Apple debuted the new Apple Watch Series 2 at their media event earlier today, unveiling a new model that offers much improved water resistance, a powerful dual-core processor, built-in GPS, and an improved GPU. Apple Watch Series 2 will be available in more than 25 countries beginning Friday, September 16.
Improved Processing and Graphics Capabilities
Apple System in Package (SiP) for Apple Watch has been improved, with a second-generation S2 chip, offering a dual-core processor, making the Apple Watch up to 50% faster. The Watch also boasts a new GPU, which delivers up to 2x the graphics performance of the original Apple Watch.
Improved Display
A dramatically brighter display offers improved visibility when outside, even on a sunny day. The display brightness weighs in at at 1,000 nits, it’s more than two times brighter, making it the brightest display Apple has ever shipped on a device.
Fitness & Health (Improved Water Resistance)
The Apple Watch Series 2 is rated water resistant 50 meters, making it perfect for those who get their exercise while swimming. Apple developed all-new algorithms to develop two new workout options: pool and open water. The Apple Watch Series 2 can count laps, track average lap pace and auto-detect stroke type to accurately measure active calorie burn.
The new Watch offers a built-in GPS, which means it can now record precise distance, pace and speed for outdoor workouts such as walking, running or cycling, while leaving the iPhone at home. Users can begin an outdoor workout immediately, as the Apple Watch Series 2 uses Wi-Fi, GPS and locally stored satellite data to quickly identify their location. At the end of an outdoor workout, users can open the Activity app on their iPhone to view a route map that shows variations in speed.
Pricing and Availability
The Apple Watch Series 2 will be available in 38mm and 42mm case sizes, with an aluminum or stainless steel case, and will offer new band colors. It will be available in gold, rose gold, silver or space gray aluminum, or silver or space black stainless steel cases paired with a wide variety of bands starting at $369.
The Apple Watch Edition will come in a ceramic case. Ceramic is four times harder than stainless steel, and the case will be offered in a white, pearl-like finish, which is extremely scratch resistant. The new ceramic Apple Watch Edition starts at $1249.
The original Apple Watch will still be available, and will be rebranded as the Apple Watch Series 1. It will be available in aluminum, and will feature the new dual-core processor and GPU, but otherwise will be the same as the first-gen model, and will start at $269.
An Apple Watch Nike + model will also be available, starting at $369. More about that in another post.
Customers will be able to order Apple Watch Series 1, Apple Watch Series 2 and Apple Watch Edition beginning Friday, September 9, with availability beginning Friday, September 16, in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UAE, the UK and the US.
