Apple Watch Series 8 review: if it ain’t broke

The Apple Watch Series 8 has me pondering the Japanese business philosophy known as Kaizen. This concept, popularized by Toyota is a continuous advancement. Series 7 was Series 7 was an small update of Series 6, which was an incremental update to series 6 that was a minor update to Series 5. series 5 and is a minor improvement over previous Series 4. The updates were not much by themselves, however they added up. And in time, they’ve widened the gap between Apple Watch and every other smartwatch.

2022 will be a huge year for 2022 is a big year for Apple Watch, but the Series 8 isn’t the star of the event. The brand new Apple Watch Ultra is one of the most intriguing watches this year. The new SE 2 replaces the series 3 as the most basic model. This leaves the brand Series 8 as the new Series 8 in the middle.

This isn’t an exciting new release. However, is it really necessarily have to be?8Verge Score

Apple Watch Series 8

$399

THE GOOD

  • watchOS 9 is a great OS
  • A clever usage of temperature sensors
  • Crash Detection!
  • The low-power mode can be helpful.

THE BAD

  • It is still necessary to charge each day.
  • The design isn’t that different from the previous Apple Watch models

$399 AT APPLE $399 AT AMAZON $399 AT BEST BUY

What we use to evaluate and rate items

HOW WE RATE AND REVIEW PRODUCTS

All of the modifications are made in the underside of the car

It’s hard to see any differences between Series 7, and Series 8. All I can say is that the sole reason I’m able to tell be able to tell the difference is that my review units have different dimensions and color. This is a fancy method to say that nothing has altered. This is a fancy way of saying that the Series 8 still comes in two sizes, 41mm and 45mm. The color choices are less this time — RIP blue and greenbut that’s all there is. Price is also unchanged. For the Series 8 starts at $399 for GPS-only versions and $499 for the cellular version.

The 45mm Series 8 in the starlight (left) alongside Series 7 in 41mm (right) and Series 7 with the color green (RIP).

In the first time I examined that the 45mm Series 7 and Series 8 opposite each other the other week I thought that the display of Series 8 seemed to be a bit bigger but it’s not. This was a figment of my imagination: watchOS 9 features the latest watchfaces, like Metropolitan that makes better use of the bezels’ thinner dimensions. The Series 8 test model is the 45mm version of the cellular model with starlight. It’s champagne-colored and divides the distinction between silver and gold. I generally prefer watches with smaller screens and this did not look like a gimmick on my small wrists. I also liked the tiny improvement in the readability the larger display provides.

While everything appears similar for the uninitiated but Series 8 Series 8 has some significant improvements underneath the under the hood.

The S8 is not an improved chip. Regarding battery life and performance are concerned in the S8, you can say that the S8 chip is basically identical to the S7 that is, in essence, similar to the S6. (I’m seeing a trend in this one.) The thing that is the S8 adds to make available is a plethora of brand new sensors. In particular, it comes with 2 temperature sensors as well as as well as a brand new accelerometer with high-g, as well as an updated Gyroscope. The new sensors powers the two feature marquees: Crash Detection and Cycle Tracking.The Series 8 adds two new temperature sensors, a brand-new accelerometer with high-g, as well as an upgraded Gyroscope.

Cycle tracking and temperature monitoring

Temperature sensors have long been speculated to be part of in the Apple Watch, and they’re being used in other wearables. Fitbit has added one to its Watch Sense in 2020. Samsung recently added one to the Galaxy Watch 5 series. (Though Samsung’s watches don’t perform much at the moment.) Apple’s version is distinct from Samsung’s or Fitbit’s. One sensor sits directly under the display and it’s able to monitor ambient temperature as well as another one that is close to the surface. The goal is to get rid of the influence of environmental factors to impart more precise results.

The temperature sensor on the watch is predominantly non-invasive. In contrast to the EKG or heart rate sensors, as well as the blood oxygen sensor, this watch aren’t able to take instant readings. The only way to get the temperature of your wrist if you’ve got an choice to turn on the Sleep Focus turned on and sleep tracking turned on. In addition, you have to rest with Apple Watch Apple Watch for five nights for establishing the baseline. When that’s done it’s only possible to observe slight deviations from the standard. There’s no way to take a look at your wrist to say, “Oh, I have a fever because my temperature is 100 degrees Fahrenheit.”

