Exclusive First Look: Apple Watch Series 10 Arrives, But Where’s the Ultra 3

With the release of the new Apple Watch Series 10 today, the world further took a step into the wearables world. Known for its innovative, high-tech approach to smartwatches, Apple once again set the bar quite high. With the largest display and thinnest profile ever in Apple Watch history, Series 10 will surely enchant all addicted Apple users and new buyers alike.

For the first time, this ran contrary to the trend, where big updates did not arrive for the Apple Watch Ultra this time, with the Series 10 being put under the spotlight right away.

In this blog, we will cover its new features, design improvements, and how it competes with the Apple Watch Ultra.

Quick Over View

Apple has introduced its new edition of the Apple Watch Series, Series 10. This stands at the cutting edge of design and features among wearables.

Design: Thinnest Apple Watch ever at 9.7mm-10% thinner than Series 9. Largest display to date, with a new lighter titanium finish.

Battery & Charging: Same one-day battery life, but with faster charging – up to 80% in 30 minutes.
What’s new?

Better audio: Enhanced microphone and speaker enables direct music and podcast playback. Swimming sensors include a depth gauge and water temperature monitoring. Enhanced Machine learning enables detection of sleep apnea.

Comparison: The Apple Watch Ultra is getting a minor refresh, which includes detection of sleep apnea and a black finish, targeting the very same extreme sport and hardy user segment.

Pricing & Availability: Series 10 starts at $399-aluminum and $699-titanium. Pre-orders begins today, starts shipping on September 20th. Apple Watch Ultra still $799.

Hermès variants: Lineup Available in 42mm, 46mm sizes with various colors, bands, and carbon-neutral options.

Size and Weight: Sleekier, Lighter Apple Watch

Sleek and modern defines the Apple Watch 10. It is almost 10% thinner compared to its predecessor, Series 9, while measuring a thickness of just 9.7mm. The reduced thickness returns a more comfortable and stylish wearables that doesn’t have to give way on screen size or functionality.

In fact, this wearable has a much larger display than even the Apple Watch Ultra, touted as the biggest display fit into an Apple Watch to date. It will be an Apple Watch with the “biggest display and thinnest design ever,” claims Apple, and deliver they do. Apple also reworked the materials used in the Series 10, offering a Titanium finish for the first time.

This shift in material is lighter, of course, but it adds durability. The titanium option replaces the traditional stainless steel finish, making the Series 10 some 20% lighter than the Stainless Steel Series 9. It makes it far more comfortable to wear, especially during all-day wear, and instantly makes it more appealing to users that feel strongly about having lightweight accessories.

The introduction of the titanium finish brings a touch of elegance and durability in tune with Apple’s premium brand image. This finish is more likely to please those who like just that little bit of sophistication in feel and look in their wearable tech.

Battery Life and Faster Charging: Identical Longevity, Speedier Power-Up

One of the few aspects where the new Watch 10 does not innovate so much is in its battery life.

Like prior versions, the battery is supposed to last a day with one full charge. Considering it, some people might have wished for just a little more life in the latest model, but Apple did make it up by upping the charging speed. It now just takes the Series 10 30 minutes to charge up to 80%.

That is good feature enhancement, particularly for those users who wear their watch through the day and night, since it cuts down on the time one needs to have the watch tethered to a charger.

This quick-charging capability is a practical addition for those that have become used to living life on the run. Being able to give the battery a quick top-up in the morning or on a lunchtime break will ensure that the Apple Watch remains functional and ready for wear should you forget to charge it overnight.

New Features Added: Amplified Audio, Swimming Sensors, and More

Apple has done notable upgrades in terms of audio with the Watch Series 10. Improvements are given both to the microphone and the speaker; the latter is improved in such a way that it will reduce background noise when one is on a call.

This becomes a welcome feature for those people who use their watch to take calls quite frequently and find themselves surrounded by noise. Also for the first time, the watch is able to listen to music and podcasts directly with its speaker, adding more versatility when using the watch without headphones.

The new Series 10 also packs more advanced swimming-related features, including a depth gauge sensor-accurate up to 20 feet-and water temperature monitoring, thus making it more appealing for those who enjoy pool or open-water swimming.

Well, note that these features are not meant for diving, which further segregates the Series 10 from the more rugged Apple Watch Ultra and keeps the latter in the crown spot with regard to dives.

