Apple Watch Extremely Palms-On: A Big, Dear Smartwatch With a New Look

This story is a part of Focal Level iPhone 2022, CNET’s assortment of stories, ideas and recommendation round Apple’s hottest product.

The Apple Watch Extremely, introduced alongside the Apple Watch Collection 8 at Apple’s “Far Out” product occasion, stands out as the largest change we have seen to Apple’s watch line-up in years. It arrives Sept. 23, per week after the Watch Collection 8. And it is most positively not a glance — or a value — for everybody.

Apple’s watch lineup has been slowly increasing, very similar to the iPhone line did. Apple used to solely launch one watch a yr, however the Apple Watch SE launched a extra reasonably priced mannequin to the combination. The Apple Watch Extremely goes in the wrong way: It is dearer, however not like earlier fashion-driven Version watches, the Extremely is aiming for operate… and endurance. Additionally, it is by far the largest Apple Watch of the lineup.

Subsequent to the Apple Watch SE and Watch Collection 8, the Extremely is just like the Apple model of a Casio G-Shock. The brand new design pushes its crown and aspect button into an prolonged aspect half that, alongside the brand new watch’s greater case and curved-with-flat-display contours, make it appear extra James Cameron than any earlier Apple Watch.

However, as you may see from a side-by-side comparability, it is not a drastic departure. The distinctive look would possibly even enchantment to some individuals who would favor a bulkier or bolder watch design. In its personal means, it is a extra eye-catching transfer than Apple’s earlier, extra refined Version case finishes.

Apple/Dawnthea Value Lisco/CNET

Preorder your Apple Watch Extremely from Apple with costs beginning at $799. Units begin transport on Sept. 23.

The brand new watch has a titanium case, sapphire flat entrance crystal, and 49mm case measurement with a brighter show (2,000 nits). There is a new devoted second button, an improved speaker and a transparent, ruggedized design. Mobile can also be the one mannequin it is available in. It is numerous new options. 

The Extremely’s largest new function, a considerably bigger battery, is one thing the Apple Watch hasn’t had because it debuted. The standard Apple Watch battery life is a few day and a half; the Extremely guarantees extra: 36 hours of full-power use, ramping as much as 60-plus hours in reduced-function low energy mode.

There’s additionally a brand new watch face known as Wayfinder with additional readings for out of doors actions.

Sporting it on my huge wrist, the Extremely nonetheless appears to be like huge. It is not as heavy as I anticipated, although. The look, particularly with its daring and function-oriented straps, is unquestionably bolder than I am used to.

Final yr, an anticipated watch redesign by no means materialized, though Apple did improve the watch display measurement. The Watch Extremely does have a brand new look, together with a flatter entrance and a bump-out aspect the place the crown and aspect button are, plus a brand new programmable second button on the opposite aspect.

The buttons are simple sufficient to succeed in, though I am undecided how I really feel concerning the bumped-out digital crown. I can see why it was performed, although: It appears to be like prefer it’ll be simpler to entry when sporting gloves or gear underwater.

New straps embody a wavy rubberized Ocean Band designed for becoming over wetsuits, a light-weight and barely elastic Path Loop that is like a refined model of the present Sport Loop, and an Alpine Loop nylon band with a titanium clasp that may ratchet into totally different fittings. All appear designed for specialised sports activities use. (The Ocean Band is wild-looking in yellow.)

The redesigned Compass app appears to be like extraordinarily enjoyable, particularly because it zooms out to totally different scales and permits waypoints and walk-back instructions. The Extremely’s GPS has been enhanced with dual-frequency GPS (L1 and L5), which may make this much more correct than competing GPS smartwatches.

The brand new Apple Watch Collection 8, additionally introduced Wednesday, provides temperature sensing, extra superior movement monitoring with automobile crash detection and a low-power mode that would prolong battery life as much as 36 hours on normal fashions. The Extremely can have all these options too.

Who’s the Extremely for? It looks like it is going for the Garmin watch-wearer market — somebody who needs a devoted operating watch or a smartwatch that may final (possibly) a complete weekend and not using a cost. 

The brand new Compass app’s distinctive Extremely capacity to avoid wasting waypoints and present walk-back instructions and not using a mobile sign, utilizing solely GPS, could possibly be one of many Extremely’s largest attracts. So, too, may the watch’s distinctive capacity to work higher underwater. The secondary button’s capacity to leap to favourite actions while not having the touchscreen may additionally find yourself feeling important for severe runners who would have in any other case thought of button-heavy watch alternate options.

The additional price, nevertheless, means it will not be a watch most individuals go for. Nonetheless, just like the iPhone Professional and iPad Professional, the Watch Extremely’s options may find yourself being improvements that trickle right down to the opposite Watch fashions over time.

The Extremely has some additional security options, together with a loud emergency siren that could possibly be set to alert individuals for those who’re down (which I did not take a look at in Apple’s demo room). The water resistance is greater: WR100 and EN13319-certified for scuba diving.

There are some new apps for the Extremely: A brand new Oceanic Plus diving app is particularly made for the Watch Extremely that appears at tides and water temperature; it additionally data dive depths and metrics. Apple has its personal depth-sensing app. The aspect button can work underwater to set waypoints, and it is designed to be used whereas diving too.

I am not a diver or a hiker, however the battery lifetime of the Extremely is what I am most envious of. I do not understand how that performs but, both, however multiday battery life on an Apple Watch is one thing I’ve wished for years.

The Apple Watch Extremely is not the one machine introduced on the “Far Out” occasion. For extra, examine the whole lot else Apple unveiled, together with the iPhone 14 and AirPods Professional 2.