Apple Watch Series 8 was unveiled only a few days before the Apple Watch Ultra, the company’s newest smartwatch. In the wake of Black Friday and last year’s watch is on sale, is the Watch 8 worth a look over the Series 7?
We’ve been hoping for a design refresh for the Apple Watch Series 6, but Apple has mostly kept things the same. The biggest improvement is moving the display a bit toward the hubs. At first glance, there’s nothing to distinguish the Apple Watch Series 8 from the Series 7 or even the Series 6.
While far from the most wearable fitness tracker/smartwatch, what’s inside counts, and the Apple Watch. It is closely related to the iPhone’s iOS operating system. It also manages its connection to the Watch, and lots of apps will appear instantly on the watch.
It has a feature called Cycle Tracking, which lets you keep track of menstrual cycles, for example. With Series 8, you can now measure temperature variations at home to understand how they relate to ovulation, what deviating temperatures mean and how you can use this health metric to improve your chances of getting pregnant.
The Apple Watch Series 8 has a feature you’d never expect to use – crash detection. By using advanced gyroscopes and accelerometers, Apple Watch Series 8 can detect when the wearer has been in a car accident, even detecting an airbag deployment based on barometric pressure data. This is a nice addition. It can then contact emergency services if you don’t expect it to be needed.
The Apple Watch Series 8 isn’t much more costly
While the Apple Watch Series 8 lacks two of the main features of the Series 7, it is remarkably similar to its predecessor in terms of general functionality. All watch OS 9 features are available in both models, and there is no big jump in battery life. Therefore, things like the new “Low Power Mode” will be accessible on both devices.
Apple no longer ships the Series 7 on its site, picking games numbered Series 7 or Series 8 over anything else, you guessed it. Fortunately, you can still get it at a good price, with a few Black Friday deals out there.
There are currently two sizes available on Amazon as part of its “renewed” line: 41mm and 45mm. The 42mm is $349.99(opens in new tab), and the product red version is $349(opens in new tab).
Especially when you can buy a new Series 8 from Apple for just $30 (opens in new tab), and still, it’s not that cheap. In an Amazon sale now (opens in new tab), the Apple Watch Series 8 is just $379, making it an easy upgrade for its aging sibling despite only two major enhancements.
Think about the trade-in value
A final consideration is the trade-in price. You should plan to trade in your old Watch for a new Watch where you can trade in your old phone if you buy a new one. Apple devices have better quality compared to other manufacturers Apple fans know. Spending a little more money on a watch now will equate to more value in trade later.
The same can be said about the price gap at the moment, with little difference in features to help choose between the Apple Watch Series 7 and the Watch Series 8. We’d recommend spending the extra $30 if you can with that in mind. You’ll give yourself a better chance of selling the Apple Watch better if you don’t just get a few nifty new features.
