There’s no denying the popularity of the Apple Watch. It’s one of the most-used smartwatches on the market today with the latest being the Series 9 models.
Although millions of people wear and enjoy the smartwatch, this isn’t for everyone.
In the article below we’ll address both the pros and cons of the Apple Watch so you can decide if it’s worth the investment.
Some Advantages of Apple Watch
Integrates well with Other Apple Devices
Owners of other Apple products will appreciate the fact that Apple Watch integrates well with other devices in the family.
For example, Apple Watch can sync up with your iPhone. Rather than pull out your phone for everything, you can simply look at your wrist.
With the latest Series (7, 8, 9), you can even pair multiple watches with a single iPhone.
The Apple Watch can also connect with your MAC too, freeing you up from always having to be with your MAC.
Works with Cellular Network
Although the Apple Watch can connect with the iPhone, it does have its own connection with the cellular network. This began with Series 3 and continues on with the latest Series models.
Since the Apple Watch works with the cellular network, you can still make and receive calls and send text messages without connecting with an iPhone.
This even has GPS capabilities. Perhaps best of all for some people, you can even stream music thanks to its connection with the cellular network.
Make Payments via Apple Pay
For those of you who don’t always want to use their iPhone or their MAC to make online purchases, you can do so anytime and anywhere via your Apple Watch. When you’re shopping around in an app, you can use Apple Pay to make purchases.
However, this doesn’t just mean you can only make purchases online. Rather, you can even use your Apple Watch for in-store purchases.
All you have to do is choose your card and move your Apple Watch close to the contactless card reader. You’ll feel just a gentle tap and soon hear a beep to know that it went through.
This is a good choice for those of you that want a complete contact-free shopping experience in stores.
Several Design Choices
No matter which Apple Watch you go with, you do receive some design choices. Now, how many depend on the individual watch type.
The latest Series 9 offers many choices with various band colors. You can even select case and band combinations with Apple’s first-ever carbon neutral products.
Besides the interchangeable straps and cases, the Apple Watch generally has a rather sleek design.
It’s balanced between both sporty and chic, allowing it to look just as good as an everyday watch as it does wearing it to the gym.
Water-Resistant Build
With the Apple Watch, users can feel comfortable getting it wet whether purposeful while swimming or in the shower, or accidental exposure.
All 0f the current smartwatches are water resistant with protection of up to 50m. Moreover, Apple Watch Ultra and later models have a water-resistance rating of 100 meters under ISO standard 22810:2010 and is EN13319-compliant.
This can make it easier to keep the watch on in the pool whether for recreational purposes or exercise purposes.
When it comes to wearing it in the shower, the water shouldn’t cause any damage there either. Just be sure to keep the watch free from the likes of soap and shampoo though as that can cause damage.
High-Quality Build
The Apple Watch is designed to last. With the latest Series, you get a smartwatch with a high crack-resistant front crystal. This can allow you to feel more comfortable in the event of drops.
Beyond that, with the Series 7 and later models, they have IP6X dust-resistant design too. With such a build, there’s little concern of dust getting in the tiny spaces and causing damage to the internal mechanisms.
Now, mostly Series 7 and later models are backed by these specific protections, but the smartwatches overall are made from high-quality materials to withstand years of use.
Some Disadvantages of Apple Watch
High Cost
There is no denying that Apple Watch costs quite a bit of money. It certainly sits on the higher end of the market for smartwatches, and this is largely due to the fact that you aren’t just getting a smartwatch. Rather, you’re getting an Apple smartwatch.
Name brand means everything in this case since you can readily find other smartwatches with many features from not-so-famous brands at a much lower price point.
As it stands, the Series 9 starts at $399. With the SE, it retails at $249 but of course, you can always search for refurbished watches for lower prices.
No matter the case, buying a new Apple Watch isn’t easy on everyone’s wallet. You do get plenty of features and a reliable build, but that’s only if you feel the Apple brand is worth such an investment.
Trapped in the Apple Ecosystem
If you decide to go with an Apple Watch, it does lock you into the entire Apple world.
For one thing, you have to set up an Apple Watch with an iPhone. It’s true that you can eventually take calls and text from the watch without the use of the iPhone, but the phone is needed to activate the watch, sync to the cloud, connect with Apple Pay, and more.
This can leave some users feeling trapped if they want to take full advantage of the watch but not rely so heavily on other Apple products like the iPhone.
Battery Life
The battery life of the Apple Watch is good enough to last someone through a work or school day, but it’s hard to praise the life of the battery when comparing Apple to other smartwatches. To note, the Apple Watch is meant to last 18 hours on a full charge.
There are some smartwatches designed to last three days or more on a full charge. This means you can keep on going with your daily life without worrying to stop and charge the smartphone every night.
Battery life is a vital aspect of any gadget, so this shortcoming with the Apple Watch compared to other smartwatches is worth keeping in mind.
Expensive Bands
The Apple Watch does let you customize somewhat by offering different bands, but these bands wind up costing a quarter or so of the watch itself.
You can easily pay $50 just for a different colored band. However, there are third-party merchants out there selling bands that can fit the Apple Watch, but these may not have the same look or feel you’re accustomed too.
So, it’s worth thinking about sticking to the band you have, risking a third-party one, or investing a good deal of money into an Apple brand band instead.
Is there a monthly fee to have an Apple Watch?
In general, you don’t have to pay a monthly fee to have an Apple Watch. However, this does depend on how you use it.
If you have it paired with your iPhone, then there’s no fee at all. On the other hand, if you want to use just the watch to make and take calls on a cellular network without the iPhone connection, then there is a $10 monthly fee.
The watch shares the iPhone’s cell number and the $10/month fee comes from the cellular carrier network (this applies to USA).
Is Apple Watch worth buying?
In short: yes, the Apple Watch is worth it, but only if you own other Apple products.
There is plenty to take advantage of with this smartwatch. It has great compatibility with other Apple devices and products so you can keep everything you need right at your wrist.
With that said, the Apple Watch may not be ideal if you are an Android user as there isn’t much point in it. Instead, there are other smartwatches you can find that are more suitable for your situation and needs.
Main Features of Apple Watch Series 9
Currently, the latest Apple Watch model is Series 9, released and available in September 2023.
Here are the main features of this model:
- The Apple Watch Series 9 has a more powerful chip and a four-core Neural Engine for faster processing and machine learning tasks.
- A new gesture called double tap allows users to perform actions like answering calls and playing or pausing music without touching the screen.
- The display of the Series 9 is 2x brighter than the previous model and can reach a maximum brightness of 2000 nits.
- Siri on the Apple Watch Series 9 is faster and more accurate, and users will soon be able to ask Siri about their health data.
- The Series 9 integrates with the HomePod and allows users to control music playback and receive suggestions.
- The Ultra Wideband chip in the Series 9 enables features like Precision Finding for locating an iPhone and improved connectivity with other devices.
- The Apple Watch Series 9 offers advanced health features, including an ECG app, blood oxygen monitoring, sleep tracking, and cycle tracking.
- It also has safety features like fall detection and crash detection, which can automatically call for help in emergencies.
- The Series 9 is available in different case and band combinations, including carbon neutral options.
- The Apple Watch Series 9 is compatible with iPhone Xs or later models and requires iOS 17 or later.
- Apple offers financing options and trade-in programs for customers purchasing the Series 9.
- The Apple Store provides various services, such as fast delivery, Apple Card monthly installments, and customer support.
Leave a Reply