When Apple presented the brand-new Apple Watch 7 in the fall of 2021, it did not surprise anyone. Now, our sights are set on the brand-new Apple Watch 8, which is expected to launch in September or October of this year. Currently, we are pondering whether or not the purchase of an Apple Watch 7 is worthwhile.
Some of the most notable improvements made to the Apple Watch 6 are as follows:
- a more durable design
- a quicker charging time (probably the best update for Apple)
- bigger design
- new color schemes
So, with that in mind, how about we take a closer look?
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Design of the Apple Watch 7
Although reports suggested that this year could be the year when Apple undertakes a comprehensive redesign of its products, this is not exactly the case. Nevertheless, there have been a few tweaks here and there. The overall size of the device is noticeably bigger than it was before. As opposed to the former dimensions of 40mm and 44mm, these new dimensions are 41mm and 45mm. Additionally, the bezel around the screen has been shrunk, resulting in slightly larger screen size. Because of this, a full keyboard and more advanced face options are now available. Thankfully, the Apple Watch 7 is still compatible with previous generations of bands.
The difference in size may not seem like much, yet it can make all the difference in the world. Screen visibility is improved on the Apple Watch 7 compared to previous iterations of the product. Users who need to read emails, fitness data, or text messages via the screen will find this feature extremely useful.
The display itself is also considerably larger, and the borders have been reduced by around forty percent. When compared to the Series 6 model, this is a screen size increase of 20 percent, while in comparison, it represents a massive 50 percent increase over the Series 3 model. Not only does this contribute to improved visibility, but it also gives the design a more contemporary and appealing appearance. In addition, the pebble-like curves that run along the sides of the rectangle watch face are new, which is a subtle but crucial detail that has not been seen on any previous model of the Apple Watch.
Apple has also introduced a number of additional colors and limited editions, including:
The following options are now available for the aluminum finish:
- Midnight (Black)
- Starlight Green (Silver)
- Green (Dark Green)
- Both Red and Blue
The following options are now available for the stainless steel finish:
- Silver
- Graphite
- Gold
The limited edition products come from Apple’s partners Nike and Hermes, and they are as follows:
- Watch on Apple Inc. Hermes has introduced two new bands: the Circuit H and the Gourmette Double Tour. Both of these bands are constructed out of high-quality leather.
- The Nike model comes with a Sport Loop and a Sport Band, both of which feature Nike’s recognizable “Swoosh” logo.
The Apple Watch 7 has improved its overall durability.
The Apple Watch 7 is still water-resistant up to a depth of 50 meters, as was to be expected. As a result of the dust resistance being increased to IPX6, you are now free to swim in the ocean and lay on the sand at the beach without worrying about damaging your new watch.
The curved crystal glass is another feature that contributes to the Apple Watch’s long-term durability. A front crystal that is now fifty percent more robust than it was in the past can be found on the face of the watch. As a result of having a thickness that is double that of a Series 6 watch, the Series 7 model is the most robust watch that the brand has to offer. The base of the front crystal has been updated and now has a new design. Because of its flat surface, this design is more resistant to any damage, including cracks.
Features
Fans of the Apple Watch are going to find this section to be an extremely sad read, unfortunately.
If you enjoy cycling, you will be delighted to learn that this exercise has been added to the list of workouts that will automatically activate when you begin, pause, and restart your ride. And while we’re on the subject of cycling, Apple’s Fall Detection has also received an update so that it can now tell if the wearer falls off their bike while they’re riding it.
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A Clearer Perspective
Because the retina display has recently undergone certain improvements, you can now feel confident that you will always be able to see the screen on your watch. Because it is always on, users no longer have to touch the screen or lift their wrist to switch it on when they have an “Always-On” display. Additionally, the screen is now 70 percent brighter when used indoors, allowing users to be constantly informed of what is taking place.
The display has been improved, and new faces have been added.
One of the new watch faces is Modular Duo, which was unavailable before the Apple Watch 7 was released. No, we don’t see why not either, especially considering that the widget would still be hit on smaller (and older) Watches, but we’ll shrug and say that we don’t see why not.
If you are using an Apple Watch 4 or an earlier model, you will notice one significant difference: the display is now always on. If you look down at your wrist, you will be able to see this more plainly now that it is better illuminated.
