Apple Watch Series 2

What is the Apple Watch 2?

The Apple Watch 2 (or Apple Watch Series 2 to give it its official title) is the second version of the most successful smartwatch around. It’s since been replaced by the Apple Watch Series 3 but is still widely on sale.

The original Apple Watch was Apple’s first draft at a wearable, and plenty bought into the promise of a phone on your wrist. At Trusted Reviews we liked the look of it, but struggled to understand its purpose: It had health and fitness elements, but they were limited, and it didn’t offer water-resistance. In addition, the watchOS software was tricky to use, glitchy, and just didn’t do much. Interesting third-party apps were lacking at the time, too.

There are clear parallels to be drawn between the Apple Watch and the very first iPhone that was released almost a decade ago, which evolved into a superb product.

While the iPhone 7 didn’t meet our high expectations of it, the Apple Watch 2 finally has. All our concerns about the original have been addressed: watchOS is now intuitive and useful having had a number of updates; there are plenty of compatible apps; and the Apple Watch 2 is now properly water-resistant.

Apple recently released the watchOS 4 operating system update for the Apple Watch 2. This brought with it a number of refinements and improvements, including a new Siri watch face, which uses Siri’s artificial intelligence to proactively bring useful information to your attention. There are also new Toy Story-themed watch faces, joining Mickey and Minnie Mouse.

Then there are improvements to the Activity app, including monthly goals and the ability to add additional exercises to the same workout, which is useful for triathletes and circuit trainers. There’s also new support for High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).

Apple has added support for a raft of new activities and sports, including activities such as baseball, bowling and functional strength training.

A new Heart Rate app is also designed to make even more use of the optical heart rate monitor on the back of the Apple Watch. The new dedicated app will let you see your recovery and resting heart rate, and the Apple Watch will now also keep an eye on your heart rhythm, as well as letting you know of an escalated heart rates when not exercising. This is all part of a new Apple Heart Study, which could make strides in gaining better understanding of heart conditions.

Now that the Apple Watch 2 has been superseded by the Apple Watch Series 3, it can often be found for a discounted rate so it could well be a viable option if you don’t want to spend as much money for the newer model. It remains a top-notch smartwatch overall.

Apple Watch 2 – Design

The Apple Watch Series 2 looks almost identical to the original, and I don’t mind that at all. This remains my favourite smartwatch when it comes to looks, particularly since it isn’t as chunky as rival watches. It helps that I prefer square watches; those who prefer round ones might not be as kind.

The Watch 2 is a fraction thicker than the previous Watch, but not enough that you’d notice without seeing the two next to each other. The square screen with rounded glass edges make it simple to swipe up, down, left and right from the edge to provide additional shortcuts, and the rotating Digital Crown still works well as a method of zooming in and out, and general navigation.

The button just beneath the Digital Crown has been re-appropriated from a useless shortcut to contacts and on/off switch to a much more engaging way to scroll through the new apps dock (more details to follow).

You can opt for either the stainless steel or, slightly cheaper, aluminium chassis, and one of two sizes: 38mm and 42mm. The Series 2 is available in a range of colours: Gold, Rose Gold, Space Grey and Silver. This time there’s no expensive gold-plated model.

Instead, Apple has created a beautiful white ceramic smartwatch. The ceramic cast is treated at length at high temperature before it’s polished smooth. Not only does it look super-attractive, it’s four times tougher than the stainless steel model.

Standing out from the crowd does come at a price, though. The ceramic Apple Watch Edition costs more than three times as much as the standard versions – the 38mm one setting you back a cool £1,249.

Suffice to say, it isn’t necessary to spend such an amount for an Apple Watch that’s “tough”. I’ve dropped my aluminium Apple Watch on several occasions and regularly whack it against door frames; it doesn’t have a single scratch on the screen or body.

The headline feature for the Apple Watch 2 is water-resistance. Not only will it survive a brief dunk in the bath, it’s now fit for the sea. Apple claims it can withstand up to 50m of water – although we wouldn’t advise that you go scuba-diving with it just yet. It’s meant to survive the rigours of arms swinging through water, as opposed to being plunged into the depths.

An Apple representative explained to TrustedReviews that the Apple Watch 2 is fit for swimming in a pool for as long as you want, but can also deal with seawater. It was tested on hundreds of swimmers before release, and it provides accurate exercise readings as well as surviving the wet stuff without any bother.

The screen locks when under water and so won’t be usable, but it will continue to track activity. Once out of the water, the Apple Watch Series 2 performs a little party piece to rid the water from its speaker grilles: it plays sound at various volumes and frequencies to expel liquid like a clam.

