During the tech giant’s fall hardware event, Apple revealed the next device in its smartwatch line, the Apple Watch Series 6.
The successor to the Series 5 includes the ability to measure blood oxygen levels via infrared light. Apple says it takes 15 seconds to measure blood oxygen levels that are then stored in Apple’s health app. It’s important to note that blood oxygen level detection is coming to Canada at launch. This is in contrast to the Series 4’s ECG functionality making its way to Canada several months after its U.S. release.
Apple says it worked “closely with investigators” at the Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research and the Peter Munk Cardiac Center at the University Health Network, in order to gain a better understanding of how blood oxygen measurements and “other Apple Watch metrics can help with the management of heart failure.”
The watch’s design is identical to the look it introduced with the Series 4 and Series 5. Other improvements include a new S6 processor, which Apple says is 20 percent faster and based on the tech giant’s A13 chip. This marks the first significant update to the Apple Watch in terms of power since the Series 4. The smartwatch’s always-on display is also 2.5 times brighter than the Series 5’s.
The Series 6 runs watchOS 7, which Apple first showed off during its all-digital WWDC event earlier this year. The operating system update — which will work with all Apple Watches dating back to the Series 3 — finally brings Sleep Tracking support to the wearable. Finally, watchOS 7 also includes additional workouts, a hand-washing feature and more detailed Complications.
Along with the Series 6, Apple also revealed a new Watch Band called the ‘Solo Loop.’ The new band doesn’t feature a clasp, but is stretchable and comes in several different sizes. Further, there’s also another version of the Solo Loop made of braided material, as well as a revamped version of Apple’s Leather Link Band.
Series 6 will be available in ‘Gold,’ ‘Graphite,’ and ‘Blue.’ For the first time, Apple is also releasing a ‘Product Red’ version of the Apple Watch Series 6.
Apple Watch Series 6 (GPS) starts at $529 (CAD) and the Watch Series 6 (GPS + Cellular) starts at $659 (CAD). The Series 6 devices are available to pre-order today from Apple Canada and will be available Friday, September 18th.
Along with the Series 6, Apple also announced an entry-level version of its smartwatch called the Apple Watch SE and a new iPad Air.
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