How to Choose an Apple Watch
When you buy an Apple Watch, you can be sure of precise workmanship, a wealth of health features and perfect iPhone compatibility. Apple Watches can measure your heart rhythm (ECG), heart rate, ambient noise and automatically call for help should you fall over or come off your bike. They can show notifications, incoming messages and deal with calls. The latest Apple Watch Series 7 shows the information on a display that never goes to sleep. Apple watches run on watchOS and have over 10,000 apps for you to download from the App Store. They are available in 45mm and 41mm variants.
Tips for Choosing an Apple Watch
- Even older Apple Watches offer plenty of features, such as displaying notifications and receiving calls on your iPhone. With each new generation, something is added. For example, you can take an ECG test on watches from Series 4 and upwards.
- You can choose from a range of colours and different case materials.
- The newest Apple Watches are available in 41 and 45mm. The smaller strap is normally more suitable for women, the larger size for men.
- The straps are all interchangeable between series, so you can use a Series 1 strap for a Series 5 watch. Note, however, that the sizes must match.
Important Apple Watch Parameters
Material
Apple Watches from Series 1 to Series 5 are offered with aluminium cases. Although aluminium does not look as luxurious as stainless steel, it is light and relatively durable. Aluminium Apple Watches are cheaper than models made from other materials. It is also the only version that can be purchased on the current Czech market. Aluminium Apple Watches are available in space grey, silver and gold.
Steel is heavier than aluminium, but you won't notice any weight difference on your wrist. It is a very strong and durable metal and adds a touch of luxury. That's why Apple uses stainless steel on the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max. Apple Watches with stainless-steel cases are more expensive than aluminium ones but are not currently available on the Czech market.
The Apple Watch Edition Series 5 and newer boast a ceramic version. Ceramic is lighter than steel, highly durable and looks amazing. However, it is much more expensive than the base-price aluminium Apple Watch and, once again, is not available on the Czech market.
For the first time, the Apple Watch Series 5 introduced a titanium version, which is even lighter than ceramic and significantly lighter than steel. Would you like to buy one? Sorry, we can't help as the Titanium Apple Watch is not available on the Czech market. If it was, it would cost considerably more than an aluminium Apple watch.
Compatibility
Apple has made every effort to make connectivity between your Apple Watch and iPhone simple and reliable. You don't have to worry about a complicated setup. However, every Apple watch is not compatible with every iPhone. For example, Apple Watch Series 6 requires an iPhone 6s or later that is running on iOS 14 or later.
Functions and Applications
Apple Watch has a rule that each generation of watches adds new features while retaining old ones. In other words, every version can do what its predecessor could plus something extra. So, what did each new version bring? The list of functions is summarised below.
Apple Watch Series 1
Apple Watch Series 2 adds the following features
Apple Watch Series 3 adds the following features
Apple Watch Series 4 adds the following features
Apple Watch Series 5 adds the following features
Apple Watch Series 6 adds the following features
How is the Apple Watch SE different from the Watch Series 6?
Apple Watch Series 7 adds the following features
If the basic apps are not enough for you, there is nothing easier than downloading more from the App Store where you can find more than 10,000 apps including social networks, navigation, weather and games.
The watch also supports Apple HomeKit, so you can control your smart home with your watch.
Dimensions
Apple Watch is available in a variety of sizes.
The dimensions of each option are specified by the diameter of the dial, the dimensions of the AMOLED Retina display and the width of the strap.
Apple Watch Series 7:
Apple Watch Series 6, 5 & 4:
Apple Watch Series 3, 2, and 1 are/were sold in smaller sizes:
Price
Apple has never been afraid to put a bold price on its products and this is also the case with Apple Watch. The base version of the Apple Watch Series 6 costs almost 10,000 CZK. However, there are many smartwatches on the market, especially sports watches, which are much more expensive than Apple watches. Apple Watch's philosophy is clear. It offers top-quality design, perfect readability and exemplary compatibility with the iPhone and other Apple products. If you want a watch that works superbly in every situation, the price of an Apple Watch may seem reasonable. You can count on Apple reducing the price of previous generations with the advent of each new series.
Customisation is Possible
There is a wide range of customisation options for all Apple Watches, so you can have great fun personalising your watch. You can adjust your style by keeping several straps and changing them to suit the occasion. You can also choose recharging stands, power banks and more from our range of Apple Watch accessories.
