[NEW] Apple Watch SE: combines elements of the Series 6 design with the most essential features, all at a more affordable price!

Apple announces the newest Apple Watch SE, packing the essential features of Apple Watch into modern design customers love — all at a more affordable price.

Apple Watch SE features a stunning Retina display, with thin borders and curved corners, that is 30 per cent larger than Series 3. The interface allows for large and easy-to-read app icons and fonts, while complications are precise and informative. A variety of new watch faces are optimised for the display, so customers can easily view notifications, text messages, workout metrics, and more.

With the S5 System in Package (SiP) and a dual-core processor, Apple Watch SE delivers incredibly fast performance, up to two times faster than Apple Watch Series 3. The Digital Crown with haptic feedback generates incremental clicks with an extraordinary mechanical feel as it is rotated. Apple Watch SE features the latest speaker and microphone, which are optimised for better sound quality for phone calls, Siri, and Walkie-Talkie, along with Bluetooth 5.0.

Advanced Fitness Features

The next-generation always-on altimeter provides real-time elevation all day long by using a new, more power-efficient barometric altimeter, along with GPS and nearby Wi-Fi networks. This feature allows for the detection of small elevation changes above ground level, up and down to the measurement of 1 foot, and can be shown as a new watch face complication or workout metric.

The built-in compass provides users with better directions and compass headings, in addition to incline, elevation, and latitude and longitude. Users can add one of three new Compass complications to their watch face, and developers can take advantage of compass information in their apps to create rich experiences.

Health and Safety

With Emergency SOS on Apple Watch, customers can quickly and easily call for help and alert emergency services with just a push of a button. For added personal safety while travelling, users with cellular models of Apple Watch SE can complete international calls to emergency services, regardless of where the device was originally purchased or if the cellular plan has been activated.

Fall detection uses a custom algorithm and the latest accelerometer and gyroscope in Apple Watch SE to detect when a user falls. By analysing wrist trajectory and impact acceleration, Apple Watch sends the user an alert after a hard fall, which can be dismissed or used to initiate a call to emergency services. If the watch senses immobility for approximately 60 seconds after the fall, it will automatically call emergency services and play an audio message that provides the user’s location as latitude and longitude coordinates, in addition to sending a message to emergency contacts.

To provide enhanced insights into hearing health, Apple Watch SE utilises the latest-generation microphone to measure ambient sound levels in a user’s environment. Apple Watch SE sends a notification if the decibel level of surrounding sound has risen to a point that it could cause damage and users can check noise levels at any time through the Noise app or Noise watch face complication.

watchOS 7

With watchOS 7, customers can take personalisation to the next level with seven new watch face options, including Stripes, Chronograph Pro, GMT, and Artist, while curating, discovering, and sharing new watch face configurations with others.

New health and fitness features, including low-range VO2 Max, sleep tracking, automatic handwashing detection, and new workout types, can help users better understand overall well-being. Conveniently accessible on the wrist, Maps includes cycling directions and Siri offers language translation.

Pricing and Availability

• Apple Watch SE (GPS) starts at S$419 and Apple Watch SE (GPS + Cellular) starts at S$499.
• Apple Watch SE (GPS) is available to order today at the Apple website and in the Apple Store app, with availability beginning 18 September in the US, Puerto Rico, and 27 other countries and regions.
• Apple Watch SE (GPS + Cellular) is available to order today at the Apple website and in the Apple Store app, with availability beginning 18 September in the US, Puerto Rico, and 21 other countries and regions. For carrier availability, visit here.
• New Apple Watch bands are available to order today at the Apple website and in the Apple Store app, with availability beginning Friday, September 18. Solo Loop and Braided Solo Loop in PRODUCT(RED) will be available in late October. Solo Loop and Braided Solo Loop are compatible with Apple Watch Series 4 and later.
• watchOS 7 will be available for Apple Watch Series 3 or later on 17 September and requires iPhone 6s or later running iOS 14. Not all features are available on all devices.
• When customers buy directly from Apple, Apple Watch Studio gives them the exclusive opportunity to pick their preferred case and band combination to create a look that is uniquely their own.

Customers looking for convenient, contactless service are able to find many of the same shopping and support services here.

In-store pickup is also available. Customers are encouraged to check here for more information on the health and safety measures in place, and the services available at their local store.

Customers can extend their limited warranty with AppleCare+ and get accidental damage coverage and 24/7 priority access to technical support. Also, those who buy Apple Watch directly from Apple can enjoy a free Online Personal Session with an Apple Specialist to help them explore and discover all the amazing things they can do with their Apple Watch.

In line with Apple’s commitment to the environment, the Apple Watch SE case is made from 100 per cent recycled aluminium. In addition, Apple is removing the AC adapter that could become electronic waste from Apple Watch SE packaging and helping its Apple Watch manufacturing partners transition to renewable energy.

Family Setup and Optimised Features for the Entire Family

Family Setup in watchOS 7 extends Apple Watch to the entire family by allowing kids and older family members of the household who do not have an iPhone to benefit from the connectivity, safety, and fitness features of Apple Watch.

Kids can take advantage of communication and personalisation capabilities, access Emergency SOS at any time, enjoy an Activity rings experience that has been optimised just for them, and utilise a new mode called Schooltime, which can help them stay focused and attentive while learning at home or in the classroom.

watchOS 7 also offers optimised features for older adults, starting with a simplified onboarding and configuration process, along with a refreshed X-Large face that shows the time and a rich complication at a glance.

Older adults can also benefit from a new Health Checklist in the Health app on the iPhone, which offers the ability to track whether health features like fall detection have been enabled in one centralised view.