Feels and appears the identical, however actual adjustments are deeper

Although the Apple Watch bulletins could have paled compared to the iPhone information at Apple’s occasion right this moment, there have been nonetheless some noteworthy updates to the smartwatch lineup to speak about. This yr, we’re getting the Watch Sequence 11, Watch SE 3 and Watch Extremely 3, and every of them have some attention-grabbing options. At a hands-on session right here at Apple Park, I spent a while with the units, and consider probably the most intriguing is the Sequence 11.

At first look, the Sequence 11 isn’t any completely different from the Sequence 10 I wore to the occasion. They’re the identical thinness and have just about the identical dimensions, and the principle change is that the brand new smartwatch has an IonX glass masking that is a bit extra scratch resistant. There’s additionally a brand new area gray case possibility that seemed good, although I used to be a much bigger fan of the rose gold band and case pairing. I particularly just like the loop band that was on the unit I checked out.

I put the Sequence 11 on my wrist subsequent to my Sequence 10 and actually couldn’t inform them aside. There won’t be a lot cause to improve from final yr’s mannequin to this, which is not a nasty factor. We do not need to be too wasteful, anyway. The true updates coming to the Sequence 11 embrace the brand new “Doable hypertension” alerts, utilizing information gathered from the prevailing optical coronary heart charge sensors to check patterns within the constriction and enlargement of your blood vessels in relation to your coronary heart charge. This tells the watch whether or not there are variations in your blood stress — key phrase: variations.

This device is not meant to provide you readings of your blood stress. It is extra meant to inform if there are regarding variations and warn you to see a medical skilled if that’s the case. That is just like many different Apple Watch options like sleep apnea detection or excessive coronary heart charge alerts, and because it requires information traits to work, wasn’t one thing I may simply take a look at right here at Apple Park.

I additionally did not get to check the sleep rating function that is coming watchOS 26, however that is not unique to the Sequence 11, and any Apple Watch suitable with the newest software program will be capable of get it. I did like how you will get scores as soon as you’ve got worn the watch to mattress, and do not have to attend for a required variety of nights for the insights to floor.

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