The Apple Watch Series 7 has arrived – complete with a larger 41mm display and the ability to customise many of its watch faces. Oh, and it comes with faster charging too.
Four years ago, the Apple Watch surpassed Rolex to become the most popular watch (in units sold) on the planet. Apple is hoping its recent wearable will continue that upward trend, packing it with a few technical upgrades and an all new screen.
But is it any good?
Apple Watch Series 7 – Design
Specific design aesthetic aside (it’s a square slab of glass, after all) the Apple Watch Series 7 looks more or less like every other Apple Watch. You will only really spot the difference between this one and every other watch by looking at it from the side.
Then you will see the Series 7’s biggest upgrade – the larger screen, thinner borders and a curved/refractive edge. This means the screen wraps around the watch, and benefits from a wide range of new watch faces that make the most of that extra screen real estate.
According to Apple, the display is around 70 per cent brighter too – which makes it easier to see the display on sunny days.
What you do get this time around is new colours, such as a new midnight black, as well as navy blue and dark green (and the obligatory PRODUCT RED).
Apple Watch Series 7 – Performance
The watch zips around menus (as per usual) and – as it is an Apple Watch – you won’t really notice many of the performance upgrades of the Series 7 (indeed, it makes use of the same chip in last year’s model).
The User Interface has been given a big upgrade though, including the ability to see more watch complications, as well as a working keyboard so you can reply to messages on the fly.
Apple didn’t manage to cram any extra juice into the new Apple Watch, however makes up for that with new fast-charging capabilities.
When compared to last year’s Series 6, the Series 7 will charge 33 per cent faster using its new USB-C MagSafe charger. And just 8 minutes of charging will give the watch enough power to provide you 8 hours of sleep tracking.
You also get upgrades to messages, the photos app and new health features – such as improvements to the blood oxygen sensor.
Apple Watch Series 7 – Durability
Apple made the watch’s crystal screen a tad thicker, making it more resistant to cracks. It also has a higher IP6X dust resistant rating, as well as the same 50-meter water resistance as the previous model.
Apple Watch Series 7 – Verdict
While naysayers are keen to point out that not a huge amount has changed with regards to the Series 7 (when compared to last year’s model) that bigger screen – and the improved user interface changes that make use of the extra space (such as the keyboard) make it a worthy upgrade.
The Apple Watch Series 7 is available right now for AED1,500.