The Apple Watch has reached a decade of existence, and its dominance in the wearables market is being challenged by a plethora of alternatives. While it remains one of the most popular smartwatches and fitness trackers, the lack of compelling reasons to upgrade to a new model is a significant concern. The Series 6, for instance, is still compatible with the latest watchOS updates and boasts a similar design to the latest models. Moreover, the older Series 6 features blood oxygen sensing, a standard health feature that the newest Apple Watches lack due to a patent dispute with Masimo Corp.
The Apple Watch also faces stiff competition from the Google Pixel Watch 3, which has forced the company to make significant upgrades to the Series 10. The new model boasts a polished jet black finish, a thinner and lighter case, and a brighter, bigger display. Additionally, the Series 10 tracks breathing disturbances during sleep and can detect potential for sleep apnea. Other notable features include faster charging, a new speaker, a depth gauge, and a water temperature sensor.
The Series 10 may not be the most revolutionary, but it remains the best smartwatch for iPhone users. The absence of blood oxygen sensing is a drawback, but it’s still the watch that’s hardest to take off.
The display on the 46-millimeter model is surprisingly larger than the display on the 49-mm Watch Ultra 2, thanks to its curved edges and extended display. The watch case is also thinner and lighter, making it more comfortable to wear, especially compared to the 45-mm Google Pixel Watch 3. The metal back has been redesigned to incorporate hardware changes and improve the hand feel, although the difference is subtle. The polished aluminum jet black finish is a notable improvement, although it does show fingerprints easily.
The curved edges of the Series 10 echo the design of the Pixel Watch 3, but the screens perform differently. The Series 10’s display has a wider viewing angle, making it more readable when the watch is twisted away from the user. However, this feature may not be particularly useful for everyone, especially those who are not frequently checking their watch at an angle.