Apple Watch Series 7 comes with a visibly larger display, while the case itself remains almost unchanged. This has allowed the bezels to be thinned by 40%, allowing for 20% more content to be displayed between generations. Compared to the Apple Watch Series 3, this is an increase of a respectable 50%, and many third-generation owners can be expected to upgrade to the Apple Watch 7. The buttons in some apps, such as the stopwatch, timer and calculator, have been redesigned and are more intuitive to use than ever before. The QWERTY keyboard is also new, allowing you to swipe between letters without lifting a finger for even faster and more accurate typing. It's also more efficient to draw characters with your finger alone, making interacting with Apple Watch 7 a pure joy.
While Apple Watch Series 7 still doesn't have noticeably more battery life, charging itself has increased by 33% between generations. You can get enough power for 8 hours of sleep tracking in just 8 minutes, and 80% of the battery can be charged in just 45 minutes. This means that Apple Watch 7 doesn't need to be recharged on purpose, but can just be put on the charger while you enjoy your shower.
The Apple Watch 7 smartwatch arrives in a variety of attractive designs that vary in material and colour. You can choose from titanium, stainless steel and 100% recycled aluminium, which will come in five new colours – green, blue, starlight, midnight and (PRODUCT)RED.
Advantages and Disadvantages
The Apple Watch 6 boasts premium craftsmanship down to the smallest detail. From the first glance, you'll be impressed by the beautiful OLED display with high finesse, premium colours and automatic brightness adjustment of up to 1,000 nits. And compared to Apple Watch 3, you get a 30% bigger picture, which, in combination with narrower bezels, is truly noticeable. There's also an always-on display. Another highlight of the Apple Watch 6 is the operating system, which offers one of the most sophisticated environments ever. Particularly original is the menu made up of individual app icons, which is extremely clear and intuitive, although those interested can also opt for a line menu. Fortunately, the emphasis on the best possible appearance has not resulted in any system lag either. Everything is perfectly smooth, thanks in particular to the dual-core 64-bit processor that is part of the new S6 chip.
The Apple Watch 6 key features are health-related. We can rely on all-day heart rate monitoring, including alerts for abnormal fluctuations, even though the measurements are taken every few minutes, so sudden changes may not be detected in time. The data is more accurate than ever thanks to the third generation optical sensor, which also measures blood oxygenation and ECG, one of the rarest functions ever. Another original feature is the automatic start of a 20-second countdown when washing hands, although this is sometimes activated by dishwashing. Another distinctive feature is the continuous noise measurement, which immediately alerts us to excessively noisy surroundings. Of course, there's also sleep monitoring, but it has trouble detecting it automatically, so, unfortunately, beeping alerts can disrupt your sleep. Stress monitoring is also cannot be missing, although surprisingly the data is only available in the mobile app, which can be a bit stressful with such an interesting indicator.
Like its predecessors, the Apple Watch 6 has a relatively limited battery life of just 18 hours. However, the practical experience is all the more surprising, with the watch lasting around a day and a half without any problems.
Advantages and Disadvantages
If you're on a budget but still want an Apple Watch, the SE series is the way to go. It's based on the Watch Series 6, so you're guaranteed years of software support. It is a better option than buying one of the older generations second-hand.
How did Apple manage the lower price tag? Most notably, the lack of the latest health features in the form of ECG or blood oxygenation measurements. Also, the watch does not have an always-on display, which continuously displays the most important information even without activating the display. However, everything else has been retained, so you can understandably look forward to a plethora of attractive bands or interesting dials.
Advantages and Disadvantages
The latest Apple Watch Series. It connects to all iPhones running iOS 13 and above. The main innovation of this generation is the Always-On display, which constantly shows the clock face without you having to raise your wrist. This ensures that any important information is viewable discreetly. Despite fears to the contrary, the watch is optimised, so the new features do not significantly affect battery life.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Apple Watch Series 4
The fourth Apple Watch series came with a larger display and, for the first time, an ECG sensor. This isn't the only reason why the AW4 has become one of the most popular sports and health watches. It can also recognise heavy falls and detect when you are immobile. It can even alert emergency services. The processor is also much more powerful than the previous version.
Advantages and disadvantages
The AW3 can connect to all iPhones running on iOS 11 and later. Together with the Apple S3 processor, expanded storage, built-in GPS and a friendly price, the Apple Watch Series 3 is great value if you want an entry-level Apple Watch.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Apple Watch Nike+ is a special variant of the Apple Watch Series 2 and Series 3. As the name suggests, the watch was developed in collaboration with Nike. It has a unique rubber Nike strap and an exclusive clock face including special features. The Apple Watch is popular with athletes and generally younger people. Included with the basic installation of the Nike Run Club app directly from Nike. In terms of features, the Apple Watch Nike+ is no different from others in the same series.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Apple also sells a variety of accessories. Some are aesthetic, while others are practical.
