Apple Watch SE: A worthy competitor to Samsung, Fitbit smartwatches
After months of rumors and leaks, Apple Watch SE, the affordable member of the Apple Watch family, has finally been unveiled. The new wearable draws capabilities from its top-end siblings but makes some notable compromises to stick to a low-key price tag in India and other parts of the world. Here's all you need to know about it.
Watch SE: A mix of recent Apple Watches
In simple terms, Watch SE can be described as a mix of Apple Watches unveiled in the last two years. It shares the look and heart-rate monitor of the Watch Series 5 as well as the accelerometer, gyroscope, and the always-on altimeter of the Series 6. Plus, there are several WatchOS-specific features to rely on, including sleep-tracking, handwash detection, fall detection, and emergency calling.
S5 chipset from Watch Series 5
Under the hood, the Watch SE uses the S5 chipset, which is a year old processor and 20% slower than the Series 6. Still, for people who have been stuck on their old Apple Watches, the company claims that the new Watch SE will deliver up to two times better performance than what we saw on the Series 3 and older models.
Evidently, some key functions are missing
However, before going ahead, do keep in mind that Watch SE misses out on some key capabilities Apple has touted in the last few years. This includes the ECG functionality that debuted with Series 4, the always-on display that launched with Series 5, and Series 6's ability to measure blood oxygen levels on the go, using red and infrared light.
Three aluminum cases, multiple band options
The Watch SE comes in 40mm and 44mm sizes with three different aluminum case options. It is compatible with all Apple bands, including the new buckle-less silicon Solo Loop, yarn braided Solo Loop, and Leather Link. The GPS-only version of the watch starts at Rs. 29,900 in India, while the one with both GPS and cellular connectivity starts at Rs. 33,900.
No availability details yet
As of now, Apple has not announced when the new Watch SE will be available in India. However, it will be interesting to see how the affordable smartwatch from the Cupertino giant takes on similarly-priced alternatives from Samsung and Fitbit. Notably, Apple will also keep selling Watch Series 3 as its most affordable smartwatch, priced at $199.
