Apple Watch Series 10 has a much larger screen and a thinner design

The new Apple Watch is here. A decade after the company revealed its first model, the Apple Watch Series 10 has a larger screen and thinner design than all previous models. The watch also appears brighter at wider viewing angles and includes a redesigned speaker. It’s the biggest design change since the Series 4.

While the company didn’t provide exact screen sizes in its presentation (or even confirm that it’s available in two sizes), Apple says the display on the Series 10 has 30 percent more surface area than the one on the Series 6. The display is even slightly larger than the one on the Apple Watch Ultra. Apple says the watch’s wide-angle OLED screen is 40 percent brighter from an angle than its predecessor.

The screen updates once per second, and the ticking second hand appears even when the device is in ambient passive mode. Both the display and the case have more rounded corners than previous Apple Watch models.

The Apple Watch Series 10 is nearly 10 percent thinner than the Series 9. It’s also 10 percent lighter than last year’s Watch (or 20 percent lighter if you opt for the new titanium model), replacing stainless steel as the wearable’s premium case option, though we’ll have to wait a bit to find out its price.

The device is powered by the new S10 SIP (System in Package) chip, which Apple says will improve performance and efficiency. The S10 helps extend the Apple Watch Series 10’s battery life: an estimated 18 hours. The company says improved fast charging can charge it from zero to 80 percent in 30 minutes.

The watch’s speakers are 30 percent smaller, supposedly without sacrificing sound quality. And its speakers can play media (like music and podcasts) for the first time — handy if you forget your AirPods.

The metal back of the watch integrates with the antenna, which Apple says will improve cellular performance and water resistance (up to 50m). This new water resistance combines with a built-in depth gauge and water temperature sensor to provide additional diving capabilities. On the software side, this is supported by the Tides app, which tracks tide levels for surfing, fishing, and other underwater activities. There’s also an Oceanic Plus app for snorkelers.

The Apple Watch Series 10 includes sleep apnea tracking, which is another first for the lineup. The company says the wearable uses machine learning to detect breathing disorders when you wear it at night. Apple expects the FDA to approve the feature soon.

Apple describes the new wearable as a carbon neutral product. The company says the Series 10 watch uses 95 percent recycled aluminum and is made from 100 percent renewable energy.

Of course, the new Apple Watch (as well as older models starting with the Series 6 and second-generation SE) will run watchOS 11. The 2024 software will add the ability to pause and further adjust rings and activity goals, as well as the new Vitals app for checking night-time metrics, training load, and pregnancy data.

The Apple Watch Series 10 starts at $399 for the GPS-only model. The GPS + cellular model costs $499. It’s available in black (for the first time), rose gold, and silver aluminum. New band styles this year include collaborations with Nike and Hermès.

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