At the ‘Far Out’ launch event, Apple has unveiled the Watch Ultra, Watch Series 8, and the new Watch SE, revamping its entire smartwatch lineup in the process. Apple also launched the upgraded AirPods Pro 2 alongside the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro smartphone lines.
While we have already talked through the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro, let’s have a closer look at everything else that Apple announced.
Apple Watch Ultra
Apple Watch Ultra is a rugged and sturdy smartwatch made by the company keeping athletes and outdoor junkies in mind. The smartwatch also has the much speculated action button, a brighter screen, extended battery life, and the ability to be useful for underwater diving.
Apple claims that Watch Ultra is powered by a larger battery that can last for up to 64 hours on a single charge. A second speaker in the watch provides clear audio even in windy conditions.
Talking about the physical features, the Watch Ultra has a 49mm titanium case with sapphire glass for extra durability. The Retina display supports up to 2000 nits — 2x brighter than any Apple Watch display yet. It also has a dedicated activity button on the left that allows users to bookmark locations or events. This button works easily even with thick gloves on.
Watch Ultra is designed to work under extreme weather conditions and comes with new GPS solutions. It has an IP6X rating and is also MIL-STD-810H certified which is a testing standard used to grade military equipment and other similar rugged gadgets. Apple claims the smartwatch can work under extreme weather conditions ranging from -4 degree Celsius to 55 degree Celsius.
In India, Watch Ultra starts at Rs 89, 900.
Apple Watch Series 8
Apple Watch Series 8 offers improvements such as a brighter screen, temperature tracking sensors, menstruation cycle tracker, and car crash detectors that are enabled by 2 new motion sensors. It also has added features like ‘low power mode’ which can extend its battery life for 36 hours, from 18 hours, on a single charge.
Apple claims that the new sensor could particularly help women to track their ovulation cycles and is touted to offer a near-accurate prediction. The Series 8 has continued with features such as ECG, blood oxygen monitoring (SpO2), and fall detection. The smartwatch is also swim-proof, dustproof, and crack-resistant.
The new ‘crash detection’ feature helps to detect an unusual shake or fall, following which it sends an SOS call to family and friends.
The smartwatch is available in four color options with the aluminum option and in three colors with the stainless steel model. The device will also support international roaming and is available in 4 colors. Prices start at Rs 31,800 for the GPS version and Rs 39,800 for the LTE variant.
Apple Watch SE
Along with Watch Ultra and Watch Series 8, Apple has also launched the Watch SE which is an upgrade of the original SE. This entry-level smartwatch from Apple will also support the crash detection feature announced with the other two newly launched variants. The new S8 chip is touted to make the watch up to 20 percent faster than the first-gen SE.
Talking about the physical features, Apple Watch SE watch is available in two sizes – 40mm and 44mm in three colors: silver, midnight, and starlight with matching back cases.
The two variants of Watch SE (2022) start from Rs 29, 900.
AirPods Pro
Adaptive Transparency, active noise cancellation, and spatial audio are some selling points of the AirPods Pro second generation.
The earbuds come with a new H2 chip along with a low-distortion audio driver and custom amplifier for improved and richer sound experiences. Users can also create a customized spatial audio profile and can adjust volume with a swipe. It offers a battery life of 6 hours on a single charge with xx hours with the case.
Another interesting feature is Adaptive Transparency which minimizes earbud sound when there is high intensity of loud noises like sirens or noise from construction sites. On the bottom, you also have a speaker to locate your case with Apple’s Find My app.
The device starts at Rs 26, 900 with preorders starting on September 9th.