Frequently Asked Questions When Choosing an Apple Watch
How do I pair my Apple Watch with my iPhone?
What will I get if I buy a newer series Apple Watch?
With each series comes a noticeable improvement in performance along with a host of new features. The table below outlines the important features of each series.
| Parameters/Model | Apple Watch 3 | Apple Watch 4 |
Apple Watch 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Apple S2 | Apple S4 | Apple S5 |
| Operating Memory | 768MB | 1GB | 1GB |
| Storage | 8/16GB | 16GB | 32GB |
| Display and Resolution | 38mm OLED Retina (272×340)/42mm OLED Retina (312×390) | 40mm LTPO OLED Retina (324×394)/44mm LTPO OLED Retina (368×448) | 40mm LTPO OLED Retina (324×394)/44mm LTPO OLED Retina (368×448) |
| Always-On Display | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
| ECG |
✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Call Option | ✓(according to version) | ✓(according to version) |
✓(according to version) |
| Respond to Messages | ✓ | ✓ |
✓ |
| GPS, GLONASS | ✓(depends on version) | ✓(depends on version) |
✓(depends on version) |
| LTE | ✓(according to version) | ✓(depends on version) |
✓(depends on version) |
| Water Resistance | up to 50m | up to 50m |
up to 50m |
| Battery Life | up to 18 hrs | up to 18 hrs |
up to 18 hrs |
| Colour Options | grey/gold/silver | gold/silver/black/rose gold |
grey/pink/silver |
| Price | from 5,790 CZK |
from 9,990 CZK |
from 11,690 CZK |
Do Apple Watch work on Android phones?
It is not possible to use an Apple Watch with a phone running on Android. If you're connecting an iPhone and Apple Watch, it's not just about a Bluetooth connection, as many people think. Apple Watches run using encrypted data sent directly from iPhones. To pair your iPhone and Apple Watch, an encrypted connection is created, which Android smartphones are unable to establish. It is possible that this could be done with the help of an app, but no such app exists at this time and it would have to be released by Apple.
Can I make calls using an Apple Watch?
While older Apple Watch models can handle calls in place of an iPhone, the iPhone still handles the transfer between subscribers and must be within range of the Watch. It wasn't until the Apple Watch Series 3 in the Cellular version that the Apple Watch offered full phone-free calling thanks to an electronic SIM card - an eSIM that can use the same phone number as the phone. There's one catch, however. You'll need to buy an Apple Watch with Cellular or LTE for this feature. Then you need to contact your cellular carrier to activate a special plan for the Apple Watch.
Is the Apple Watch waterproof?
Apple Watches from the older series are only water-resistant, not waterproof. This means that if you get a little water on your watch, you can wipe it away without causing damage but you can't swim with it.
This does not apply to Apple Watch Series 2 and beyond. They are waterproof to a depth of 50m (5ATM). As soon as you start swimming, your watch automatically locks to prevent unwanted clicks. Once you get out of the water, just turn the digital crown. The watch unlocks and drains out any water.
What are the Apple Watch series'?
Apple took a step into the unknown with their first release but this series has proven to be a great success.
An enhanced version of the original Apple Watch. It is still sold and offers twice as much performance as its predecessor.
Series 2 came out with Series 1 but offered several improvements. It features GPS, longer battery life and many more features. The Apple Series 2 Nike+ Edition was also popular. This series is no longer sold today.
Series 3 is very different from its predecessors and took the watch to the next level. For the first time, you can call directly from your watch and discover the exclusive Hermès Edition design.
With Series 4 came design changes, in particular, a slightly larger display. The series also introduces the ECG feature and focuses on the wearer's health - the watch can monitor your vital signs and call for help if you are immobile.
Apple Watch Series 5 is the latest device. Along with all the familiar features, there's a special “Always-On” display that keeps your most important information at hand. AW 5 is optimised for the longest endurance and again offers plenty of customisation options.
The Apple Watch Series 6 has leaned more towards health features. Apple has managed to integrate ECG and blood oxygen level measurements into an extremely small device. Other improvements include a more powerful chipset, more accurate fall detection, new watch faces and sleeker bands.
Apple Watch SE is a functionally limited edition of the Series 6. The manufacturer decided to go to a lower price level, so the SE version removed the advanced health features in the form of ECG and blood oxygen level measurement. There is also no Always-On display.
The brand new Apple Watch Series 7 is a celebration of technical excellence. Apple has done some pretty big things. For example, they've made the display 20% bigger and the charging time 33% faster. And it can still measure blood oxygen levels, perform an ECG or detect a fall with an automatic call for help. Live a healthier, more active and more insightful life with Apple Watch Series 7.
Glossary - Apple Watch
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Miracast
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