Even though we haven’t seen very many apps that offer this functionality, support for always-on displays is now much more ubiquitous, so developers may choose to add it to their apps. The fact that the new watch has an always-on display is a fantastic feature, but it has to have more functionality than just being able to run Apple’s apps.
Always-On
Even if the always-on display isn’t always helpful, there are times when you don’t want a bright watch but don’t want to put the display to Theater Mode. In these situations, the always-on display can be useful.
Is it really that difficult for Apple to provide a third option, such as a clock that is hardly visible and only appears when the lighting is very low?
Even while the always-on display is an upgrade over the early Apple Watches’ inability to check the time without flicking your wrist, we’d argue that the Watch 7’s visibility is now on par with that of a conventional watch that does not have a smart feature.
We can’t say that we’ve been pleading for an on-screen keyboard to be included on the Apple Watch, but our experience with other brands’ smartwatches that featured a keyboard was that we rarely used it. Another advantage that comes from having such a large screen:
It does the job for short texts, but when we want to respond to anything longer, we’d rather utilize voice dictation or send an emoji than type it out.
The quality of the display on the Watch is continuously improved with the release of each new Watch model. It has one of the best screens that are currently available on a smartwatch, and it is extremely clear, bright, and simple to see in any lighting.
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Brand-New Controls
There is no doubting the fact that typing on this watch might be challenging at times; however, this feature has also been improved. The engineers and designers have collaborated to redesign the buttons to be compatible with the larger display. Because the motions of typing, tapping, and swiping have been rethought, applications such as the stopwatch, the timer, and the calculator are now simpler to operate.
Users can type on a full QWERTY keyboard, which will be included in Series 7. The QuickPath function of the keyboard gives users the ability to slide or tap their way through the alphabet. In order to ensure that your conversations are as clear as possible, this computer will begin to guess the word that you are entering.
The watch will also be able to scribble on its display. When composing an email or text message, users are given the ability to write directly on the screen. When the size of the screen is expanded, users will be able to create messages more quickly and with less difficulty.
Updates to the Health Functions
The health and fitness capabilities of Apple Watches are well-known. As a result of their ease of use and precision, these are utilized by amateur and professional sportspeople. What are the most recent changes to this version?
Apple has upgraded the Series 7 watch’s built-in fitness features to include a better heart rate monitor, enhanced tracking of sleep quality, improved SpO2 sensors, fall detection software, and an electrocardiogram monitor as well (more below). Everyone who values their health and Fitness will find this to be the ideal environment.
The Apple Watch 7 is enticing to individuals who enjoy working out, whether it’s through the straightforward Walk Rings that fill up and encourage you to move around, an expanding variety of workouts that you can track, or the new cycling functions that have been included.
If you are a serious athlete who competes in running, cycling, or swimming, the Apple Watch may not be the best option for you. Suppose you are a frequent visitor to this site. In that case, you are aware that we routinely put our Apple Watch reviews through a rigorous workout. I have been waiting for Apple to integrate some fundamental features such as interval sessions and heart rate notifications for years.
You will therefore receive a modest GPS smartwatch that only provides minimal info. When contrasted with other GPS devices, such as a Garmin Forerunner, the accuracy of this one is clearly inferior. The GPS sensors in the Watch 7 support the following satellite navigation systems: GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, and Beidou.
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ECG as well as SPO2
Because it has not been cleared for use in medical settings, the SPO2 sensor performs admirably, but it is challenging to comprehend its information. (Derivative of TechRadar) (Source of the image)
Since the ECG and SPO2 sensors, which were important selling features for Series 6 (and 5), are present and correct in the Watch 7, let’s have a look at them briefly. They were present in Series 6 (and 5).
They are not designed to be diagnostic tools, but they can serve as a starting point in figuring out the issue. Even if you check your oxygen levels or ECG on a daily basis, you won’t gain much from the workout unless you need the monitors for a medical condition that requires them. The ECG and SPO2 monitors are fantastic additions for persons who require them.
If you often engage in physical activity, you should bear in mind that this sensor will not function properly if your heart rate is persistently lower than 50 beats per minute.
It would be beneficial to receive an alert (in the same way that you would if your heart rate dropped too low) if your blood oxygen level drops too low while you are sleeping in order to have a medical professional examine you for sleep apnea. This would allow the medical professional to determine whether or not you have sleep apnea.
