Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Wearables

Apple Watch SE 2: What we want to see from the next budget Apple watch

Prakhar Khanna
By

When Apple first announced the Apple Watch SE alongside the Watch Series 6 in 2020, I was intrigued. After all, it was a cheaper version of the latest smartwatch with the right amount of hits and misses. I bought the Watch SE for myself earlier this year, and while it is an overall champ, there are a few things that Apple can work on and improve with the Watch SE 2, which is expected to be announced in 2022. Here are five things we would like to see from the Apple Watch SE 2.

1. A bigger display

Apple Watch Series 7 and Series 6 from the top.
Apple Watch Series 7 (left) and Series 6 (right) Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

The big selling point of the original Apple Watch SE was that it looked exactly like the Watch Series 6. Users could get the latest hardware with some limited software features like an always-on display.

With the Apple Watch Series 7, Apple moved to a larger display, which gave birth to new features like a full-fledged keyboard on your wrist. If the Watch SE 2 wants to retain its key selling point, we’d expect Apple to design the smartwatch based on the blueprint of its latest wearable.

Related

Including a bigger display would allow Apple not to only blend it with its more premium (assuming that they don’t change the screen size on the Watch Series 8) device, but also offer a new range of features.

A bigger display would allow the Apple Watch SE 2 to come with new watch faces like the Series 7. You could also get a full-fledged keyboard on the smart wearable, which is missing on both the Watch Series 6 and Watch SE.

2. Better sleep tracking

Daily activity on the Apple Health app.
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

In a world where competitors like Huawei and Amazfit offer nap tracking, Apple is stuck with sleep tracking, which isn’t accurate at all. This weakness isn’t limited to the Watch SE 2, but I’d like Apple to improve its sleep-monitoring algorithms.

First of all, you need to set a routine to track your sleep, which makes the Apple Watch dependent on the iPhone. By contrast, the Huawei and Amazfit wearables can monitor your sleep and collect accurate data on the app. You also get data on your REM, hours of deep and light sleep, and more.

All I get from my Watch SE is the number of hours slept – which aren’t accurate either. If I sleep later than usual and wake up past my routine set on the iPhone, it confuses the hell out of the Apple Watch, which pushes out inaccurate data.

I’d like Apple Watch to monitor my sleep in a better way – much like the Huawei and Amazfit counterparts, which are miles ahead in this regard.

3. Add an always-on display

Apple Watch Series 7 on wrist from the back.
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

This falls under the category of “Hey Apple, could you please bring your premium feature to your cheaper wearable?” The Apple Watch SE packs the same processor as the Watch Series 6. There are no hardware limitations (as far as I know) for it to not support the always-on display.

With the Watch SE 2, I’d request Apple bring the premium feature to its more affordable version of the watch. Hopefully, the Apple Watch Series 8 would have more premium features, so Apple doesn’t feel the need to limit the always-on display on the expensive offering.

4. A better battery life with faster charging

App menu on the Apple Watch Series 7.
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

My Apple Watch SE can last up to 1.5 days at the maximum. We’d love to see a full 2-day battery life on the Watch SE 2 with regular use.

Better battery life would assure me I could go on weekend trips without worrying about the Watch charger, which is proprietary and doesn’t work with anything else.

Apple also introduced a faster charging standard with the Watch Series 7. We hope the company could bring it to the Watch Series 2, so it could charge faster.

Personally, I could do with a better battery life without any improvements on the charging front, since I mostly charge my Watch SE overnight. However, fast charging would be a nice-to-have feature.

5. No price increase

At around $279, the Apple Watch SE hits the sweet spot of affordability with functionality. We hope Apple could bring the requested improvements with no price increase – like it has been doing with the iPhones.

When is the Apple Watch SE 2 launch date?