This isn’t a criticism of Apple. The same strategy is used by The Oura Ring and Fitbit use. It is designed to track the way that certain events — such as a tough exercise, illness, or perhaps a couple of drinks too many can affect your overall fitness. If you track your cycles using the Health application, the ability to allow the wrist temperature to be monitored means that you’ll be able to obtain an estimate of ovulation in the past after two cycles.

Do you even know that this is Series 8 at a glance?

There’s a reason why these estimates aren’t predictive but rather retrospective. In the first place, it’s strictly a tool for awarenesswhen you know more about the past cycle, you could be able to make better decisions trying to plan your conception. Basal body temperatures are often employed as a method of pregnancy planning, and it’s not coming from out of the blue. The Series 8 isn’t cleared for contraceptive purposes and is not designed to be used for medical purposes in any role. It is true that there areapps which have been approved by FDA to be used for this, such as Natural Cycles and Clue. Natural Cycles also received an approval recently to utilize sensors for temperature that can be collected via an Oura Ring for birth control However, it’s notthe situation for The Apple Watch. (At at the very least, it’s not.)

In terms of the accuracy of this system, it’s difficult to judge, since I’ve only been using an Series 8 for about a month. There’s only two cycles of temperature information, and I’m just beginning to set the base. The few nights I have have data on temperature However, it mostly is in line with what I received in the Oura Ring. As an example, just two days ago, my Oura Ring said my body temperature was 0.5 degrees higher than the normal however, my Series 8 said it was 0.41 degrees more.

I’m also one who was battling for 2 years in order to receive the diagnosis for polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and it’s great to learn that Apple will now alert you whenever it notices a cycle deviation. But, I was unable to verify the effectiveness of this feature as I’ve not had a problem with a change in my cycle yet. The service isn’t available to those who might suffer from an “cycle factor” like hormonal birth control.

A sensor array in the Series 8.

In the following post- Roe in the post-Roe. Wade world I can totally understand why advanced cycle tracking causes people the heebie jeebies. If this is the case it’s important to know that with the Cycle Tracking choice in Apple is not required. Also, you can track the temperature of your wrist without tracking it or entirely disable the wrist temperature tracker in your settings. If you choose to allow temperature monitoring, Apple says that health data is secured within your device, and is only accessible via a passcode Finger ID or Face ID. If you have enabled an passcode, and you use 2-factor authentication Health application data stored to iCloud is encrypted end-to-end.

Crash Detection is new

Apple has always marketed its watch as an instrument that can be life-saving. The company may have was a bit off with its messaging in the past year with its introduction of Crash Detection, but it’s one of the accurate features that build on its other safety features, including Emergency SOS and fall detection. Similar to the Ultra and the second-gen SE Series 8, it’s the Series 8 has an improved accelerometer and gyroscope that measures variations in the gravitational force of that can reach 256 g. They work in conjunction alongside the watch’s barometer GPS and microphone to determine extreme collisions or sudden fluctuations in direction and speed. If there is a major crash discovered it will notify emergency service for you. Also, you’ll have 10 seconds to end the phone if necessary.

I’m not planning to wreck my car to get a smartwatch review

I’m very happy at my job however I’m not likely to wreck my vehicle (and ruin my insurance rates) in order to write a review of a smartwatch. The Series 8 was strapped Series 8 to an RC truck which were able to “crashed” around the Verge office. However, it was, as one would imagine, it didn’t do anything. (I believe we mostly just wanted an excuse to play around with the RC truck.) I’ve had the Series 8 in different dubious Lyft trips, including some incredibly stops and go traffic, however that did not cause the feature to be activated. It’s not a shock to me. In the past, when Apple launched fall detection, Ias well as a number of other reviewers efforts to test whether you could activate this feature using fake falls. No one of us was successful.