Sleep monitoring
The Apple Watch’s sleep tracking is not particularly sophisticated, and it may benefit from additional instruction on becoming more accurate. Because it is such a basic function, I do not believe it will succeed. It ought to be as easy as having your watch provide you with instructions on how to enhance the quality of your sleep while simultaneously providing a score to indicate the areas in which you have room for improvement.
I was hoping that Apple would have made a more major enhancement to the Apple Watch 7 than they did; seeing some bars on the screen indicating when you were most likely sleeping isn’t all that fascinating or valuable in enhancing your health.
The Apple Watch 7 is particularly good at presenting an overview of how your health has changed over time. Even if you are able to see how much better your VO2 Max is getting or how many steps you are walking each day, if you do not know how to improve, all of these vital metrics will continue to be intriguing things to look at every once in a while.
Unfortunately, Lacking the Capability to Measure Blood Pressure
The absence of a blood pressure sensor has got to be one of the more surprising aspects of the whole thing. This has been spoken about for some time and has already been incorporated into the brand-new Samsung Galaxy 4 smartphone. It would appear that Apple devotees will have to hold up for another year if they want this feature. On the other hand, future iterations of the Apple Watch might include more health-related capabilities. These might include a sensor that detects blood glucose levels, the capacity to monitor irregular heartbeats more closely, or even the ability to track sleep disorders. According to what Mark Gurman of Bloomberg reported
The business is reserving functionality like blood pressure and blood sugar detectors for Series 8, which is expected to be released in 2022 at the earliest.
That wraps it up! There are no new sensors or health features being introduced. If you are searching for new health features and improved sensors, you should have a look at the just announced Fitbit Charge 5 or the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4. Both of these watches have been recently released.
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Battery Life of the Apple Watch 7
Users of the Apple Watch are interested in seeing advancements in a number of areas, one of which is the watch’s battery life. The Apple Watch 7, on the other hand, does not achieve this, as it has the same 18-hour battery life as its predecessor, the Apple Watch 6.
There is some good news, however: Apple has reduced the amount of time it takes to charge a device by 33 percent and now says that a device will have 8 hours of battery life after only 8 minutes of charging or will reach 100 percent charge in around an hour.
As a consequence of this, we observed that the battery life of the Watch 7 was consistently declining, and we were only able to restore it to full capacity after a brief period of charging.
Apple should be looking for a battery life that can last for days without needing to be charged on its own devices, rather than 24 to 30 hours from a single charge, given that competing smartwatches can survive for days without needing to be charged. On this front, Apple isn’t capable of competing with companies like Garmin.
It is unexpected that the SPO2 sensor does not deplete the battery as it does on other watches; yet, we are not shocked that Apple can constantly add new capabilities that need a lot of power without negatively compromising the watch’s battery life. It is wonderful to have a bright and legible display, but unfortunately, this comes at the expense of the device’s battery life.
If you want to track your sleep, it is still tough to keep a constant charging pattern, and Apple needs to come up with a new solution for this problem in future generations if it wants to stay one of the top smartwatch contenders.
Update to Watch OS8
WatchOS 8 will be running in its final form on the Apple Watch 7, which will be available later this year. This is a revamped version of the mindfulness app with added features, including a mode called Pause to Relax, calming animations, and data on the total amount of time you have spent practicing mindfulness. In addition, enhancements will be made to the data for cycling, photographs, texting, and sleep. Controlling the watch via gestures will be possible with the assistive touch feature, which will also make controlling the watch easier.
However, you should be aware that this update will also be added to older generations of the Apple Watch, which means that you do not need to upgrade to the Apple Watch 7 to get these newly added functions.
Health+ from Apple
Apple Fitness+ is a standout product in our eyes. For your heart rate and other key metrics to be presented on the screen while participating in these trainer-based workouts, you will need to connect your Apple Watch.
Even though the workouts are recorded and not live, if you use the app frequently, you will learn to know your trainers and gravitate toward their sessions. This is true even though the exercises themselves are not live.
I really enjoy the competitive aspect of attempting to beat other people at the burn bar workouts. Completing the routines involves a lot of dedication, and I really enjoy that. The risk-free trial period of three months is a fantastic opportunity to learn about the program and assess whether or not it will be beneficial to you.
The previous feature known as Breathe has been rebranded as Mindfulness, and the app now contains a mode called Relax, which makes it an efficient tool for stress management.
