Skip to main content

Apple announces the Apple Watch Series 6, Apple Watch SE

Apple announced the new Apple Watch Series 6 and a cheaper Apple Watch SE during its event on Tuesday.

The Apple Watch Series 6 will cost $399 while the Apple Watch SE will start at $279. Both are available starting Friday, September 18.

The Apple Watch Series 6 includes new features like measuring blood oxygen levels directly through the watch. Rumors have been swirling around for a while about what Apple had planned for the new Apple Watch.

The key features of the Apple Watch Series 6 include a major focus on health. Some of these include a blood oxygen level sensor that uses red infrared light to measure your blood oxygen in 15 seconds. The sensor will even record your oxygen levels while you sleep. There is also altimeter to measure elevation change for those who hike.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Other features include new watch faces like an Animoji watch face, and a screen that is 2.5 times brighter outside when your wrist is down.

Apple Watch Series 6 also includes family setup where kids can get their own numbers for their Apple Watch. Parents can specify which contacts kids can communicate with when using messages and more and set up automatic location notifications.

The watch comes in blue, gold, graphite, and a new red color. There is also a new “stretchable loop” band. There is no more USB power adapter in the Apple Watch Series 6, which Apple says will eliminate the carbon equivalent of over 50,000 cars on the road per year.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Apple Watch SE is essentially the Apple Watch Series 3 replacement with features like fall detection, compass and always-on altimeter, a swimproof chassis, and sleep tracking. The watch uses the S5 chip, which Apple says allows for up to two times better performance than the Series 3 model.

Looking for more? Head over to our Deals hub for the best Black Friday Apple Watch deals, Samsung Galaxy Watch deals, and smartwatch deals.

Editors' Recommendations

Allison Matyus
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Allison Matyus is a general news reporter at Digital Trends. She covers any and all tech news, including issues around social…
Why you shouldn’t buy these 5 Apple Watch Series 9 alternatives
A person wearing the Apple Watch Series 9, showing the Snoopy watch face

Nike Globe watch face Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Not only are there a lot of smartwatches and fitness bands to choose from these days, but the Apple Watch range itself is surprisingly extensive — especially considering it began life with only a single model available. Simply put, it remains the best smartwatch to get if you own an iPhone.

Read more
Apple may have delayed a critical Apple Watch upgrade
Smart Stack on the Apple Watch Series 9.

It seems Apple’s highly anticipated display upgrades, especially for the Apple Watch, will have to wait a few more years. According to Bloomberg, Apple has shuttered in-house efforts to design and develop microLED panels that would have appeared on its smartwatches — and eventually more products down the road.

The current-gen Apple smartwatches rely on an OLED panel, but Apple has been eyeing microLED screens for the Apple Watch's future iterations. These in-house panels, which would have offered “brighter and more vibrant visuals,” were ultimately put on cold ice due to cost and complexity concerns.

Read more
Why you shouldn’t buy a new Apple Watch right now
The curved screen on the Apple Watch Series 9.

It has been over six months since the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 launched, and they are still considered two of the best smartwatches on the market. However, there are two significant reasons why you might not want to purchase either of these models.

Those reasons are the Apple Watch Series 8 and the first-generation Apple Watch Ultra. That's right — buying a 2022 Apple Watch over the newer models might be a better choice for you.
Why now's a great time to buy an old Apple Watch
The Apple Watch Series 9 (top) and Apple Watch Series 8 Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Read more