It was the first thing chief executive Tim Cook talked about at Apple's biggest event of the year, the September one. And he did not mince words, claiming right away that it was a “beautiful new design”. Then the promo video played and... it was the same old design with some slight tweaks!
“What a disappointment!”, I thought. A couple of my co-workers laughed out loud. We all dismissed the Apple Watch Series 10 design as yet another weird Apple marketing effort.
The company, of course, kept on going, creating grandiose expectations. The Apple Watch Series 10 apparently had Apple's “biggest display and thinnest design ever”. Me and the team at the office double-checked against the Apple Watch Ultra screen size and while Apple was technically correct, the change in screen size was so insignificant, you wouldn't notice. Even if you had a magnifying glass.
The Series 10 screen is slightly bigger than the Apple Watch Ultra. I DARE you to spot the difference
The disappointments just piled up, and by the end of the Apple Watch segment in the keynote, I already pictured yet another boring Apple Watch arriving for review.
My thoughts after actually using the Apple Watch Series 10
On paper, the Series 10 looks like an incredibly minor upgrade.
But once I actually put it on my wrist, I realized I was wrong: this new Apple Watch actually felt different than all others I've used before that.
Sure, it still was NOT a totally new design, I will not give Apple that.
But it had changed in one very important way – the slight reduction in thickness and weight made me forget I was wearing it.
A seemingly small change in thickness and weight makes a big difference for me (Image by PhoneArena)
I did not even realize this was on my wishlist before I experienced it in person, but the Series 10 is just so much more comfortable to wear! I absolutely hate wearing watches to track my sleep, but with the Series 10, I could practically forget it was there.
Another benefit of this that I did not expect was with workouts. I took up running a few months ago, and because of the rectangular shape of Apple Watch previously, they would just kind of swing and dangle around on my arm as I was moving faster. They strangely still managed to got quite accurate readings, but I had to strap them in extra tight and the feeling was annoying.
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The Series 10 is the first Apple Watch, where I no longer experience this dangling when I'm running. Because of its slimmer and lighter profile it just “sticks” to my hand so much better.
The new Series 10 is also a bit more rounded, another subtle change that allows it to wear more comfortably than ever before.
But... it doesn't have the battery life of the Apple Watch Ultra!
The battery life of the Apple Watch Series 10 remains the same as on all previous models, or in other words – you have to charge it daily!
That is really annoying, and for many people this alone was a reason to switch to the Apple Watch Ultra.
But if you have a smaller wrist size, like I do, there is just no way the Apple Watch Ultra can ever feel comfortable to wear.
And while I wish that Apple invented a way to let the Series 10 last at least two days between charges, I have to admit: I was wrong to laugh off these smaller design changes as insignificant. The Series 10 is not brand new in terms of looks, but it sure feels brand new in the way it feels and wears on my wrist. And for me, that might just be the one upgrade I needed all along.
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Victor, a seasoned mobile technology expert, has spent over a decade at PhoneArena, exploring the depths of mobile photography and reviewing hundreds of smartphones across Android and iOS ecosystems. His passion for technology, coupled with his extensive knowledge of smartphone cameras and battery life, has positioned him as a leading voice in the mobile tech industry.
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