You will be presented with a question as part of this mode, after which you will be given the opportunity to spend at least one minute reflecting on the idea that has been presented to you while gazing at the various colored forms displayed on the watch.
In spite of the corniness of some of the suggestions, I found that putting them into practice helped me feel less anxious and anxiousness-ridden. In this fast-paced and high-stress world, I found that the hypnotic state it put me in helped me keep my mind in a more calm state so that I could keep up with everything. I believe the Apple Watch 7 is one of the best health and fitness devices I have ever used, particularly when combined with Fitness+ programs, which now include workouts like guided walks or meditation (and I previously used the Fitbit Sense).
One of the most notable improvements made in the most recent upgrade to the WatchOS software is to the Mindfulness app. You are in luck since you can access this on every official version currently available on the market.
Despite the fact that the Apple Watch 6 was the first smartwatch to provide a sleep monitoring feature, I was hoping that the Apple Watch 7 would include a complication for this feature. I’m afraid not!
You will still see the current weather and the status of your battery when you wake up, but there will be no indication of how well you slept the previous night, such as whether or not you had vivid dreams or slept deeply.
To summarize, is the Apple Watch 7 worth the additional cost?
The Apple Watch 7 is the newest addition to Apple’s wearable product lineup, taking the place of the Apple Watch Series 6 and joining the Apple Watch SE and Apple Watch 3 in the company’s array of watches.
The Apple Watch 7 from this year isn’t significantly better than the model from the previous year in most respects; nevertheless, the display has been expanded by twenty percent. Even though it is the most advanced Apple Watch to date and the best smartwatch, it is only slightly superior to the Samsung Gear S3 and the Motorola Moto 360. Despite this, it is still the best watch available.
Even while most people purchase this watch because they don’t like being forced to take their phone out of their pocket or because they want a great fitness companion, you’re getting a lot more than those two things with this purchase.
More colors
This bundle comes with five more color options, and the larger screen makes it a bit easier to view everything than before on the Watch 6 and the Watch SE. Even though we could not identify any advantages to the curved glass on the OLED display, it does feature an always-on display, which the Watch SE lacks. It has a small bit of curved glass covering the beautiful OLED display.
It was speculated that the Watch 7 would have more of a design boost, such as flat edges to match the new design of the iPhone, a larger screen, or anything else that would clearly justify the upgrade. This was one of the main reasons for the speculation.
A keyboard is a valuable asset.
The Apple Watch Series 7 features a keypad that is worn on the wrist. As a result, you will be able to view more of your messages, and because the screen is broader, there will be a greater surface area for you to click larger buttons. Apple also believes that the Watch should acquire a keyboard because the additional display space makes it possible for it to do so. We must admit that navigating the Watch 7’s keypad was a piece of cake (although dictation was just as good and less fiddly).
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Chip is a little underwhelming as a character.
The S7 CPU in this device, which is referred to as the S7 processor, does not give any power gain; rather, it has been modified to accommodate the slightly larger architecture. You will not be shortchanged in terms of functionality, as the WatchOS 8 software installed on the Watch 7 makes it simple to begin a workout, view images, or read messages.
The fitness options are beneficial.
During our testing, we discovered that the Watch 7’s high cycling mode functioned well; however, it did not recognize when we had stopped and neglected to cease the activity, which was a little bit of a letdown.
The new Apple Watch is an ideal fitness partner because it has three months of free Fitness+ membership. This means that you always have access to a workout, no matter where you are.
The ring system that Apple uses to tell you how active you are throughout the day is both informative and entertaining to look at, and the meditation app, which we found to be quite helpful and utilized on a regular basis, is another excellent feature of the Watch 7. (along with other workouts).
Apple Watch Series 6 or Series 7?
However, if you can find a discount on the model from 2020 that is realistic, we do not believe that it is worthwhile to upgrade to the new Watch 7.
If you want a high-end version of the Apple Watch after it runs out of stock, you won’t have any other option but to purchase this watch.
The introduction of the Apple Watch 7 was, all things considered, a little bit underwhelming. The design of the Apple Watch is so iconic that it doesn’t really make sense for Apple to change it, despite the fact that this was rumored to be a possibility. Nevertheless, the absence of updates to health features and battery life leaves us feeling a little disappointed, particularly in light of the recent considerable advancements that Samsung and Fitbit have introduced.
