Apple Watch Series 10 Review: Classic Reimagined

10th-anniversary product! Yes, the Apple Watch series has existed for a decade, and the Apple Watch Series 10 smartwatch is a special product. At least, this is what the rumour mills claimed before the company's September launch event. Well, it's finally here, and I have been living with the Apple Watch Series 10 for almost two weeks now, and no, it's not entirely different from what we expect from Apple.

To put some context, the iPhone X, launched in 2017, was a 10th-anniversary product that refreshed the design language of iPhones. It was one of the stepping stones of the iPhone design we see today from Apple. On the other hand, the Apple Watch Series 10 isn't minutely close to that, but it is still the best daily smartwatch wearable money can buy. How? I will discuss that in depth in the review, so let's dive in.

Apple Watch Series 10 Price in India and Specifications

Apple Watch Series 10 price in India starts at Rs. 46,900 for the Aluminium (GPS) model. As always, there are plenty of combinations to pick from. This year, Apple has introduced 42mm and 46mm strap sizes, which are new. There are also GPS + cellular options that can go up to Rs. 59,900, depending on the size you choose. The company also introduced all-new Titanium (GPS + Cellular) models starting at Rs. 79,900. The Series 10 can go up to Rs. 89,900 for the Titanium model with Milanese Loop.

The Apple Watch Series 10 is thinner and lighter than the Series 9

 

Apple Watch Series 10 Specifications

• Sizes - 42mm and 46mm
• Panel - LTPO3 OLED Always-on Retina display
• Colours - Jet Black, Rose Gold, and Silver (Aluminium case)
• Natural, Gold, and Slate (Titanium case)
• Battery - Up to 18 hours of battery life (claimed)
• Processor - S10 SiP with 64-bit dual-core processor
• OS - watchOS 11

Apple Watch Series 10 Design and Display: Familiar comfort with a fresh twist

• 42mm and 46mm cases
• Available in Aluminium or Titanium case
• Up to 40% brighter screen

Apple's anniversary product, the Watch Series 10, focuses on the most important aspect of a smartwatch. The display! It is central to everything we do on a smartwatch, from checking notifications to quickly glancing time. Apple has fit in the largest and most advanced display ever on an Apple Watch. However, coming from Apple Watch Series 9, it took me some time to notice the differences.

The Apple Watch Series 10 packs the biggest display yet

 

A bigger display that slightly wraps around corners looks better and chunkier than Series 9, for sure. The Series 10 also packs the brightest display we have seen on any Apple Watch Series model yet. Apple claims that the Series 10 is up to 40 percent brighter when viewed at an angle and offers up to 2,000nits brightness. It comes in all-new 42mm and 46mm sizes - slightly larger than what we saw on the Series 9 (41mm and 45mm). The fun fact is that Series 10, despite the bump in case size, is marginally lighter than Series 9. The Aluminium (GPS + Cellular) model we are reviewing weighed 35.3 grams compared to 39 grams on Series 9 (same finish). This is the case across the range.

The Watch is available in Aluminium case in Jet Black, Rose Gold and Silver colours

 

Apple has gone a notch above this time to ensure the Series 10 looks like a major upgrade and ships the biggest display - even slightly bigger than the Apple Watch Ultra. Compared to older models, the Series 10 offers up to 30 percent more screen area (compared to the Series 6). What does the additional screen real estate offer is an additional line of text on apps like Mail, news, or messages. Compared to the Series 9, it was easier to type on the Series 10.

Apple ditched the stainless steel case this year for a lighter titanium case. But that also means boring colour choices. If there's one department where Series 10 slightly disappoints, then it has to be the colour options. The Series 10 comes in Jet Black, Rose Gold and Silver in Aluminium case while Slate, Gold and Natural in Titanium. All of them are slightly boring choices, in my opinion, except for the Jet Black, which we got for this review. It is a stunning colour and adds to the overall premium look of the Series 10. On the other hand, the Series 9 offered Midnight, Starlight, Silver, Pink and (PRODUCT)RED in Aluminium case while Graphite, Silver and Gold in Stainless Steel case.

It also comes in a Titanium case in Slate, Gold and Natural colours

 

I got the carbon-neutral Sport Loop band with the Series 10, and it has been comfortable during the review period. I have been using the Apple Watch since the Series 6 days, and the Sport Loop band is one of the best band options the company offers, with a velcro adjustment strap, which makes it for daily wear. The Milanese loop is also fantastic for daily wear, but that's only available with a titanium case.

The Series 10 comes with an upgraded LTPO3 OLED Always-on Retina display. The company claims the new Wide-angle OLED is power-efficient, allowing the display to update once a second and always be on mode instead of just once a minute, compared to the Series 9. A larger display gives an edge over its predecessors in a lot of ways, including a better screen resolution, which now offers 416x496 pixels for the 46mm case.

Thanks to a bigger display, you can comfortably type on the display of the Series 10 smartwatch

 

Imagine, I could notice ticking seconds hand in the Activity watch face. However, quality-wise, the Series 10 is an extension of the Series 9 as it also sports a fantastic display.

Thanks to a bigger display than the Ultra, the Series 10 is actually a better, more practical, and cheaper option than the Ultra in its current avatar.

Apple Watch Series 10 Performance: Subtle progress

• S10 SiP chip
• Features water temperature sensor
• Runs watchOS 11 out of the box

The Series 10 ships with S10 SiP with a 64-bit dual-core processor, and that's about it. I noticed no difference between Series 10 and Series 9 performance credentials. As with Series 9, the new Series 10 is snappy and quick with closing and opening apps. Features like automatic workout detection and dictation work smoothly. Apple claims that the new Series 10 uses machine learning to identify the motion signatures and impact forces during falls, enabling features like crash detection and fall detection.

The Series 10 offers an AOD feature

 

With Series 10, Apple says that Smart Stack automatically adds new widgets when users need them. This is something I could test while testing the smartwatch. The Translate app also works smoothly on the Series 10 and gets added to Smart Stack if you travel to a different country. However, you will need to download the languages before using them.

The Series 10 packs a S10 SiP chip

Apple has re-engineered the speaker setup to be 30 percent smaller but is actually louder than the Series 9. The best part if even in loud environments, the Series 10 speakers are loud enough for emergency calls or hearing podcasts or music - in case your iPhone isn't reachable. The biggest advantage of Series 10 is voice isolation.

The Series 10 display can hit up to 2,000nits peak brightness and drop to 1 nit minimum brightness. Besides packing a bigger display, the Series 10 offers punchier colours and amazing new watch faces.

The Apple Watch Series 10 uses 100% recycled aluminium in the case (aluminium model)

 

This time, Apple has introduced an all-new water temperature sensor on the Apple Watch Series 10, a welcome addition. Other sensors are the same as the Series 9. There's also support for the Oceanic+ app for snorkelling activity on the Series 10. I couldn't test it, but it's a good addition for people who love to do water sports. Now, they can be accompanied by their Apple Watch. The Series 10 comes with 64GB storage, the same as the Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2.

The Series 10 sports a metal and sapphire crystal back compared to Series 9's Ceramic and sapphire crystal back. Apple claims that the metal back of the Series 10 integrates the antenna into the housing, contributing to the thinner design. The company also claims that the metal back design houses the necessary elements to cater to improved cellular performance.

The Series 10 comes with a refreshed Vitals app

 

Now comes the most important health feature, the marquee feature of the Series 10 - sleep apnea. Apple Watch models have been supporting sleep tracking for some years, but the addition of sleep apnea makes it more capable. How does it function? Apple says that the watch uses its accelerometer to monitor small movements at the wrist during sleep that are associated with interruptions in normal respiratory patterns, tracked by a new Apple Watch metric called Breathing Disturbances. For tracking these patterns, you will have to wear the watch regularly at night for at least 7 days.

Apple Watch Series 10's biggest strength is accurately tracking fitness-related activities. It is definitely a benchmark for other smartwatches in the segment. It is SpO2 tracking, which returns almost the same results as a pulse oximeter or counting steps.

It features an all-new Water temperature sensor

 

The Series 10 ships with watchOS 11, bringing tons of personalisation and fitness-related features. The Vitals app has received a refresh and offers a quick check-in on key health metrics at a glance. The Activity rings have new customisation options that let you add a different activity for a day in the week to match your gym routine. The good thing about some of these new features of watchOS 11 is that they will also make it to the Series 9 model.

The new watch faces include Flux Face and Reflections, which Apple says have been designed to take advantage of larger display. The Photos face has also received a refresher, and photos can be better recommended based on aesthetics and composition.

The Series 10 display is decent for typing short messages

 

Apple Watch Series 10 Battery: Fast charging support, finally

• 0-80% charging in about 30 minutes (claimed)
• Up to 18 hours of battery life
• Up to 36 hours with Low Power Mode

Apple Watch Series 10 is the company's fastest-charging Apple Watch model ever. And that's something I want to write in my iPhone review, too, but maybe next year. One of the biggest highlights of the Apple Watch Series 10 is that it charges up to 80 percent in 30 minutes. The Series 9 can charge up to 80 percent in 45 minutes, while the Ultra 2 charges up to 80 percent in about an hour.

It supports faster charging compared to Series 9

 

Interestingly, fast charging is enabled thanks to the use of the new metal back of the Series 10, which now accommodates a larger and more efficient charging coil. All of this does help enhance user experience on the Watch Series 10. Purely in terms of battery performance, the Series 10 offered me roughly 20 hours of battery life on a single charge. After this, it automatically turned on Low Power Mode at 15 percent. Extended workout sessions, including outdoor walks and running sessions, reduced battery life to 18 hours. The smartwatch reached 0 to 80 percent in about 30 minutes, while a full charge takes about 60 minutes.

In my tests, Series 10 offers an incremental battery life boost compared to its predecessor.

It comes in 46mm and 42mm strap sizes

The Apple Watch Series 10 is a better, more practical, and cheaper smartwatch for everyday use than the Ultra 2.

Apple Watch Series 10 Review: Verdict

Apple Watch Series 10 may not have introduced groundbreaking features compared to the Series 9. But it doesn't need to. The Series 9 is already a solid smartwatch, and its successor builds on its strengths. Faster charging makes Series 10 a stronger smartwatch option for consumers. Moreover, the largest display, even a bit bigger than the Watch Ultra 2, makes it capable of packing more tricks. The company has also raised the refresh rate on the Series 10 to once in a second from once in a minute, and I could show off this with new watch faces that show seconds hand.

It also has a water temperature sensor and features that make it ideal for your next snorkelling session - features you may not need daily but are always good to have on board. One thing that surprised me is that Apple forgot to put a decent Apple Intelligence feature for the Apple Watch Series 10.

The Jet Black aluminium model looks stunning and is excellent for everyday wear

 

Who should buy the new Series 10 smartwatch? By now, Apple devices have reached a point that users are not required to update every year and comfortably, they can jump a series or two depending on their use case. This applies to Series 10 as well. If you're someone using the Apple Watch Series 8 or 9, you don't gain a lot. However, if you want fast charging and a slightly bigger display, then Series 10 is the smartwatch for you. However, for Series 7 or 6 users, the Series 10 is an excellent upgrade. Similarly, for people who want to take a leap of faith and start using an Apple Watch, the Series 10 is the company's best Apple Watch model yet.

For alternatives, the Series 9 (Review) is a good option alongside the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra (Review), which also offers some additional features.

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