Apple announced its Apple Watch Series 7 during a live event Tuesday, with COO Jeff Williams touting it as “the most durable Apple watch we’ve ever built.” This Apple Watch Series 7 cheat sheet includes details about the smartwatch, including features, pricing information and more. This article will be updated as new information becomes available from Apple about the Watch Series 7.

SEE: Apple’s Sept. 2021 event: What business pros need to know (free PDF) (TechRepublic)

What is the Apple Watch Series 7?

The Apple Watch Series 7 is the successor to last year’s Apple Watch Series 6. It comes with a completely reengineered display that Apple says is the “largest and most advanced retina display,” with nearly 20% more screen than the Apple Watch Series 6. It is also 40% thinner than the Series 6.

“It encourages you to be active and get more with your workouts” and monitors a user’s health, Williams said.

Apple Watch Series 7
Image: Apple

The case and the display have been refined with “softer, more rounded corners.” The Series 7 Watch refracts light “for a subtle, wrap-around effect,” Williams said. The watch’s dimensions have “barely changed,” Williams said.

The Apple Watch Series 7 is 70% brighter indoors when a user’s wrist is down.

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What are the key features of the Apple Watch Series 7?

The Apple Watch Series 7 comes with a new display, new keyboard and greater durability. Like its predecessor, the Series 7 has an 18-hour battery life and an improved charging experience—33% faster than the Apple Watch Series 6 with an updated charging architecture and new USB cable. Now, it takes 45 minutes to go from zero to 80% charged, according to Lauren Braun, product manager.

The Apple Watch Series 7 has new features for bike riders. It will detect when you begin riding and remind you to start a workout, and it will automatically stop and resume when you pause. The watch has an improved algorithm for e-bikes that more accurately counts calories.

SEE: Apple shifts focus to fitness and away from health monitoring for Apple Watch Series 7 (TechRepublic)

Buttons have been redesigned and enlarged to complement the size and shape of the new display, Braun said. This makes it easier to tap buttons like stop watch, activity and alarms. It can also fit nearly 50% more text than the Apple Watch Series 6 to make it easier to read texts with less scrolling, she said.

The Hermes version of the Apple Watch Series 7.
Image: Apple

The Apple Watch Series 7 also features new ways to input text with a full keyboard you can either tap or slide, with QuickPath, which uses machine learning to predict the word you’re typing.

The Apple Watch Series 7 also comes with improved durability. It has a “crack-resistant front crystal,” and “more robust geometry.” It’s also the first Apple watch to have IP6X certification, so users don’t have to worry about it in dusty environments, she said. The Apple Watch Series 7 is still water-resistant, Braun said.

SEE: Apple Watch Series 7: A cheat sheet (free PDF) (TechRepublic)

How does the Apple Watch Series 7 compare to the Apple Watch Series 6?

One of the main differences between the Apple Watch Series 7 and Apple Watch Series 6 is the look and feel. The case and the display of the Apple Watch Series 7 are slightly larger and comes with more rounded corners. The Apple Watch Series 7 has a new Mindfulness app, and watchOS 8 has been updated with advanced algorithms to analyze GPS, heart rate, accelerometer and gyroscope data that detects when users begin a bike ride. Unlike the Apple Watch Series 6, it also has a full keyboard for typing messages.

Since its launch in 2018, the Apple Watch has been able to detect if a user falls and can initiate a call to emergency services from their wrist. watchOS 8 has updated fall detection algorithms so that if someone falls during a workout, such as riding a bike, that will be detected.

Both the Apple Watch Series 6 and Apple Watch Series 7 have the same 18-hour battery life and use recycled materials, but Apple said the Apple Watch Series 7 “has more recycled content than any other Apple Watch,” with 100% recycled tungsten and a 100% recycled case on the aluminum models. The Apple Watch Series 7 is made without harmful chemicals such as mercury, PVC, beryllium and BFRs.

How does the Apple Watch Series 7 compare to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4?

One of the other main competitors to the Apple Watch is the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, which became available in August 2021. The Galaxy Watch 4 comes with two design options: sporty and classic. The classic model looks more like a traditional watch.

The Galaxy Watch 4 also comes with body composition analysis, ECG, sleep tracking, more frequent overnight blood oxygen readings and auto workout tracking. The Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic come in black and silver, while the Watch 4 also comes in green, pink and gold.

The Galaxy Watch 4 starts at $249.99 for the 40mm Bluetooth model and $299.99 for the 40mm LTE model.

SEE: Mobile device computing policy (TechRepublic Premium)

What are the color, bands and display options for the Apple Watch Series 7?

It comes in five new colors: midnight, starlight, green, blue and red. It will also be available in silver, graphite, gold, stainless steel, a natural titanium and space black titanium. The Apple Watch Series 7 is compatible with all existing bands, and there will be new bands from designer Hermes.

Apple Watch Series 7
Image: Apple

Is the Apple Watch Series 7 eco-friendly?

All aluminum watch cases are made with 100% recycled metal, and all the magnets in the Apple Watch Series 7 use 100% recycled rare earth elements, Williams said.

What is the price for an Apple Watch Series 7?

The cost starts at $399.

When can I buy an Apple Watch Series 7?

Preorders will begin next week, and units will be available later this fall.

Apple Watch Series 7
Image: Apple

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