Apple Watch Series 7: Features, release date, design, more

The Apple Watch Series 7 was announced during Apple’s “California Streaming” event with a larger and more durable display followed by its release in October of 2021. It was discontinued in September of 2022 after Apple Watch Series 8 was introduced.

History

The Apple Watch was first introduced in 2015 and quickly became the best-selling wearable device of the year, reportedly selling 4.2 million units in Q2 2015. When the company introduced the Apple Watch Series 2 later in 2016, Apple labeled the original Apple Watch as “Series 0” while bringing an updated chip with “Series 1” and a brand new “Series 2” Watch.

When Apple introduced the Apple Watch Series 3 in 2017 a lot of things changed. The company started seeing the Watch more like a fitness device rather than a fashion one, although it was available in aluminum, stainless steel, and ceramic models. This Watch had a chip 70% faster than its predecessor, increased RAM, and introduced the LTE cellular connectivity variant with 16GB of storage.

Apple Watch Series 4, which launched a year later, featured a major redesign with a screen that was 30% bigger in both models and a 50% improvement on its processor over the Series 3 version. Speakers and microphones were rearranged so they were louder and more useful, and Series 4 introduced the fall detection feature, ECG capabilities, and the second-generation heart rate monitor.

In 2019, the Apple Watch Series 5 was a notable upgrade over the Series 4: Apple introduced an Always-On display with an energy-saving LTOP OLED screen, a built-in compass, doubled the storage to 32GB, and brought back the Edition tier with a ceramic model and a brand new titanium version.

In 2020, Apple announced the Apple Watch Series 6. This Watch brought a new S6 processor, up to 20% faster than its predecessor, a brighter Always-On display, a blood oxygen app, and an always-on altimeter, alongside new health sensors.

In 2021, Apple unveiled the Apple Watch Series 7 with a more durable and larger display, now with 41mm and 45mm options. The Watch is more crack-resistant and can charge faster than previous models. It has the same processor as the Series 6 and maintains the three finishes: aluminum, stainless steel, and titanium.

Apple Watch Series 7: Specs and features

More durable and larger display

Unlike all the rumors, the new Apple Watch Series 7 doesn’t feature a new design. Instead, it does have a larger display with 20% more screen area and thinner borders at 1.7mm, 40% smaller than those on Apple Watch Series 6.

This new Apple Watch is available in 41mm and 45mm sizes. While the wrist is down, the Always-On Retina display is up to 70% brighter indoors than the previous Watch, making it easier to see the watch face without having to lift the wrist or wake the display.

Apple Watch Series 7 features a redesigned front crystal with a more robust geometry that is over 50% thicker than that of the Apple Watch Series 6, making it more crack-resistant.

The Watch has also been certified IP6X dust-resistant and has a water resistance rating of WR50, making it a good choice for swimming performances and making users stay relaxed while on the beach or the desert.

Sensors

Apple Watch Series 7 has the same sensors as Apple Watch Series 6, which means it has a third-generation optical heart sensor, Digital Crown with haptic feedback, a built-in compass, an always-on altimeter, and a second-generation speaker and mic. With Emergency SOS and International emergency calling, you can quickly call for help and alert your emergency contacts.

Apple Watch Series 7 also detect if you’ve taken a hard fall, then automatically calls emergency services for you. The Noise app alerts when decibels reach levels that could damage your hearing. 

Performance

Apple Watch Series 7 has the same processor as last year’s Apple Watch Series 6. Even though it has a new name, being called S7, it has the same CPU power. It’s not the first time Apple does something like that. With the Apple Watch Series 5, the S5 chip had the same performance as the S4 SoC but brought a Compass feature built-in as well.

The S7 SiP has a 64-bit dual-core processor and features 32GB of storage. As the S6 chip, it’s 20% faster than the processor found inside the Apple Watch SE.

Apple Watch finishes

With Apple Watch Series 7, Apple brought three different finishes:

Aluminum

• Midnight;
• Starlight;
• Green,
• Blue;
• (PRODUCT)RED.

Stainless Steel

• Silver;
• Graphite;
• Gold

Titanium

• Natural;
• Space Black.

Release date: When will Apple Watch Series 7 come out?

Apple Watch Series 7 is available since October 15.

Price: How much Apple Watch Series 7 cost?