Apple is expected to release a “rugged” Apple Watch and Watch SE 2 alongside the Series 8 in 2022. The Apple Watch with a rugged design is said to be aimed at sports athletes. While Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman didn’t reveal an exact launch date, we can expect the next wave of Apple Watch devices to be announced in the second half of 2022.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Prakhar Khanna
Prakhar Khanna
Mobile Writer
Prakhar writes news, reviews and features for Digital Trends. He is an independent tech journalist who has been a part of the…
5 things the Amazfit GTR 3 Pro can do that the Apple Watch Series 7 can’t
Always-on screen mode on the Amazfit GTR 3 Pro.

The Apple Watch Series 7 goes on sale starting October 15, and the first batch of reviews have already dropped. While you might already be keen on buying an Apple Watch Series 7, we're here to show you five things it can't do compared to the Amazfit GTR 3 Pro which we're also putting to the test.
1. Automatic nap tracking
Source: Amazfit Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Apple Watch Series 7 can track your sleep. It can also track your naps. However, to use this feature, you need to create a sleep schedule on your iPhone. On the other hand, the Amazfit GTR 3 Pro tracks your sleep automatically. All you need to do is wear it on your wrist while sleeping. Amazfit even says that it can track naps that exceed 20 minutes, which most other smartwatches confuse for genuine sleep. Automatic naps tracking is extremely useful for people who enjoy naps, work the night shift, or simply have an irregular sleep schedule Cosmo Kramer style. That's where the GTR 3 Pro can keep tracking where the Series 7 can't.
2. Much more data on sleep
Part of sleep tracking is numbers, and sure enough, the Apple Watch Series 7 tells you how many hours you spent in the bed and how many of them you actually slept. On the other hand, the Amazfit GTR 3 Pro can monitor sleep stages, track sleep breathing quality and give you suggestions for sleep habit improvements. The smartwatch allows you to check your sleep data quickly, easily, and shows up directly on the watch screen -- so there's no need to go swiping through your phone and launching apps when you first wake up.
3. Stress Monitor

Read more
The Apple Watch Series 7 finally has official pre-order and release dates
Apple Watch Series 7 sleep data.

Alongside the new iPhones and new iPads, Apple also announced the Apple Watch Series 7 at its September event. Unlike those other products, the company did not announce the pre-order or release dates for the new Watch 7 -- until today. Apple has finally announced teh pre-order date for the Apple Watch Series 7, and it'll be going live this Friday, with shipments a week later.

The Apple Watch Series 7 will be available for pre-order starting at at 5. a.m. PT/8. a.m. ET on Friday, October 8, and you'll be able to shop for one in stores starting Friday, October 15, if you're more of a tactile buyer. While the iPhone 13 series and iPad Mini 6 have already reached customers, issues with the supply chain delayed the Watch 7's release slightly.

Read more
Here’s what I want to see in the next Ring Video Doorbell
Ring video doorbell leader

If any company is leading in the smart doorbell market, it's Ring. The company had a bit of a rough start due to privacy concerns, but has since doubled down on its efforts and emerged as one of the leading brands. Between the Video Doorbell, the Video Doorbell Pro 2, and all of the other options it has on the market, Ring has raised the bar for what customers expect. However, there are still features I would love to see in the next iteration of the Ring Video Doorbell.
4K video
There are a lot of reasons why most video doorbells top out at 1080p, with storage leading the charge. With limited storage capabilities on SD cards, it's hard to justify the amount of memory that 4K video takes, even if it does bring a big difference in clarity. It would still be great to see the option available for users. Perhaps the next Ring Video Doorbell could record at a lower resolution, such as 1080p or 1440p, but stream in 4K if users have sufficient Wi-Fi speed.

Although 4K may sometimes seem like a luxury, the higher-quality lenses provide more clarity in all conditions. The ability to make out finer details on the camera can make a huge difference. For example, if you're targeted by a porch pirate, 4K video can make it easier to read the logo or lettering on a shirt than if the video were capped at 1080p.
Full-color night vision
Full-color night vision is a growing feature in many security cameras, but it has yet to make its way into many smart doorbells. Full-color night vision provides many of the same benefits that 4K video does. It provides greater clarity and allows the viewer to make out finer details through the camera, whether you're watching a funny animal on your porch or keeping an eye out for package thieves.

Read more