Apple Watch Series 10 preview: Bigger and slimmer but not longer lasting

It’s been ten years since the dawn of the Apple Watch, but despite rumours to the contrary, Apple hasn’t launched a special X version as it did with the tenth iPhone. Instead, it has unveiled the Apple Watch Series 10, instead contenting itself with the biggest redesign for its smartwatch in years.

Announced alongside the company’s new iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max smartphones and the Apple AirPods 4, the Watch Series 10 has a slimmer profile, a larger screen and a faster chip inside, is available with a luxurious titanium body, and comes with a handful of key new health and fitness-related features.

There’s no Apple Watch Ultra 3, alas, just a new satin black finish.

Apple Watch Series 10 preview: Specifications, Price and release date

• Larger screen sizes: 46mm and 42mm sizes
• Colours and finishes: Aluminium (new jet black colour, rose gold, silver) and titanium (gold, slate, natural)
• Wide-angle OLED display with Ion-X glass (aluminium version) or sapphire crystal (titanium model)
• Thinner watch body: 9.7mm
• Apple S10 chip
• 18-hour battery life
• Fast charging: 30mins to 80%
• WatchOS 11
• New software features: Sleep apnea detection, translate app, tide app, depth gauge and water temperature sensor to 6m depth
• Price: From £399
• Availability: Pre-order now from Apple.com for shipment on 20 September

Apple Watch Series 10 preview: Key features and first impressions

The biggest update for this year’s Apple Watch is a change to the watch’s screen sizes, which rise for the first time since 2017 up to 46mm and 42mm from the previous 45mm and 41mm respectively. That doesn’t sound like much but the screen on the larger Series 10 is now slightly larger than that on the 49mm Apple Watch Ultra.

That’s a dramatic increase, the likes of which we’ve never seen before from Apple with its wearables and the company has also improved the screen technology, moving from regular OLED to what it calls “wide-angle OLED”, which it says is 40% brighter when viewed from an off-angle than on the previous watch. And you’ll be able to see the second-hand tick by, second by second while the watch is in always-on display mode as well.

The Apple Watch Series 10 not only has a larger screen, it is also slimmer, now measuring 9.7mm from front to back, and is available in titanium, a premium material that replaces the heavier stainless steel of the previous generation, with sapphire crystal glass topping the disply. The aluminium version, which still comes with “Ion-X” glass, is available in a new jet-black polished finish.

Alas, there’s still no meaningful change to the efficiency of the Apple Watch and WatchOS. Apple says the battery will last 18 hours, which is about a full day and no longer. There is faster charging, getting you to 80% in 30 minutes, which compensates a little, but you will still have to charge it once a day in most circumstances.

Otherwise, the changes are largely to the software side of things and, as usual, Apple is adding a handful of new health and fitness-related features here, including the much anticipated and rumour-reported sleep apnea sensing.

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that causes sufferers to briefly stop breathing while in bed, causing poor sleep, snoring and headaches, among other symptoms. And it’s something that, if undiagnosed can cause serious health problems later in life.

As with other health-related features such as the ECG and high heart-rate alerts, the Watch Series 10 will then advise the user to consult a doctor rather than offering any medical advice itself.

But also just like previous updates to the Apple Watch’s health features, it won’t be available right away, and is still awaiting FDA approval. The good news is that it’ll be available in 150 plus countries this month according to Apple, which should cover most markets.

Other improvements include the ability to measure water depth and temperature, just like the Apple Watch Ultra 2, adding the ability to track your snorkelling and diving activities down to 6m depth. There’s a new app coming that tracks the tides, so you can avoid getting caught out when you’re down at the beach or kayaking, too.

Apple’s translate app is arriving on the Watch Series 10 and the watch can now for the first time play media, although this probably won’t sound all that great.

Apple Watch Series 10 preview: Early verdict

The Apple Watch Series 10 looks like a pretty big update. The new look is sleek and the larger screen size and wide-angle tech is certainly welcome. We’ll have to wait and see if that suits smaller wrists, but I have a sneaking suspicion it’ll look just fine.

The new sleep apnea detection has the potential to have a big impact, and it’s great to see titanium make the grade as well.

As usual with an Apple launch event, you’ll be able to preorder the Apple Watch 10 from today and it will start arriving with customers from 20 September. Prices start at £399.