These features, especially improvements in audio, swimming features signal that Apple is onto making sure that the fitness persons, those outdoor and water persons, have an experience not only improved but great.

Sleep Apnea Detection: A New Frontier in Health Monitoring

The Apple Watch Series 10 does boast some pretty cool features, especially in regard to its new sleep apnea detection technology. This feature is more sophisticated in using machine learning algorithms to observe a user’s sleep pattern in case of any nighttime breathing interruptions that suggest sleep apnea.

It is an extremely common yet serious neurological disorder that, if not treated, can longitudinally cause health problems.

With real-time data on potential sleep apnea episodes, the Series 10 cements its place as a phenomenal tool for those who look to improve their overall health and well-being.

But while Apple has been at the forefront of incorporating health-monitoring features into their watches for quite some period of time, this new capability brings the Series 10 closer to a full-fledged health gadget.

Those weary about their sleep health may just get their ticket in the Series 10 to seek medical advice or lifestyle changes.

Apple Watch Series 10 vs watch Ultra: Minimal Updates, Still a Powerhouse

Although the Apple Watch Series 10 stole the show, the Apple Watch Ultra had some minor refreshing. On the plus side, it gained the sleep apnea-detecting tech found in the Series 10. Besides this, there was a new black finish that gave Ultra enthusiasts a sleek new look.

These minor changes notwithstanding, the Apple Watch Ultra appeals to yet another caste of customers. With its tougher design, increased battery life, and other specialized features, such as diving and advanced outdoor sensors, it easily stays on top among extreme sports and adventure lovers.

This, however, bridged less the gap between the two models, now that the Series 10 is touting similar water-related features and a larger display.

Apple Watch Series 10 vs. Apple Watch Ultra: Spec Comparison

Apple Watch 10 Colors and Pricing: Competitive and Stylish

Apple is offering the Series 10 in some particularly fashionable color options. The aluminum ones start at Silver, Jet Black, and Rose Gold for $399 with only GPS and up to $499 with cellular, while the titanium model starts at Natural, Gold, and Slate, which all come with cellular capabilities and default to $699.

The Apple Watch Ultra retains its $799 price point, but today comes in either Natural or Black. Perhaps most importantly, though, the Apple Watch Ultra-with all its features-continues to be $200-$300 less than the Garmin Fenix 8 series, despite matching many of those features. That largely makes the Apple Watch Ultra a very good deal in the high-end smartwatch market.

Featuring watchOS 11

The Apple Watch Series 10, running on watchOS 11, brings in a whole new dimension regarding health insight, fitness tracking, and intelligent customization. In addition to exciting features like the new app called Tides, here is what has been in store with watchOS 11:

Vitals App: This is a completely new app that lets users quickly check overnight key health metrics for deeper insight into their well-being. If two or more metrics fall out of range, it will send a notification and explain how the changed metrics might relate to things such as elevation, alcohol consumption, or even illness.

Training Load Tracking: It comes with the added advantage of helping users understand how the workout intensity and duration relate to their body in time. These will be in a position to make accurate decisions on when to push harder or when to take a break, thus balancing training.

Activity Rings adaptable: watchOS 11 offers greater Activity rings flexibility. Users could declare a unique set of goals for different days of the week. You will be able to pause the rings when you are resting, injured, or just need a break, without interrupting spikes in your accomplishments. The modification will give you more convenience in managing your activity target.

With watchOS 11, there’s an even smarter Smart Stack to get instant access to the information that matters most; a redesigned Photos face powered by machine learning; and the new Translate app and Check In feature on Apple Watch. The system brings along an easy double-tap gesture to maneuver any app and summarized notifications coming from your iPhone to keep you more connected than ever.

Conclusion: Is Apple Watch Series 10 Worth the Upgrade?

So, with a more affordable price and added sleekness, advanced health features, upgraded audio for swimming, the Apple Watch Series 10 joins Apple’s lineup. It may not move the needle in terms of battery life, but faster charging somewhat makes up for it.

And the new sleep apnea detection is a significant step forward in health monitoring. Meanwhile, the Apple Watch Ultra stays strong for rugged outdoor-focused features.

Whether you are upgrading from a previous model or thinking about your first Apple Watch, the Series 10 offers a great balance of functionality, design, and innovation at a competitive price.

Pre-orders for the Apple Watch Series 10 start now, with availability on September 20th.