The Apple Watch Series 5 is now official, and comes with a few new upgrades and features. Here’s how much it’s going to cost you and when you can get it in Australia.
[referenced url=”https://gizmodo.com.au/2019/09/apple-watch-series-5-brings-software-upgrades-not-much-else/” thumb=”https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/t_ku-large/dck6qa5jm9ux01r0ejtz.png” title=”Apple Watch Series 5 Brings Software Upgrades, Not Much Else” excerpt=”It’s no surprise that Apple announced the next iteration of its Apple Watch today. But where last year’s Series 4 represented a major shift in design and added ECG capabilities, this year’s model focuses on software.”]
The biggest new hardware feature is an Always On display. This means that you don’t need to raise your wrist to see the watch face. The LTPO display will refresh dynamically from 1Hz to 60Hz. A new low-power driver, battery management and an ambient light sensor all work to ensure that the Apple Watch continues to get up to 18 hours of battery life.
On the software front there isn’t a lot of new stuff. The likes of new watch faces, menstrual tracking and a wrist-based App Store were already announced for WatchOS 6 during WWDC.
The only really new things announced were a compass app and international emergency calling.
Oh and there are also ceramic as well as titanium versions of the Apple Watch 5.
Key specs for the Apple Watch 5 include:
- WatchOS 6
- 32GB storage
- Always On LTPO OLED display
- New S5 chip and 64-bit processor
- Fall detection with accelerometer and gyroscope
- Digital crown with haptic feedback
- New watch faces
- Up to 18 hours of battery life — the same as the Series 4
- Heart rate monitor that can detect low heart rate, irregularities
- Electrocardiogram scanner (not in Australia)
- GPS and built-in compass
- Water resistance
The GPS, non-cellular 40mm versions start at $649 ($50 more than last year), and the 44mm versions at $699.
For GPS + celluar the 40mm versions start at $799 and the 44mm versions at $849.
But wait, there’s more. And they’re pricey.
Thanks to there being aluminium, stainless steel, titanium and ceramic options now, there are a lot of different price points:
- Apple Watch Series 5 Aluminium GPS (40mm): $649
- Apple Watch Series 5 Aluminium GPS (40mm): $699
- Apple Watch Series 5 Aluminium 4G (40mm): $799
- Apple Watch Series 5 Aluminium 4G (40mm): $849
- Apple Watch Series 5 Stainless Steel (40mm): $1,099
- Apple Watch Series 5 Stainless Steel (44mm): $1,179
- Apple Watch Series 5 Titanium (40mm): $1,259
- Apple Watch Series 5 Titanium (44mm): $1,339
- Apple Watch Series 5 Ceramic (40mm): $1,999
- Apple Watch Series 5 Ceramic (44mm): $2,079
You can check out all of the colours and watchbands right here.
Pre-orders are available now and will ship on September 20.
And if you’re interested in the pricing and availability of the new iPhones, we have that too: