Apple Watch: all the models there are

The beginning of the change

September 9, 2014 was the date chosen by the Cupertino company to present the first Apple Watch model that it was going to launch on the market, this launch took place on April 24, 2015 , and since then Apple has managed to make this device be the best-selling watch in the world, and be careful, we’re not just talking about smartwatches.

However, to be sincere and honest, it must be said that the first Apple Watch models did not meet the demands of users and what we all imagined when Apple presented it in September 2014, but yes, We can assure you that these “test” models have been worth it to be able to enjoy the fantastic equipment that today is the Apple Watch.

The reality is that the Apple Watch is not simply a technological device , since the Cupertino company has focused so much on the health and well -being of users that its watch has been able to save the lives of many people thanks to the differences in functions and sensors that it is capable of making available to users. In addition to this, it has also been and is the perfect accessory to be able to replace the iPhone at certain times and for certain tasks. In short, the Apple Watch was born and the doubts about whether such a watch was really useful were very present, doubts that have been completely resolved since this device has become indispensable in the lives of many of the users who have lucky enough to enjoy it on a daily basis.

The first models

As we have told you in the introduction to this post, we are going to review the entire history of the Apple Watch , to analyze each and every one of the models that Apple has been presenting over time. We start with the first three versions, which we can consider to be betas of what Apple really wanted to achieve with this watch, since the operation, although it was improving over time, was not what all users expected after the presentation event of the first version.

Apple Watch 1st generation

As we can see throughout this post, Apple began by calling the first model, Apple Watch 1st generation, to later introduce the last name Series in the rest of the devices. As we have mentioned, the first version of the Apple Watch was a device that practically did not reach the approval given the shortcomings it had in terms of its operation. But now we will talk about it.

In terms of design, the box was square, with two main screen sizes, 38 and 42 mm , which would remain in later models for several generations. It had a capacity of 8 GB of storage where, from the beginning, music could be saved. The chip it mounted was the S1 , and it was possibly one of the culprits that the fluidity within watchOS was conspicuous by its absence. The battery had enough autonomy to last a full day, yes, every night you had to leave the watch charging if you wanted to have enough autonomy to face the next day.

Of course, at the level of sensors this first version was already capable of measuring your heart rate in training, in addition to having an accelerometer and gyroscope to be able to measure in the most correct way possible each and every one of the activities that the user carried out. Finally, it was splash resistant , however, it was not submersible, so activities such as swimming or simply getting into the shower or pool with it could not be done with this first-generation Apple Watch.

Apple WatchSeries 1

Apple Watch updates begin, and now Series 1 does arrive, which really introduced very few improvements with respect to the 1st generation Apple Watch, since what Apple wanted to do was focus on improving the user experience that the watch provided. Aesthetically it was exactly the same as the first generation, the same finishes and also the same screen size, 38 and 42 mm .

The chip of the watch itself also evolved slightly, being called S1P, but the reality is that neither the fluidity nor the speed of the system improved enough to be able to consider that the Apple Watch was a device that fulfilled the functions that were initially assumed. that I had to fulfill. Apps opened very slowly and sometimes crashed even in the native apps themselves. At the battery level there was also no progress and the autonomy was still sufficient to get through the day.

As for the available sensors, there was no evolution either, since it still had the heart rate sensor that allowed the device to be able to measure the performance that users had throughout the day and, above all, in the different training sessions that could be recorded. through the Apple Watch. Water resistance is summed up in splash resistance, just like the first generation, so it was still not a device that you could put in the shower or in the pool.

Apple Watch Series 2

The team that Apple devised and dreamed of creating was already taking shape with this Apple Watch Series 2 which, now, finally improved what the first generation and Series 1 were capable of offering. Even so, it was still not able to offer a truly complete and satisfactory user experience . The changes at the design level did not occur, but new editions were introduced within this Series 2. On the one hand, the stainless steel and ceramic Apple Watch appeared, two much more sophisticated finishes that are here to stay.

