The hand-washing feature apparently wasn’t created in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, but its presence on the Apple Watch 6 is useful for reminding you to wash your hands for 20 seconds, providing a countdown as you do so.

There's also an entire crop of third-party Apple Watch bands that you can explore. They're almost always cheaper, and many can pass as the same style as the Apple-own variants. How to measure your wrist There are various opinions on what 'good' looks like for a percentage, but if you're over 95% then generally you're in a good place. The temperature sensing feature is not a medical device and not intended for use in medical diagnosis, treatment or for any other medicalpurpose. I found this feature useful, even in flat Florida. I added the elevation complication to my watch face, and it was interesting to see it change in real time, especially as I approached the beach near my house, which in certain areas is below sea level, according to the Series 6.

On the outside, the Apple Watch 6 continues with the same design language used in previous models – a rounded, metal body with a square display that curves elegantly into the device itself. Requires Apple Watch Series 7, SE, Ultra, or later. For a list of supported countries and regions, see apple.com/watchos/feature-availability. The wake-up screen is nice, showing you the amount of battery left and the weather for the day – so while it is a limited feature, the elements it does have are well executed. Apple Watch Series 6 have a water resistance rating of 50 meters under ISO standard 22810:2010. This means that they may be used for shallow-water activities like swimming in a pool or ocean. However, they should not be used for scuba diving, waterskiing, or other activities involving high-velocity water or submersion below shallow depth.

WatchOS 7 brings a few small upgrades – Apple’s not saying as much, but it’s clear that some are designed to help out in the current pandemic we’re facing: a hand-washing monitor just coincidentally appearing seems unlikely, and it’s a useful weapon in the fight against Covid-19, even if the monitoring is a little hard to please. Update 12 Sept 2023: This article was been updated to include details of the Series 9/Ultra 2. We're still waiting on specific weight data for these devices. Apple Watch Ultra 2, Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch SE require iPhone Xs or later with iOS 17 or later.But before we get to that, let's just remind ourselves what a blood oxygen (or SPO2) sensor actually does. Firing red and infra-red light under the skin, the diodes on the underside of the Apple Watch 6 can read the color of your blood, and work out from that how much oxygen you're pumping around. Well, the simple answer is: it's a nice thing to have to stay informed. If you're seeing a drop in SPO2 often at the same time as feeling other ill effects, you can head to the doctor to put your mind at rest. If you're at elevation, and suddenly the oxygen saturation level in your blood drops, you can make a decision. We want to wear the Watch 6 for everything, though, so it would be great if Apple equipped this device with a way to set up interval training, more easily see laps when you're trying to beat a mile PB, or just step up the Workouts app to encourage those who’ve been training with the Watch for years to go to the next level. Apple defines its restrictions on harmful substances, including definitions for what Apple considers to be “free of,” in the Apple Regulated Substances Specification. Every Apple product is free of PVC and phthalates with the exception of AC power cords in India, Thailand (for 2-prong AC power cords), and South Korea where we continue to seek government approval for our PVC and phthalates replacement. In 2018, Apple moved to a new size standard for its smartwatches. So Series 4 - 6, and, crucially, both the 2020 and 2022 versions of the Apple Watch SE, come in 40mm and 44mm models.