Apple Watch Series 5 is available in a new titanium casing.
Dubai - Critical features added, all while maintaining the same price points
Published: Wed 18 Sep 2019, 2:00 PM
Updated: Wed 18 Sep 2019, 4:42 PM
Much like you don't judge a book by its cover, I'd suggest that you don't jump into conclusions on Apple's newest timepiece... because, among many other things, it could save your life - in even more places across the world.
Alongside the big reveal last week, the company also Introduced Apple Watch Series 5. And while it was considered to be one of the front acts for the iPhone 11 line-up, it is indeed impossible to ignore it with all the new stuff Apple blessed it with.
TALE OF THE TAPE
The Watch has, alongside services and other Apple products, been enjoying bigger success year after year. One of Apple's key strengths is its ecosystem, which bonds all of its products just like super glue; the Watch is a key part of that.
Build
The sizes for the Series 5 models remain the same - 40mm and 44mm; it was only with last year's Series 4 that Apple decided to bump them up from 38mm and 42mm, respectively. And you still get the same sleek edge-to-edge screen that has been a nice feature on the latest Watches.
I love striking colours
You get the usual stuff in the colourful (and a bit complex) boxing first used in Series 4: Charging cable, wall plug (region-compatible) and a band in its own packaging. (That brown/yellow band up there, called Camel Sport Loop, is sold separately.)
Now, four materials are used: Aluminium (in silver, space grey and gold), stainless steel (polished, space black and gold), ceramic (white; my favourite) and the all-new titanium (titanium and space black), the last of which has an even better brushed finish. Titanium has been used in watchmaking for a very long time, so it's only fitting that Apple brought it over. All rears remain fully-ceramic and crystal sapphire.
And in a nod to its commitment to the environment, all aluminium cases of all Series 5 devices are now made from 100 per cent recycled aerospace-grade aluminium.
Brightness also holds at a maximum of 1000 nits, still making it the brightest Apple device. That's been key especially in a place like the UAE where the sun shines a lot. I've been using the Apple Watch since it first came out and I haven't really had a problem with its display ever since, considering the fact that the original one only had a modest 450 nits.
New stuff
Just like as iOS 13 powers the new iPhones, Series 5 comes with a spanking-new system, watchOS 6. This was first teased at June's Worldwide Developers Conference, and it packs some neat features.
Mickey Mouse is still tops for me
The most talked-about is the Always-On Retina display. Now you don't have to raise your wrist to check your Watch for time, notifications or any other stuff on the display; just take a discrete glance and you'll be good. For me, this eliminates the embarrassment of making others think you're in a hurry (or getting impatient or bored by someone) by raising your wrist frequently.
And despite the Always-On Display, Apple promises battery life to hold up to until 18 hours - the same rate as its predecessor and the one before it. This is possible because of new tweaks applied that adjusts refresh rates, making it more power-efficient. You can also choose to hide sensitive stuff even if Always-On is, well, on.
So we zip directly to how long did it last me. And just like with last year's Series 4, I had no problems making it through a couple of days - conking out just in time I get home late at night on the second day - but that was mainly for just being a watch and controlling my music player. The next run saw me take more calls, use Maps and count my steps for some outdoor walks (I tried to work out a bit). That resulted in the battery getting all drained the just before noon the next day. Remember, it's on standby when I'm asleep, so we don't count those hours.
Here's how Always-On Display (on the right) will appear in this watch face. You can also see the Compass, Noise and Cycle Tracker complications; note how the first two are switched off when Always-On is active.
But you wish to remain loyal to a blank display, don't worry; Always-On can be shut off in settings. But you will appreciate this new feature, trust me. Switching it off, however, didn't seem to affect battery life as far as I'm concerned, which could show how power-efficient indeed this new Watch is.
Apple also took Emergency SOS to a new level - well, actually, new countries. There's a new international emergency calling. Previously, this can only done in your home country; activating it alerts your emergency contacts, sends out your location and calls local emergency services. Now you can do it in over 150 countries. Of course, you'll need a cellular model to utilise it - but it also works even if you don't have an activated cellular plan.
We pray it doesn't come to this
This is critical - a potential life-saver - when something unfortunate happens to you. And activating it is even simpler: Just press and hole the side button and you'll get help from local emergency services.
Next is compass. Well, it's simple: You'll never get lost with it (I actually used it to hunt down a shawarma joint the other day).
It also has a new current elevation feature, which will be very useful for runners, bikers, hikers and the like; it'll show them where they are exactly, allowing them to decide if they can speed up or slow down. And both compass and current elevation can be added as complications to your watch face, so a quick peek is all you need to know where you are exactly.
Health (always) matters
Now high-tech wearables have always been seen as an inspiration to keep a check on your body. Apple added some new features on Series 5 and watchOS 6 to further this purpose.
There's the new Noise app, which attends to your hearing health. It basically alerts you if sounds around you - thanks to Series 5's very sensitive mic - shoots up to 90 decibels. This figure has been quoted by the World Health Organization as a level that can affect your hearing if you're exposed to it for four hours a week. For your ears' sake, it's also available as a watch face complication.
And especially for women, there's the new Cycle Tracking. It informs you of the flow, your potential fertility windows and other women's health-related matters.
It's very detailed, and it's even more comprehensive on the Health app on an iPhone:
For those wondering about the breakthrough ECG app... well, it's still not available here in the UAE. (Ditto for that really useful Walkie-Talkie.) For your convenience, Apple has a page dedicated to inform you watchOS' feature availabilities worldwide.
And of course, what's an Apple Watch without an activity and workout upgrade? There's a new Activity Trends app that gives you an even bigger overview of your progress.
This is gonna take a while
The Activity app will show you your past progress, the badges you've earned, the rings you've closed and others. Trends takes it a step further:
I swear I'll fill mine up as well
To sum it up, it shows you how you've done over a certain, longer period of time - and it'll flag you if you're not doing well in particular areas, assisting you to get back on track. Think about it like a coach that pushes you further to get to your desired goal (and shape). This is all about longer-term commitment to your personal well-being.
And so...
Apple Watch Series 5 will once again raises the bar for digital timepieces. The additions of the new features above make it an even more well-rounded gizmo, covering everything from daily routines to actual serious medical situations. I just wished, however, that its battery life could've gone up to a full 24 hours, or 20 at the least.
Design-wise, I have no complaints about it. However, I'd like to see Apple attempt a thinner version; there's a lot of tech packed inside its already small frame, but there could be somehow a way to shave off a few millimetres off it. It's not an if, but when type of thing.
Or maybe better, a lite version, similar to what the iPhone 11 is to the 11 Pro: A little spec-shaving here and there while ensuring the essential, every day apps and functions remain will be a good deal for more people. Apple will corner even more of the market if it has such a more affordable version.
GOODIES - New critical features added, nifty always-on display, new titanium option, prices kept the same
GOOFIES - A couple more hours of battery life would've been better, design could've been tweaked a bit to differentiate it from a little
EDITOR RATING - It's fast and efficient, and still eye candy. But as I've said above, a lighter version for an even wider range of users who want to experience Apple's tech without shelling out too much is ideal. Maybe next year? 4.5/5
- alvin@khaleejtimes.com
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