take on mixed reality headsets. There’s also some expectation that Apple might finally update the Vision Pro in a more consumer-friendly way.

SEE ALSO: vivo Vision undoubtedly wants to take over Apple’s Vision Pro

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Wearables

Tag Heuer announces a $2,000 smartwatch with New Balance

It’s based on Android.

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Did you hear that? That was the sound of a nepo baby opening their wallet for a new piece of ostentatious luxury. For those dissatisfied with the sheer number of convenient smartwatch options out in the market, Tag Heuer has just partnered with New Balance for a new sporty watch.

Now, if a luxury watch brand like Tag Heuer started offering smartwatches meant for sport, I wouldn’t usually give a second glance. Leaving the sporty features to the ones with experience sounds like a better idea, anyway.

However, the new Tag Heuer Connected Calibre E5 40mm x New Balance Edition has some pedigree behind it. The running shoe brand is lending its experience in sports to help produce a worthy smartwatch.

Shining in lilac and mint green, the smartwatch is quite the looker. Yes, it does look like it’s asking me to get in the effin’ robot, but the color combination works. The curved glass and the textile strap adds to the premium-but-functional feel.

Inside, the Connected Calibre E5 has a good array of sensors you might need for an active day, including a heart rate monitor, GPS, an altimeter, and a sleep tracker. It also comes with workouts tailored by New Balance.

It comes with a hefty Snapdragon 5100+ processor and Tag Heuer OS, which is based on the Android Open Source Project.

As a downside, the battery lasts only a day-and-a-half on full power, and only two days on low power mode. It can charge to full in just 90 minutes, though.

And now for the price. Just like any Tag Heuer watch, the Connected Calibre E5 40mm x New Balance Edition costs quite a lot of pennies — US$ 2,050, to be exact.

SEE ALSO: Unboxing the latest Apple Watch × Hermès

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News

Suunto joins Strava in legal battle against Garmin

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Last week, Strava started a surprising legal war against Garmin. The latter allegedly infringed on several software patents. Now, another company is joining the fight. Suunto is also suing Garmin for hardware-related patent infringements.

Strava’s issues stem from software-related issues. Some features, especially Garmin’s heatmaps, are allegedly violating Strava’s own patents. Thus, Strava is asking the courts to stop Garmin from selling its infringing devices, which coincidentally makes up most of the company’s lineup.

In contrast, Suunto’s issues are geared towards Garmin’s hardware. However, the desired end result is the same: stopping Garmin from selling its watches.

Via Canadian Running, Garmin reportedly violated up to five hardware patents. These patents supposedly cover a variety of features including antenna positioning, golf swing detection, and the case’s design.

The suit was filed on September 22, so it’s a fairly recent development too. Much like Strava, Suunto wants financial compensation and an injunction against Garmin selling affected smartwatches. Coincidentally, the devices affected once again include most of Garmin’s devices.

Last week, it felt unlikely that Strava’s lawsuit would lead to the collapse of Garmin’s business. However, with two companies now fighting against the one, the fight just got more interesting. To be fair, the cases might still end up with nothing happening, but it’s still worth following.

SEE ALSO: Strava is suing Garmin over alleged patent infringements

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