Today in Cupertino, Apple introduced a slew of new products, including the new iPhone (iPhone 11) and the all-new Apple Watch Series 5. I have been closely following Apple Watch since its debut, and I am thrilled to see that my main issue with the Apple Watch has finally been addressed in the very well-balanced Series 5 collection, which includes an almost dizzying array of options. Since the Apple Watch Series 1, I have advocated for Apple to develop an Apple Watch with an always-on display. I have written extensively about why always-on displays are very important from a consumer perspective when it comes to the fashionability and personalization of smartwatches.
In fact, always-on displays not only help the Apple Watch Series 5 to be more expressive as a wearable piece of fashionable technology but also aid in legibility. This is because users do not need to experience a delay between the moment they want to read information on their wrist and the moment that information appears on the screen. Apple calls the new Apple Watch state the 'Always-On Retina Display,' and while it works in its own way, Apple watches now join a number of competing smartwatches that are also equipped with always-on displays. In my view, the Apple Watch Series 5 Always-On Retina Display is the most important new feature.
Apple made the Apple Watch Series 5 with the Always-On feature possible by using an LTPO (low-temperature polycrystalline oxide) Retina display. LTPO allows the watch to change the display's refresh rate, lowering it to 1 Hertz in Always-On mode and increasing it to 60 Hertz when the owner interacts with the watch and its screen. Thus, the Always-On mode is not just a software tweak - it is based on an entirely new display. The screen will still be dimmed when your wrist is not raised, but now you can check the time discreetly.
Consumers love options and the ability to visually stand out from other users, which is why Apple continues to offer so many options of case finishes, materials, and straps. To some extent, this is an uphill battle because many consumers strive to purchase the Apple Watch at the lowest price. This means that most Apple Watches are base models with the most affordable straps. However, Apple does its best to encourage people to invest in more expensive straps/bracelets and versions of the Apple Watch over time, especially when they buy their second, third, and fourth Apple Watches.
Apple Watch Series 5 comes in so many varieties that it is impossible to cover them all in this article. Suffice it to say that Apple Watch Series 5 comes in 40 mm and 44 mm cases, but not all styles are available in both sizes. The larger 44 mm case has the most style options. At the entry-level, Apple Watch Series 5 includes a wide range of aluminum cases with various finishes, as well as new Apple Watch Nike models. Most of the models that Apple will sell will be made of aluminum or polished steel.
Things get more interesting when you move to the Apple Watch Hermes or the new Apple Watch Edition models. Here we see that Apple continues to draw inspiration from the traditional watch industry, adding titanium as a material, offering black steel with DLC coating (diamond-like carbon), and, again, white ceramic. It is worth noting that Apple does not offer bare titanium, as it wears down too easily; they apply a coating to titanium that resists scratches and fingerprints.
Overall, Apple did not drastically change the appearance of the Apple Watch, but the Apple Watch Series 5 truly expands consumer choice and visual diversity, as well as introduces some new hardware and software features that help improve the odds when consumers compare Apple Watch to competitors.
Apple even made its popular App Store available on the Apple Watch and created a brand-new online studio 'Apple Watch Studio,' which is a significantly improved way to mix and match Apple Watch cases and straps to select the combination that suits you. In my opinion, this is very important, as choosing an Apple Watch and its accompanying strap is far from the most challenging choice a consumer has to make out of all existing Apple products.
What else is new in the Apple Watch Series 5? They come with the operating system Apple Watch OS 6 - a long-awaited gradual update. I have not used it yet, but the new features, including the compass and the new range of watch faces, will undoubtedly appeal to users and provide enjoyment in play. Apple also markets the Apple Watch as a watch now equipped with an emergency international call function, which is very important since the previous generation of Apple Watches had limited capabilities when traveling abroad outside their country. This is not entirely an Apple problem but more related to the complex network systems of communication tools in different countries around the world.
As a lover of traditional watches, I am most interested in Apple's strong statements about fashion and technology, which the company continues to make with the Apple Watch Hermes and Apple Watch Edition. The Apple Watch Hermes is where Apple decided to offer a steel model with black DLC coating, as well as a selection of very beautiful straps. The Apple Watch Hermes in sporty black with a matching black strap might very well become 'the' fashionable Apple Watch Series 5 this season.
The Apple Watch Edition is truly intended for enthusiasts, and here you will see Apple's return to white ceramic, as well as titanium. White ceramic is where Apple Watch Edition Series 5 reaches its peak in price, while titanium models are slightly cheaper. I think that over the last few generations of Apple Watches, Apple has struggled to understand what types of consumers are interested in the Apple Watch Edition (the first watches were made of pure gold), and continues to use these less mainstream and more expensive Apple Watches to experiment and meet the needs of high-level enthusiasts (who are usually traditional watch lovers). We also see that Apple continues to pay homage to the traditional watch industry when it comes to materials used, strap design ethics, and of course, watch faces. Apple remains the biggest fan of the traditional watch industry compared to all other major smartwatch manufacturers. Personally, I am very eager to get acquainted with the new Apple Watch Series 5 in a titanium case.
The prices for Apple Watch Series 5 in aluminum and polished steel remain quite reasonable: $399 - $429 (the price difference depends on the case size) in aluminum cases and $699 - $749 in steel. This is what most consumers will spend. Prices for the Apple Watch Hermes and Apple Watch Edition are higher, but not by much when it comes to titanium cases. Prices for the Apple Watch Hermes range from $1,249 to $1,399 for steel models, depending on size and strap.
The price of the Apple Watch Edition Series 5 in a titanium case is $799 - $899. The price for the Apple Watch Series 5 Ceramic is from $1,299 to $1,399 USD.