Apple Watch Series 10: Thinner, Brighter, and Now With Sleep Apnea Detection

Apple has unveiled the Apple Watch Series 10, the biggest redesign of its smartwatch in years. The new watch boasts a slimmer profile, a larger screen, a faster chip, and a luxurious titanium body. It also comes with a handful of key new health and fitness-related features.

A Slimmer Design and Larger Display

The most significant update to the Apple Watch Series 10 is the change in screen size. For the first time since 2017, the watch comes in 46mm and 42mm sizes, up from the previous 45mm and 41mm. This makes the screen on the larger Series 10 slightly larger than that on the 49mm Apple Watch Ultra.

The new display is also brighter than its predecessors. Apple has moved from regular OLED to “wide-angle OLED,” which it claims is 40% brighter when viewed from an off-angle. The bigger screen makes it easier to view text, notifications, and workout metrics, and the brighter display makes it easier to read at a glance.

Apple also improved the refresh rate when the watch is in always-on display mode. It now updates information from apps and complications every second, instead of the existing once a minute rate. This allows users to see the second-hand tick by, second by second.

New Health and Fitness Features

Apple has added several new health and fitness features to the Apple Watch Series 10, including sleep apnea detection, water depth and temperature sensing, and a new Tides app.

Sleep Apnea Detection

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that causes sufferers to briefly stop breathing while in bed. The new sleep apnea algorithm in the Apple Watch Series 10 analyzes breathing disturbance data to detect potential signs of sleep apnea. If the data indicates consistent signs of sleep apnea, the watch will notify the user.

The sleep apnea notification algorithm was developed using advanced machine learning and an extensive data set of clinical-grade sleep apnea tests. The feature was then validated in a clinical study — unprecedented in size for sleep apnea technology. In the clinical validation study, every participant identified by the algorithm had at least mild sleep apnea.

The feature is expected to receive marketing authorization from the FDA and other global health authorities soon. Sleep apnea notifications will be available in more than 150 countries and regions this month, including the U.S., the EU, and Japan.

Water Depth and Temperature Sensing

The Apple Watch Series 10 is now equipped with a depth gauge and water temperature sensor. The new depth gauge can measure down to 6 meters beneath the water’s surface, perfect for snorkeling and shallow diving. The water temperature sensor measures the temperature of the water once the watch has been submerged.

The New Tides App

The Tides app is designed to help users plan and enjoy open water activities and stay aware of changing conditions. Users can access seven rolling days of forecasted tidal information for coastlines and surf spots around the globe, including information on high and low tides, rising and falling tides, tide height and direction, and sunrise and sunset.

Other Improvements

In addition to the new health and fitness features, the Apple Watch Series 10 also comes with a few other improvements, including:

Faster charging: The new metal back integrates a larger and more efficient charging coil, making Series 10 the fastest-charging Apple Watch ever. Fifteen minutes of charging provides up to eight hours of normal daily use, or eight minutes of charging powers up to eight hours of sleep tracking. Faster charging also means users can charge to 80 percent battery in about 30 minutes.
Audio playback through speakers: Audio can now be played back through the built-in speaker on Apple Watch Series 10. Just like with phone calls, users can listen to audio from a range of apps — including Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, and Apple Books, and third-party apps — right from their Apple Watch.
Voice isolation for calls: Apple Watch Series 10 uses a new voice isolation neural network running on the 4-core Neural Engine to suppress background noise during phone or FaceTime audio calls, so a user’s voice sounds crisp and clear on the other end of the line — even in noisy environments.
Translate app: Apple’s translate app is arriving on the Watch Series 10.

Pricing and Availability

The Apple Watch Series 10 is available for pre-order now and will be available in stores on September 20. Prices start at $399.

Conclusion: A Big Leap Forward

The Apple Watch Series 10 is a significant upgrade over its predecessors. The new design, larger screen, and improved performance are all welcome additions. The new health and fitness features, including sleep apnea detection, water depth and temperature sensing, and the Tides app, make the Apple Watch Series 10 an even more powerful tool for health and wellness. The Apple Watch Series 10 looks like a pretty big update. The new look is sleek and the larger screen size and wide-angle tech is certainly welcome.