There’s a wide range of straps available for the Series 2, both from Apple and third parties – with an even bigger selection on offer than before – and they’re the best way of making an Apple Watch “yours”. As well as the relationship with luxury brand Hermès, Apple has also joined forces with Nike to launch the Apple Watch Nike+. This comes with a special strap, with compression-moulded perforations to make it more breathable – ideal for athletes – along with some exclusive Nike watch faces and apps pre-installed.

For those who intend to swim regularly with the Apple Watch 2 I’d recommend a silicone strap, rather than the metal or nylon options. The Sports strap doesn’t retain any water, so you won’t be left with a damp wrist all day after a brief plunge and are more comfortable as a result.

Apple Watch 2 – Screen and Speaker

The screen on the Watch 2 is the same size and resolution as the Watch, but it benefits from improvements. Apple claims this is the brightest screen it has ever made – and I can believe it; it can be viewed on the sunniest of days without issue.

As with any display of this size, there are limitations. It works as a touchscreen, of course, but also has benefits from Apple’s clever Force Touch technology, so you can access further options the harder you press. Note that this is the same “Taptic Engine” tech that featured in the first Apple Watch; it was improved to offer greater levels of sensitivity as Force Touch in later iPhone models.

The need to type is kept to a minimum – trying to input the PIN correctly to unlock it is tricky enough. Icons are easy enough to hit and swiping from the edges to access settings works well. Then there’s watchOS 3’s handwriting recognition, which is surprisingly handy in a pinch, too.

You can zoom in by tapping two fingers on the screen but I found this made the text too large to read, requiring me to scroll letter to letter in some apps.

The clever speaker is loud enough to comfortably have a conversation with someone while your hands are otherwise engaged. I’m not a huge fan of talking to my wrist, especially in public, but I found the speaker and mic just about strong enough for me to chat away outdoors with both hands on a pushchair.

Voice recognition is very good, too. Speak to Siri and she’ll immediately jump to attention to dictate a message, look for something, or start an app.

Apple Watch 2 – Performance and watchOS 3

There’s a brand-new processor in the Apple Watch Series 2, and it makes the smartwatch tick along more smoothly than ever.

I wasn’t of the impression that the original Apple Watch was particularly sluggish, and its only on using the Watch 2 that I’ve come to realise how slow it was. Apps open quickly, with everything being a little more immediate. The biggest difference can be seen when switching between apps. You can now jump from your calendar to the Activity app in an instant.

It isn’t just the new S2 processor that helps the Apple Watch 2’s more snappy feel. The latest version of the Apple Watch operating system, watchOS 3, also plays a big role.

watchOS 3 now allows developers to keep their apps in the Apple Watch 2’s memory once opened. This means they open up many times faster than before. It makes a huge difference.  

Open apps remain in the dock and you can decide which to pin there. I’ve opted to have the Withings Home app here; I use it as a baby monitor. It means I can see how my child is sleeping in an instant by pressing the side button.

You can pin apps directly from the smartwatch, but the easiest way of managing them is using the Watch app via an iPhone.

This lets you personalise your Apple Watch 2 and tweaks settings that aren’t available on the device itself. There’s an awful lot in the app, and as a result it isn’t the easiest with which to becomes accustomed. But persevere and you’ll find all sorts of tweaks, including altering screen brightness and the hand and orientation you have the watch on. No-one likes an upside down watch face.  

As already mentioned, there are now a greater number of watch faces to choose from, and they can be changed more easily than before. Simply swipe right to left to switch faces. Of course, you can still alter what each face displays, so you can add your own shortcuts to apps (called Complications in the Watch app) or have information such as the weather constantly available. 

Being able to quickly switch watch faces is a curse as well as a blessing. I prefer a version of the Activity watch face and I’m not fussed about regularly changing it. However, I often inadvertently switched to something I’m not that keen on, such as Minnie Mouse. It’s a minor irritation, but it did happen quite often.

There’s one final addition watchOS 3 has brought to the Apple Watch that’s worthy of a mention: Emergency SOS. Hold down the side button for a few seconds and the Emergency SOS option appears. Press it and the Apple Watch begins to make a loud beep, with the emergency services dialled via your phone – depending on the region you’re in. For example, in the UK it dials 112, while in the USA it’s 911.  

Storage is available on the Apple Watch Series 2, but it’s limited. You can use up to 2GB for music and 75MB for photos. That equates to about 400 songs, and is useful if you intend to use the Apple Watch 2 – minus an iPhone – with a pair of Bluetooth headphones while out for a run.

