PRESS RELEASE
September 7, 2022
Apple Watch Series 8 delivers best-in-class health features, including an innovative temperature sensor that enables advanced features for women’s health, and Crash Detection for severe car crashes
The redesigned Apple Watch SE delivers the core Apple Watch experience at a new starting price
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today introduced Apple Watch Series 8 and the new Apple Watch SE, which bring groundbreaking technology and performance, and important safety innovations to the two best-selling smartwatches. Apple Watch Series 8 features the beloved design of Apple Watch, including a large, Always-On Retina display and a strong crack-resistant front crystal. With all-day 18-hour battery life, Apple Watch Series 8 builds on best-in-class health and safety features like the ECG app and fall detection by introducing temperature-sensing capabilities, retrospective ovulation estimates, Crash Detection, and international roaming. The new Apple Watch SE delivers the core Apple Watch experience, including Activity tracking, high and low heart rate notifications, and Emergency SOS, as well as the new Crash Detection feature and a completely redesigned back case that perfectly matches the three classic case finishes, all at a more affordable price of $249 (US). Both models are powered by watchOS 9, introducing new and more customizable watch faces like Lunar and Metropolitan, an enhanced Workout app, sleep stages, a first-of-its-kind AFib History feature, and an all-new Medications app.
Crash Detection
To enable Crash Detection, Apple developed an advanced sensor-fusion algorithm that leverages a new, more powerful gyroscope and accelerometer on Apple Watch, which now has the highest dynamic range accelerometer in any smartwatch. To create the algorithm, data was collected from these new motion sensors at professional crash test labs with common passenger cars in simulated real-world accidents, including head-on, rear-end, side-impact, and rollovers. In addition to motion data, Crash Detection uses the barometer, GPS, and the microphone on iPhone as inputs to detect the unique patterns that can indicate whether a severe crash has taken place.
Low Power Mode
watchOS 9
- With international roaming coming later this fall, users can stay connected to a cellular network while traveling abroad. Plans can be extended to Apple Watch from iPhone for little or no additional fee and will be available with over 30 carriers worldwide.4
- Users who are diagnosed with AFib can turn on the FDA-cleared AFib History5 feature and access important information, including an estimate of how frequently their heart rhythm shows signs of AFib, providing deeper insights into their condition. Users will receive notifications with an estimate from the previous week and also have access to a detailed history in the Health app on iPhone, including lifestyle factors that may influence AFib, like sleep, alcohol consumption, and exercise. In addition, users can download a PDF from the Health app on iPhone that details the history of their AFib and lifestyle factors, which can easily be shared with doctors and care providers for more informed conversations. The first-of-its-kind AFib History feature in watchOS 9 has received a number of local clearances and approvals from health authorities around the world, and will be available in more than 100 countries and territories, including the US, Australia,6 Canada, Europe, Hong Kong, Mexico, South Africa, the UK, and more.
- The completely redesigned Compass app in watchOS 9 surfaces more in-depth information and three distinct views. The app displays a new hybrid view that simultaneously shows both an analog compass dial and a digital view. Turning the Digital Crown reveals an additional view that includes latitude, longitude, elevation, and incline, as well as an orienteering view showing Compass Waypoints and Backtrack. Backtrack uses GPS data to create a path showing where the user has been, which is useful if they get lost or disoriented and need help retracing their steps. It can turn on automatically in the background when off the grid. Compass Waypoints are a quick and convenient way to mark a location or point of interest directly in the app. Tapping the Compass Waypoint icon drops a waypoint. Selecting one provides a targeted view of the direction of the waypoint and an approximation of how far away it is.
- The Workout app in watchOS 9 includes new in-session views, such as Segments, Splits, and Elevation, that offer more precise workout data. Users can also improve their training with advanced workout experiences, including Heart Rate Zones, Custom Workouts, Pacer, and, coming later this year, Race Route. For triathlons or activities with any sequence of swimming, biking, or running, the new Multisport workout uses autodetection to easily switch between workouts and records transition times. watchOS 9 also brings more data and features to help track how efficiently users run. New running form metrics, including Stride Length, Ground Contact Time, and Vertical Oscillation, can all be added as metrics on Workout Views.
- Sleep tracking in watchOS 9 provides even more insights with the introduction of sleep stages. Apple Watch uses signals from the accelerometer to estimate when users are in REM, Core, or Deep sleep. Sleep stage data can be viewed directly on Apple Watch in the Sleep app, and users can view more detailed information in the Health app on iPhone, including interactive sleep stages charts, as well as time asleep alongside heart rate or respiratory rate, in sleep comparison charts.
- The new Medications experience on Apple Watch and iPhone helps users manage and track their medications, vitamins, and supplements, allowing them to create a medications list, set up schedules and reminders, and view information on their medications in the Health app.7
Apple Watch Series 8 Lineup
Apple Watch Series 8 will be available across a range of case finishes, colors, and band types to fit a variety of personal styles. Apple Watch Series 8 comes in aluminum and stainless steel cases in two sizes, 41mm and 45mm, and is compatible with all bands. Aluminum case colors for Apple Watch Series 8 include starlight, midnight, silver, and (PRODUCT)RED, while the stainless steel case offers silver, graphite, and gold. With Apple Watch Studio, Apple Watch Series 8 can be paired with any available band in the same collection.
Apple Watch and the Environment
Today, Apple is carbon neutral for global corporate operations, and by 2030, plans to be 100 percent carbon neutral across the entire manufacturing supply chains and all product life cycles. This means that every Apple device sold, from component manufacturing, assembly, transport, customer use, charging, all the way through recycling and material recovery, will have net-zero climate impact.
Privacy
- Customers in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan, the UAE, the UK, the US, and more than 40 other countries and regions can order Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch SE today, with availability in stores beginning Friday, September 16.
- Apple Watch Series 8 starts at $399 (US) and Apple Watch SE starts at $249 (US).
- Apple Watch Nike bands and Apple Watch Hermès bands will be available to order today from apple.com/store and in the Apple Store app, with availability in stores beginning Friday, September 16.
- watchOS 9 will be available for Apple Watch Series 4 and later on Monday, September 12, and requires iPhone 8 or later and iPhone SE (2nd generation) or later running iOS 16. Not all features are available on all devices and in all regions.
- Three months of Apple Fitness+ are included for customers who purchase Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch SE, or Apple Watch Ultra, or new purchases of Apple Watch Series 4 or later.
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- The Cycle Tracking app should not be used as a form of birth control. Data from the Cycle Tracking app should not be used to diagnose a health condition.
- The temperature-sensing feature is not a medical device and not intended for use in medical diagnosis, treatment, or for any other medical purpose.
- During normal use, Apple Watch Series 8 can reach up to 36 hours of battery life with iPhone present.
- International roaming is available on Apple Watch SE, Apple Watch Series 8, and Apple Watch Ultra, and all cellular models from Apple Watch Series 5 onward running watchOS 9. See apple.com/watch/cellular for more information.
- AFib History is intended for use by people ages 22 years or older who have been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation.
- Coming to Australia later this fall.
- The Medications feature should not be used as a substitute for professional medical judgment. Additional information is available on medication labels, but please consult a healthcare provider prior to making any decisions related to personal health.
