Apple Watch Series 7 starts at $399. The prices are the same as the last year’s model, as you can see below:

• Aluminum, 40mm, GPS: $399
• Aluminum, 40mm, GPS + Cellular: $499
• Aluminum, 44mm, GPS: $429
• Aluminum, 44m, GPS + Cellular: $529
• Stainless steel, 40mm, GPS + Cellular: $699
• Stainless steel, 44mm, GPS + Cellular: $749
• Titanium, 40mm, GPS + Cellular: $849
• Titanium, 44mm, GPS + Cellular: $899

Lower prices may be available from Apple’s official Amazon store.

Deals

In line with similar promotions offered for iPhone and iPad purchases, Apple says that customers can buy a GPS + Cellular model of the Apple Watch Series 7 and get a $100 rebate when they activate it with T-Mobile/Sprint or Verizon. Apple says: 

Customers can buy Apple Watch (GPS + Cellular) directly from apple.com/store or at an Apple Store and get $100 back when they activate it with T-Mobile/Sprint or Verizon. 

You can learn more about it here.

Over at 9to5Toys, you can find the best deals on the Apple Watch Series 7 and other Apple products. Download the 9to5Toys iPhone app to receive push notifications for new deals as well.

watchOS 8

The Apple Watch Series 7 features watchOS 8. It was previewed during the WWDC21 keynote and is available since September 20. Here are its key functions:

• New custom Watch Faces;
• Focus mode so you can filter out distractions;
• New Mindfulness app;
• New Pilates and Tai Chi workouts;
• Locate misplaced Apple devices with Find Devices, including Items, Devices, and People.

For the Series 7, Apple is also introducing a few tweaks thanks to its larger display. For example, it will be possible to write a message using QuickPath.

Learn more about watchOS 8 here.

watchOS 8.1 features

A month after releasing watchOS 8, the company updated the Apple Watch with version 8.1 with some bug fixes.

watch 8.3 features

Apple skipped watchOS 8.2 and seeded after 8.1, version 8.3 with the following improvements:

• Apple Music Voice Plan gives you access to all songs, playlists, and stations in Apple Music using Siri
• Support for App Privacy Report to record data and sensor access
• Fixes an issue where notifications may interrupt Mindfulness sessions unexpectedly for some users.

watchOS 8.4 features

watchOS 8.4, which was released on January 26, fixed a bug that prevented Apple Watch from being recharged with some third-party chargers. Apart from that, there are no notable features in this operating system.

watchOS 8.5 features

After small updates, watchOS 8.5 brings a handful of new features. Here are the most important:

• New emoji;
• New non-binary, American Siri voice;
• Ability to authorize Apple TV purchases and subscriptions;
• COVID-19 vaccination cards in Apple Wallet now support the EU Digital COVID Certificate format;
• Updates to irregular rhythm notifications are designed to improve atrial fibrillation identification. Available in the United States, Chile, Hong Kong, South Africa, and many regions where the feature is available;
• Audio hints in Fitness+ provide you with audio commentary of visually demonstrated movements during workouts.

watchOS 8.6 features

watchOS 8.6 enables the ECG app and irregular rhythm notifications for Apple Watch users in Mexico. With the ECG app, users can take an electrocardiogram directly from their wrist.

According to the release notes, the update also includes “improvements and bug fixes.”

watchOS 8.7 features

According to the release notes, the update includes “improvements and bug fixes.”

watchOS 9

Now that watchOS 9 doesn’t support Apple Watch Series 3 anymore, the operating system revamps old Watch Faces, while adding four new ones. With these new faces, Apple makes them look better on bigger displays. In addition, the company is adding QWERTY keyboard support for more languages for the Apple Watch Series 7 and Series 8 and new QuickType technology with watchOS 9.

watchOS 9 also brings a significant update to the Workout app with a lot of new features for people who love to exercise. For runners, there’s a new Workout Views where they just need to turn the Digital Crown in order to see lots of metrics, which are available during the run:

• Activity rings 
• Heart Rate Zones 
• Power
• Elevation

Apple is also improving the Sleep app with watchOS 9. It now brings more sleep data and there’s a new Medications app that helps you track all the pills and vitamins you take every day.

Wrap up

For Apple Watch Series 5 and Series 6 owners, the Apple Watch Series 7 isn’t a necessary upgrade. For those coming from a Series 4 or older, this new Apple Watch will sure bring improvements: a faster processor, bigger and brighter screen, more sensors, and, also, a slight redesign.