In addition, two new versions based on collaborations with Hermès and Nike were also introduced, which would be repeated with each generation of Apple Watch. The sizes of the box were still 38 and 42 mm , and the chip evolved, being called S2 , and as we said, it already gave the device more fluidity and dynamism, however it was not capable of improving the autonomy of the watch, which continued to remain in a single day of use, according to the Cupertino company, up to 18 hours.

The Apple Watch Series 2 introduced several novelties, one of the most outstanding was the ability that gave the device to be submerged up to 50 meters deep , so now it could be used to record swimming training as well as introduce it both in the shower or in the pool without fear of damage. Another novelty was the inclusion of the ambient light sensor, which was added to the heart rate sensor.

The Apple Watch at its best

With the jump that occurred from Apple Watch Series 2 to Series 3 , then users could enjoy what this device promised in its first presentation. From the Apple Watch Series 3 onwards we can consider that this is a device that is worth buying and that, of course, it is capable of offering what has always been asked of it.

Apple Watch Series 3

The Apple Watch Series 3 marks a before and after in the life of this team. Finally , the fluidity and proper functioning of the applications is visible and, above all, users can enjoy it with capital letters, having the feeling that, finally, this equipment is what everyone expected. Of course, nothing changes at the design level , the body is exactly the same, with square sides and the same dimensions in both case sizes, 38 and 42 mm . Aesthetically there was no change in this Apple Watch model, since as we have told you, the Cupertino company focused mainly on making a really functional device.

Much of the blame for the Series 3 offering such optimal performance lies with Apple’s S3 chip , as well as watchOS that has been fully optimized for the most satisfying user experience possible. The fact of having a more optimal performance also made the battery improve slightly, although on paper Apple continues to claim that it has 18 hours of autonomy.

The water resistance remains at 50 meters, so users could use it to perform swimming, scuba diving or diving training, but without exceeding those 50 meters deep, in addition obviously to being able to use it in the pool or in the shower . If we talk about sensors, the optical heart sensor improves the performance and measurements made by the watch, the ambient light sensor is also maintained, as well as the accelerometer and the gyroscope, which help the metrics that the Apple Watch provides when you do sports be as accurate as possible.

Apple Watch Series 4

Apple first wanted everything to work like a charm, which really is the most important thing, and after achieving it with the Apple Watch Series 3, news began to arrive, first with the Series 4, and this was the first Apple Watch that after the launch of the first version, suffered a modification in its design and aesthetics . The square frames that were the hallmark of this device gave way to much more rounded ones, also following the line that other devices such as the iPhone or iPad already had.

That design change made Apple also introduce new features in the screen size of this Apple Watch Series 4, since the front was much more usable. In this way, the 38 mm became 40 mm , and the 42 mm became 44 mm , an increase that, without a doubt, is quite noticeable when using this device on a day-to-day basis, especially in the spheres, since much more information fits in them. Of course, it should be mentioned that Apple continued to market the versions of Hermès and Nike corresponding to each of the generations, including, of course, the Series 4.

One of the great changes of the Apple Watch was the possibility that it gave and gives users to be able to perform electrocardiograms, well, the Series 4 was the model that, for the first time, introduced this functionality among its features. It did so thanks to the inclusion of a new heart rate sensor, thus forming the pair of the electrical heart sensor and the optical heart sensor . In addition, the accelerometer was also improved.

One of the points that Apple considerably improved with this Series 4 were the speakers , allowing users who called through the clock to hear much better what the other person was communicating. In addition, Apple also increased the capacity of the watch itself, reaching 16 GB for all models , something that until then was reserved only for the GPS + Cellular model.

Finally, regarding the power of the Series 4, Apple introduced the S4 chip , which maintained the line that the Series 3 already marked in terms of fluidity and good user experience. In short, the Apple Watch Series 4 has been one of the models that has brought the most changes, being a really complete device.

Apple Watch Series 5

Both the Apple Watch Series 3 and the Series 4 represented a great change with respect to what this device had meant until now, therefore, after two generations with very substantial novelties, the Series 5 slowed down all that avalanche a bit, although that It does not mean that it did not incorporate new very interesting functions.

