Apple announces the Apple watch series 8 and the new Apple watch SE

Apple has announced the Apple watch series 8 and the new Apple watch SE, which brings advanced technology and performance.  

The Series 8 model features an always-on retina display, crack-resistant front crystal, and 18-hour battery life.

The company says the Apple watch series 8 builds on health and safety features like the ECG app and fall detection by introducing temperature-sensing capabilities, retrospective ovulation estimates and crash detection. 

Apple says the new Apple watch SE delivers activity tracking, high and low heart rate notifications, emergency SOS, and crash detection features.  

Both models are powered by watchOS 9, workout app, sleep stages, AFib history feature and medication apps.

Wrist temperature sensing for women's health

The Apple watch series 8 features new temperature-sensing capabilities that give women further insights into their health, designed with the same privacy protections as other health data.  

The Series 8 model features temperature sensing with a two-sensor design, one sensor on the back of the watch, nearest the skin, and another under the display.  

The sensors in the Apple watch series 8 sample the wrist temperature during sleep every five seconds and measure changes. In the Health app, users can see nightly shifts in baseline temperature, which can be caused by exercise, jet lag or even illness.

Users can receive retrospective ovulation estimates by utilising the new temperature-sensing capabilities, knowing when ovulation has occurred. In addition, temperature sensing enables improved period predictions. 

With iOS 16 and watchOS 9, all cycle tracking users receive a notification if their logged cycle history shows a possible deviation, such as irregular, infrequent or prolonged periods and persistent spotting.  

Crash detection 

The company says they have developed a sensor-fusion algorithm that leverages a gyroscope and accelerometer, which has the highest dynamic range accelerometer in any smartwatch. 

Data is collected from the motion sensors at crash test labs with ordinary passenger cars in simulated real-world accidents, including head-on, rear-end, side-impact and rollovers. 

In addition to motion data, crash detection uses the barometer, GPS and the microphone on iPhone as inputs to detect the patterns that can indicate whether a severe crash has occurred.

When the Apple watch detects a severe car crash, the device will check in with the user and dial emergency services.

Emergency responders receive the user's device location, which is shared with the user's emergency contacts. 

Low power mode

Low power mode extends the battery life to 36 hours with iPhone present, which limits select sensors and features, including the always-on retina display, workout autostart and heart health notifications.  

Apple Watch and the environment 

Both models are designed to minimise environmental impact and are made with 100% recycled aluminium in the case, 100% recycled tungsten in the taptic engine and 100% recycled rare earth elements in all magnets. 

Both models feature 100% recycled gold in the plating, free of mercury, BFRs, PVC and beryllium. 

94% of the packaging is fibre-based, bringing Apple closer to its goal to remove plastic from all packaging by 2025.