Chapter 1

Buying Your Apple Watch

IN THIS CHAPTER

Discover what's new in Apple Watch models and watchOS 9

Choose the best Apple Watch for you

Understand what else you need

Find out where to buy an Apple Watch

Explore what’s in the box

Take a look at the device

Get help for your Apple Watch

No doubt you’ve seen the little glass-covered watches with the (usually) colorful bands on the wrists of the young, the old, and the in-betweens. You’ll often catch the wearers stealing a glimpse at their wrist multiple times over a period of time, but they’re not always checking the time. They’re checking text messages. Or being informed that they’ve reached their activity goals for the day. Or perhaps they’re being reminded of a pending appointment. Maybe they’re viewing a photo of their grandchildren or even holding a phone conversation with them. Or maybe they’re translating something they read in a language they don’t understand. Or — and how’s this for cool — they're administering an electrocardiogram on themselves. Yes, with an Apple Watch, you can do those things and more, right from your wrist. You, dear reader, are about to be immersed in the world of Apple Watch, and I’m grateful to be your guide.

In this chapter, you learn about the various models of Apple Watch, as well as where to buy one. You also explore what's inside the Apple Watch box, find out what the buttons on the side are for, and discover where to get help if you should ever need it — beyond the little book in your hands, that is.

Discover the Newest Apple Watch Models and watchOS 9

Apple Watch gets its functionality from the combination of its hardware and its software operating system (called watchOS, which is short for Apple Watch operating system). The most current version of the operating system is watchOS 9. It’s helpful to understand which new features the latest models and watchOS version offer the Apple Watch wearer (all of which are covered in much more detail throughout this book).

The newest Apple Watches to grace the lineup are Apple Watch Series 8 (shown in Figure 1-1), Apple Watch SE (second generation), and Apple Watch Ultra (seen in Figure 1-2). Although other smartwatches are on the market, Apple Watches are the smartwatch equivalent of William James Sidis. (I encourage you to look him up if you haven’t heard of him.) Others may work with Android devices and some have more of a fitness bent, but none come close to Apple’s offering. Sorry, but this is a book about Apple Watch written by an Apple fan for other Apple fans, so there will be no tomfoolery with further discussions of “competitors.” I digress…

Apple Watch Series 8 is a continuation of the most popular model in Apple’s line of smartwatches, boasting several new and updated features, including:

• Always-on display
• Built-in temperature sensor
• Crash detection
• Low-power mode

Most versions of the Series 8 are mid-range in terms of cost.

The second generation of the Apple Watch SE is Apple’s lower-cost model but is by no means a slouch. New and updated features include:

• Crash detection
• Optical heart-rate sensor
• A powerful S8 chip

Apple has also released the ultimate tough, rugged, take-almost-anywhere and do-almost-anything Apple Watch yet: the Apple Watch Ultra. Here are a few features that set it apart:

• 36-hour battery life
• Dual-frequency GPS
• Flat sapphire crystal face and aerospace-grade titanium body
• All-new Action button
• The Depth app for divers

Consider acquiring AppleCare+, which is Apple’s extended warranty, currently priced for two years at $49 for Apple Watch SE, $79 for Apple Watch Series 8, and $99 for Apple Watch Ultra. The cost is $149 for three years for the far more expensive Apple Watch Hermès (essentially an extremely souped-up model of Apple Watch Series 8). AppleCare+ extends the warranties of the respective models, and includes unlimited incidents of accidental damage (at a nominal extra cost, depending on the model). The accidental damage coverage could more than cover the cost of repairing your Apple Watch without it. Visit www.apple.com/support/products/watch/ to learn more.

This book is based on version 9 of watchOS, which is supported for Apple Watch Series 4, Apple Watch Series 5, Apple Watch SE, Apple Watch Series 6, Apple Watch Series 7, Apple Watch Series 8, and Apple Watch Ultra. This update to the operating system adds many features, including (but most certainly not limited to) the following:

• Four new customizable and shareable watch faces
• Sleep stage tracking
• Custom workouts
• Redesigned notifications
• Apple Watch mirroring, which allows you to control your Apple Watch using your iPhone’s display
• AFib (atrial fibrillation) history
• A new Medications app for tracking your medications

Not all features of watchOS 9 work with every Apple Watch model. If you have an older Apple Watch, you may not be able to use certain watchOS 9 features due to hardware limitations.

These are but some of the improvements made to the latest version of watchOS. Please consider visiting www.apple.com/watchos/watchos-9 to discover more.

Choose the Right Apple Watch for You

There’s an Apple Watch out there that’s just right for you, trust me. This gadget is the most customizable Apple’s ever offered, and there’s a style to suit every taste.

Apple sells several versions of Apple Watch at various price and consumer focus points. Apple Watch Series 8 is the most popular of the newest models, so that will be the primary focus of this section, but I will make some comparisons between it, the Apple Watch SE (second generation), and the Apple Watch Ultra (which are the other new models Apple currently sells).

Apple Watch Series 8 models come in 41mm and 45mm case sizes, SE models come in 40mm and 44mm, and Ultra comes in 49mm.

You might think “the larger the better” applies here when it comes to tapping on the screen of your Apple Watch, and that may be true if you have larger wrists and fingers. However, small wrists have necessitated my use of the 40mm and older 38mm cases for years, and I’ve had no trouble at all.

When selecting your Apple Watch, you’ll need to select not only a size for your case but a wealth of other choices:

• Case material: Apple Watch Series 8 comes in aluminum and stainless steel.
• Case color: Apple Watch Series 8 offers a multitude of case colors (each depending on the material you select):
  • Midnight (aluminum)
  • Starlight (aluminum)
  • Product RED (aluminum)
  • Silver (aluminum)
  • Gold (stainless steel)
  • Graphite (stainless steel)
  • Space Black (stainless steel)
• Band: Selecting a band might be your most time-consuming task, as there is no shortage of colors (you name it!), styles (loops, bands, wraps, and more) and material types (rubber, leather, metals, fabrics, and so on) to choose from.
• Cellular or non-cellular: Every Apple Watch has GPS, but you can also opt for the GPS + cellular model, which allows you to use it with or without your iPhone for calls, texts, and more activities that require a data connection. Visit www.apple.com/watch/cellular/ to find a full list of cellular carriers for the Apple Watch model you’d like to use.

Some differences between Apple Watch models come from the current operating...