Apple Watch 2 – Health and Fitness

I’ve already mentioned that the Apple Watch 2 is more focused on health and fitness, and watchOS 3 is a big part of that. For starters, it’s now possible to share your activity and compare it with that of your friends, adding a nice bit of competition into the mix. It’s what the old Nike FuelBand did so well and it’s a neat addition to the Apple Watch.

You now receive reminders to breathe, as well as to “stand”. Amusing as it may sound to be told to breathe, it actually works pretty well. Hit the icon when buzzed and a one-minute breathing exercise will begin, providing haptic feedback to signal when you should inhale and exhale, enabling you to do it with your eyes closed. It focuses the mind and gives you a mini-break from whatever you’re doing.

The reminder to stand is also now more politically correct. You won’t get crassly reminded to get up if you’re a wheelchair user; instead, the Apple Watch Series 2 will tell you to go for a roll.

The Apple Watch 2 can determine if you’re walking or in a wheelchair, and will accurately track exercise without you having to actually tell it what you’re doing. That means that it knows if you’re rolling, walking or even swimming.

By being able to better understand the movements your arms make, the Apple Watch 2 can more accurately track energy expenditure and therefore tell you how many calories you’re using; it isn’t only about the distance travelled. It’s able to establish whether you’re a super-efficient swimmer, or simply flailing about like a drunken baboon. One uses more energy than the other when swimming the length of a pool.

All of this is very clever indeed and it’s Apple at its best – making the extremely challenging look effortless.

The Apple Watch Series 2 comes with the excellent optical heart rate monitor that I’ve become accustomed to in the first version. As long as the watch is sitting snug on your wrist, it will provide an accurate record of your pulse whether you’re exercising hard or just resting. In tests its results were closer to the chest-worn heart rate monitor in comparison to the Fitbit Charge 2.

New to the Watch 2 is built-in GPS. This lets you track activity such as runs, without the need to lug around your iPhone.

I’ve found myself becoming more active simply by way of the Apple Watch highlighting what a sedentary lifestyle I’m currently leading. Issues with my back and knee over the past two years have led me to stop exercising. However, I’ve found myself slowly but surely walking and cycling more with the addition of the Apple Watch, raising my heart rate more often as a result.

I wouldn’t consider myself to be a hardcore fitness fanatic, unlike TrustedReviews’ muscle-bound Wearable and Fitness Editor, Richard Easton. He compared the Apple Watch 2 to some of the best fitness trackers and watches around and goes into greater detail regarding its accuracy. Be sure to give that a separate article a read by hitting the link above.

The Series 2 takes health and fitness far more seriously than the previous version – and is all the better for it. It’s the effortless nature of its tracking that I find most appealing, though. There will soon be some upgrades to the Apple Watch 2’s fitness credentials in watchOS 4, too, such as new support for High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).

Apple Watch 2 – Battery Life

Smartwatches don’t tend to last too long away from a plug socket. A day and a bit of use is what I’d become used to with the original Apple Watch.

The Apple Watch Series 2 betters that by quite some distance. I regularly strap it to my wrist on a Monday morning and find that it needs charging by Wednesday night – that’s three full days of use. It means I no longer curse the fact that the battery is on 10% when I wake up in the morning and have to leave the watch to charge at home as a result.

This changes if you use the Apple Watch 2’s GPS. GPS tends to uses greater power and the watch discharges noticeably more quickly. Go for a long walk with the GPS on and the battery will last around five hours. That’s quite low, but then it’s unlikely you’ll be away from your phone for that long.

When the Apple Watch 2 is paired to your phone the GPS turns off, and your phone provides the location information. 

It’s clever than that, though. The GPS doesn’t turn on if you’re just sitting at your desk, even if you’ve forgotten your phone at home. It starts working only when you’re actually exercising. I wish the iPhone 7 battery life was anywhere near as good as this.

Should I buy the Apple Watch 2?

I wasn’t sold on the original Apple Watch at first, but plenty of useful updates later and I understand its value. The Series 2 is much better, and one of the best smartwatches you can buy right now. There are a few things to consider before you part with your cash, however.

If you’re an iPhone user and like the idea of a small screen on your wrist with which you can easily respond to messages and read notifications then it’s worth considering the cheaper Apple Watch Series 1. This is just like the original Apple Watch, except it features a new dual-core processor.

For those who want a smartwatch that’s a good fitness tracker as well as a phone companion, the Apple Watch 2 is definitely the way to go. The screen is brighter, the battery life is better and the addition of GPS and water-resistance is a must for any serious runners or swimmers out there who want something they can wear to a formal meeting as well as the gym.

Verdict

The Apple Watch 2 might not look any different, but the refinements that Apple has made are all spot on. If you want a smartwatch that doubles as a solid fitness tracker then this is a fantastic option.

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