At the design level, everything remains the same as in the Apple Watch Series 4, with the same editions and box finishes. There were also not many changes in terms of its sensors, except for the optical heart rate sensor that increased from generation to the 2nd. However, at the health level, one of the great functions that has helped save the lives of many people was introduced in all this time, it is the detection of falls , meaning that when the watch detects that the user has fallen, sends a notification that has to be answered in a short space of time, since otherwise the Apple Watch itself will be in charge of calling both the contacts and the emergency services. Another novelty was the increase in the capacity of the Apple Watch , reaching up to 32 GB of internal memory .

However, the great novelty that Apple introduced in this Series 5 was the Always On screen , that is, a screen that is always on so that users can see its content at all times without having to touch the screen or activate it. through the movement of the wrist. However, this function was not fully optimized, causing the autonomy of the device to decrease, so many users of this equipment chose to deactivate this function and use the clock in the same way that it had been used in previous versions.

Apple Watch Series 6

After the small transition that the Apple Watch Series 5 entailed, the Series 6 came on strong, improving some aspects that had been somewhat stuck in the Series 5, and introducing very attractive new features for all users. As always we start by mentioning everything new that has to do with the design of the device, although nothing changes in its form, the Series 6 does introduce two new colors for all users . To the already existing silver, space gray and gold, blue and red (Product RED) are added, thus giving a much greater range of possibilities for all users.

In terms of performance, it improves the Series 5 , especially with the Always On screen activated , since now the autonomy is back to normal without the need for users to stop using a function that is really useful during the day a day. In terms of sensors, it maintains all those present in the previous model, reaching the third generation of the optical heart rate sensor , and with the great novelty of the blood oxygen sensor, which provides the function of measuring the saturation of people.

Apple Watch SE

Since the birth of the Apple Watch with the first generation in September 2014, all the launches of this device had been to increase the features of what was available until now. Well, imitating the movement that Apple has already made and has been carrying out for years with the iPhone SE, the Cupertino company brings to the market the Apple Watch SE, a cheaper model that, obviously, has lower features than the limit of range, which at the time is the Apple Watch Series 6.

In broad strokes we can say that the SE is an Apple Watch Series 4 but with some modifications . From the beginning at the design level it is the same, it simply does not have the blue and red finishes that are present in the Series 6. The performance is really good , at the same level as the rest of the models, so there is nothing that changes in battery . Where Apple has cut back with this Apple Watch SE is in the sensors and health functions provided by its older brothers. It only has the second-generation optical heart rate sensor , so it can’t do electrocardiograms, much less measure people’s blood saturation. What it does have, fortunately, is fall detection.

It is an Apple Watch designed for those users who really want it to be able to measure the workouts and manage the notifications that also enter their iPhone. Preferring to do without health functions such as electrocardiograms or blood oxygen measurement in exchange for being able to obtain a much cheaper device.

Apple Watch Series 7

After several generations, specifically since the Series 4, in which the Apple Watch has not suffered any variation in the size of its screen, the Series 7 arrives, without modifying the design, to reduce the frames that the previous models of 40 and 44 mm had, to maximize the use of screen and thus generating two new models of 41 and 45 mm . In addition, it also introduces a great novelty, since it makes space gray, silver and gold finishes say goodbye, to introduce midnight, star white, green, blue and red (Product RED) . We can consider this movement historical, since both space gray and silver had been colors that have accompanied the Apple Watch throughout its history, until this Series 7.

In addition to this, we must highlight a new functionality that this Apple Watch model presents, and it is fast charging . Apple has not been able, at least until this Series 7, to introduce a longer battery life, so it has chosen to make users have to leave their Apple Watch on the charger for less time, in this way with a few minutes, they can have the device at 100% and make the most of it. This fast charge is mainly intended for users who use this device to record their hours of sleep and measure the constants to really see the real rest.

For the rest, there are no more news regarding the Series 6, it maintains all the sensors , such as blood oxygen, the electrical heart rate sensor and the 3rd generation optical heart rate sensor. Of course, it maintains fall detection, something vital and that, so far, has been able to save many lives.