This is to say that I’d be truly shocked to see an incorrect alert. This is a great thing.watchOS 9 lets you refresh older watches with fresh color background.

WatchOS 9 can be described as the ultimate in watchOS

I’ve been playing using watchOS 9 for quite some time and I’ve discovered a lot to enjoy. A lot, in fact and I’m going to look at what’s new with the latest version, and my favorite features. (You are able to read my other opinions within my watchOS 9 review.)

Each release of watchOS 9 comes with a new and stylish watchfaces. It’s not often that I feel “meh” about Apple’s watchfaces However, I really liked some these times. (They actually make it appear larger than it actually is! )

 The Lunar watchface brought me the sensations this week during Chuseok. It’s an enormous Korean celebration that coincides with the mid-autumn harvest time on the lunar calendar. It’s when you go to your home town to enjoy time with family. I loved the Metropolitan face and changing between the different colors on my favourite Modular face in order to coordinate with my outfits was great and fun.

In terms of productivity On the productivity front, the new Calendar application makes the most of the larger screen. It’s an excellent option for me to easily visualise my daily agenda. I’ve blogged about the importance of reminders for medication in the past few months but even after together reminders, I’m poor at taking my medications as I’m supposed. It’s a good thing that I’m taking the pills more frequently in the event that I’m reminded rather than not having them.
It is possible to get Nike watchfaces exclusive to the Series 8 now, too.

One thing I didn’t expect was the possibility it’s the Series 8 gets one of its most unique features which is a revamped Compass application. If you’re a frequent nature lover, this is wonderful news. The new application allows you can add waypointslocations that are of interest to you and returning your steps with Backtrack in the event that you become lost. I efforts it on an outing, and although it was not without a steep learning curve for me, being who has no natural perception of where I am I thoroughly enjoyed together the feature. (I’ll explore more of the feature in my Ultra review so keep an eye out for that.)

The sleep tracking feature also receives a improvement. It’s now possible to view the stages of sleep as well as more specific sleep-related metrics in Health apps. The app isn’t the best one, and Apple is playing catch-up however it’s a lot superior to what Apple released with watchOS 7. I’m sure the inclusion to track temperature on the wrist can only open the door to more sophisticated sleep tracking in the future although battery endurance is going to need to rise somewhat prior to it’s released. Apple Watch can give Fitbit or the Oura Ring a fair run against the clock.The new Compass application with waypoints as well as Backtrack is now available on all Series 8, not just the Ultra.Low-power mode will not give your battery to last for a whole day however it can be helpful with a pinch.

In terms of battery longevity… it’s true that the Series 8 is still a device that you must charge every day, however watchOS 9 has a feature that is a low-power mode for batteries. It shuts off the on-all-day display as well as the background sensor readings, and also limits wireless and cell phone connectivity. The device also keeps heart rate as well as GPS active during exercises. It is said that you could run as long as 36 hours of use with it with the Series 8. (Your mileage may vary with earlier models.)

Beware: turning off low-power mode won’t miraculously give you all-day battery life. I haven’t had the chance to get all 36-hour battery life. When I used it regularly without the low-power mode on, the battery of my Series 8 got around 24 hours until I was required to put it back on the charger. The low-power mode was primarily useful to draw an extra jolt in order to make it back home, or get to the end of my long hike after I had forgotten to replenish the battery prior to going out.

When we’re talking about the importance of fitness, I was awed by every aspect of the new view of workouts. It’s very easy to modify the layout and I’m a huge enthusiast of the idea of having a additional screen with data. I’m super happy that I’m able to see heart rate zones inside the Workout app natively as you perform on many other tracking devices. Also, it’s great that Apple has now allowing you to design your own interval exercises. If you’re with an Garmin or Polar and are probably thinking about it because these are the two most used devices you’ve owned for years. This is just a suggestion that it’s the right now that Apple included these features and they’ll bring a significant gain for people who have just started to move into higher-level training.Sleep stage are now available with watchOS 9 and iOS 16.

