Apple’s annual September event (that time of year all Apple enthusiasts look forward to) came with the introduction of the iPhone 11 along with the reveal of the Apple Watch Series 5. There’s no doubt last year’s Series 4 Watch was impressive. There were so many awesome new features that came with the Series 4 so everyone was eager to see what this year’s version had to offer. To many people’s surprise, the Series 5 was unfortunately a bit of a disappointment. Not a lot has changed since last years model. Ranging from AU$640 – AU$2229, is it worth the upgrade? We’ll run through some of the new changes and you can decide for yourself.
Design
Case Options
- Aluminium Case – Like previous Series of Apple watches this is the entry level case and the cheapest. What sets it apart from previous Aluminium cases is that it’s made from 100% recycled material. Customers can now feel good knowing that their new purchase has had minimal, negative impact on the environment.
- Stainless-Steel Case – It is costlier than the aluminium case, but for those who have a tendency to knock their watch around, may want to consider it. The Stainless-steel casing is also paired with a Sapphire crystal screen. These work wonderfully together to ensure the watch is tough and resistant to scratches. The only downfall to the stainless-steel case, it weighs more and does not come with a Nike option.
- Titanium Case – This is the first half of the Apple Watch Edition. Available in two stunning colours; Space Black or Natural Titanium, it’s sure to have heads turning. Lighter in weight than the Stainless-steel case and a beautiful brushed metal finish, it definitely gives customers that high-end look.
- Ceramic Case – From being dropped after the Series 3, the Ceramic case has made its grand return. It is the second half of the Apple Watch Edition range and comes in one colour, white. If ceramic is the chosen case, it will come with an additional sports band that has a ceramic pin. This band is and will not be available for separate sale.
Band Choices
For some, it can be hard to let go of that designer band on their current Apple Watch. Thankfully, previous model bands are compatible with the new Apple Watch series 5. For those who have a Series 3 or older, don’t worry! As they all use the same size connector, the bands will still fit. 38mm bands suit the 40mm and 42mm bands suit the 44mm. It is great that Apple has done this, so people can still use their favourite bands on their new watch.
However, some people like to have a fresh designer band for their new Apple Watch. If people are interested in upgrading their bands, sometimes Apple doesn’t always have what they’re looking for. Luckily, there is a wide range of high quality aftermarket bands available. This gives people a greater range of colours and designs to ensure their watch stays looking fresh and stylish – without the high costs associated with some genuine bands.
Apple Watch Studio
Whoever said looks aren’t everything… Apple doesn’t agree. Apple has now launched the Apple Watch Studio online. This allows customers to have a more personalised experience when purchasing their new Apple Watch Series 5. They have definitely taken it to the next level by offering customers the choice to pick which band and case combo they would like. Previously, they had combined the watch cases with pre-selected bands, so people were limited with their options. If customers weren’t happy with the selection of bands, they would have to folk out of their own pocket to buy another. Apple’s new online interface, will allow people to get a good idea of what their band and case combo will look like too. Changing this means there is a case and band combination to suit anyone’s style.
Technical
Storage
The Apple Watch Series 5 comes with a whopping 32GB of storage. This is double the 16GB available in the Series 4 and Series 3. So much more room for music, apps, podcasts and anything else users want on their devices.
Speed
Running on the new Apple S5 system-on-chip processor will most likely result in better and faster app performance.
WatchOS 6
The Apple Watch Series 5 watch comes equipped with the latest WatchOS 6 update. For those who have older versions of the Apple Watch, the update was made its debut September 19th (the day before the release of the Series 5 Watch).
Some features of the new update:
- Range of new watch faces from pretty designs to functionality, so there is one to suit your style and needs. There is even a watch face that can even tap out the hour using the taptic engine.
- Enhanced Siri –Listening to a classic hit and can’t remember the name of it? Siri now has it covered. Now with built-in Shazam support, just ask away and she’ll be able to assist in finding the song title and artist. Users will also be able to scroll through web pages after asking Siri to search a specific top.
- App Store – users can now simply download apps straight from the App store to their wrists. This could explain the storage upgrade on the new Apple Watch Series 5.
- Hearing health – device can now alert its user if the surroundings are to noisy where it can potentially harm their hearing.
- Other features include Activity Trends and Cycle Tracking
Features
Always on Retina Display
Apple has finally ditched the “raise to wake” feature where users have to move their arm or tap the screen to turn on the display. What makes this feature even better is the fact it works with the workout app. No more vigorous wrist flicks or erratic tapping to see workout activity. This will allow people to focus more on their workouts and will reduce the number of treadmill accidents!
Built-In Compass
This one is for all the hiking, camping or outdoor junkies and could be the reason to upgrade. The Apple Watch Series 5 watch will be the first to come with a built-in compass. The compass will be available as an App and will display latitude, longitude, elevation, heading and incline. This is a fantastic feature, however certain bands with magnetic clasps may cause interference and limit its accuracy.
Emergency Call from Other Countries
Have no fear, Apple Watch Series 5 is here! People can now travel overseas with confidence knowing they will be able to do international calls to emergency services. This feature is only available with the cellular version and will call the preferred emergency service in almost any country the user is in. People with elder friends or family members can also have peace of mind as this feature works with the fall detection. If the wearer of the device takes an unfortunate fall or knock and is immobile for about a minute – the watch will automatically place an emergency call.
It is quite clear as to why Apple are the market leaders in wearable tech. The Apple Watch range has the potential to improve lives and possibly even save them as well! In comparison to the Series 4, there are very few changes to this year’s Series 5 model. For most people, they will just hold on and see what next year’s watch has to offer. For those who have an older Series or don’t have an Apple Watch at all – these new features will have you excited and will probably have you leaning towards purchasing the the new Apple Watch Series 5.