One thing that I found difficult to enjoy was navigating through different exercise views during a run. It’s true that the Series 8 mostly relies on touchscreen navigation. Sometimes, it’s a breeze… but at other times, your hands are sweaty and it’s painful. The digital crown is extremely thin that it’s not often the most convenient option to operate during mid-motion. This isn’t a problem with the Ultra however it’s a problem with the series 8.

There are few reasons not to upgrade.

If you’re not sure at this point it’s that it’s obvious that the Apple Watch Series 8 is an amazing smartwatch. If you’re content with the current Apple Watch, there isn’t enough reason to make the switch.

The first thing to note is that the majority things I found to make my experience using my experience with Series 8 stellar come from watchOS 9, a software upgrade. If you’ve got the Series 4 or later, you’ll be able to access most of the features that make this Series 8 great. If you own an series 5, 6 7 or 6, you get roughly the same capacity. The upgrade to Series 8 isn’t going to improve the speed of your computer or make the battery’s life last any longer.
Heart rate zones! These are finally available in the official Workout app!

Temperature tracking, however, is still in the early stages of development. I’m sure Apple is working on it at some point in the near future However, you do not necessarily require it at this time. This is especially the case in the case of women who don’t have menstrual cycles and don’t like giving technology companies your personal information about health as well as don’t utilize Apple Watch for sleep tracking. Apple Watch for sleep tracking.

There’s no reason to require to purchase the Series 8 If you want Crash Detection. Crash Detection is also available on the iPhone 14 range. If this is something you’d like to have and your device is in a state of decline You can always change it instead.

After taking all the factors in consideration, Series 6 and 7 owners don’t have a need to justify the upgrade. Chill. It’s not the same for those who have an older Series 3 or 4 or five. (And If you’re on an Series 2 or older, you’re in the right place to purchase a brand new watch.) For longtime Series 3 owners, you must need to upgrade to Series 8. You’re sure benefit from the speed improvements as well as the constant-on display as well as watchOS 9 is a far superior version than the that of 8 was. It’s time. If you’re Series 4 or 5 owners I believe the larger display is well worth the cost. After spending a year using the Series 7, and one week using the Series 8 I’m sure in saying that both are very different in terms of the readability. If you have 20/20 vision, then you’ll possibly put off a year.
It’s an attractive it’s watch, it’s more adaptable than Ultra with regards to style.

If you’re purchasing the very first Apple Watch, you could opt for either Series 8 or the Series 8 or the slightly more affordable SE that starts with a price of $249 for only GPS as well as $299 for the mobile. The SE is a better option for those that aren’t convinced by the idea of having a watch even. The SE will help in providing a clear understanding of the reasons that make this model of Apple Watch so popular without spending a fortune. (All you’re losing is the display that’s always on and sophisticated health sensors.) Then, you’ll be able to take a shrewd choice about what you’d like to get in the more expensive version after you upgrade. However, if you’re already adamant to having an Apple Watch, you might consider purchasing Series 8. Series 8.

I’m still trying to get my hands on I’m still unsure about the Apple Watch Ultra, but I’m 99.9 hundred percent sure it’s this Series 8 is the accurate option for the majority of people. The Series 8 is not only less expensive than the Ultra but it’s also a most versatile of watches. It’s more suited for smaller wrist sizes and is able to be outfitted to fit any event. If you’re not into intense endurance sports, or an extreme klutz to the top level then you don’t really require an Ultra’s added toughness. Its Series 8 might seem more delicate, but it’s actually quite robust by itself. (But If the Ultra is what you truly would like to have, don’t let me hinder you.)

The Series 8 doesn’t revolutionize the Apple Watch as we know it. But it shouldn’t be required to. One reason Apple is able to continue by releasing year-after-year of small updates is because it’s years ahead of competitors in the eyes of iOS users. More competition is popping in Android smartwatches. However, in the event that the forthcoming Google Pixel Watch or Wear OS Samsung watches can be a guide that wearables ecosystems are going to remain isolated for the time being. With regards to watches that can be used as smartwatches Apple is the excellent at it. If no one creates another smartwatch that iPhone customers really want, there’s nothing to do with fixing something that’s not damaged.

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