What the Apple Watch Pro must succeed

2022 is a giant yr for smartwatches. Samsung simply refreshed its Galaxy Watch lineup with a brand new “Pro” mannequin, Google is lastly releasing a Pixel Watch, Qualcomm launched a brand new wearable chip, and a few Wear OS 2 watches will lastly get the improve to Wear OS 3. And over in Apple’s camp, the Apple Watch lineup is about to see its largest overhaul in years. This yr, we’re anticipating to see not one, not two, however potentially three new Apple Watch models. A brand new Series 8, a brand new SE, and a never-before-seen rugged “Pro” mannequin — a brand new high-end possibility that would doubtlessly shake issues up within the smartwatch world.

That’s as a result of an Apple Watch Pro would imply Apple’s coming into an entire new wearable class: multisport health watches. This is a class with passionate customers who demand a selected checklist of health and navigation options to gasoline their athletic adventures, doubtlessly placing the Apple Watch as much as challenges it hasn’t confronted earlier than.

Fitness watches are a distinct segment dominated by manufacturers like Garmin, Polar, and Coros. These manufacturers specialise in units that may take a beating in all parts, final for weeks on a single cost, supply superior navigational options, and provides customers dozens upon dozens of efficiency metrics to obsessively analyze. Newer fashions function multi-band GPS in order that customers can get a sign in even probably the most distant locales.

It’s an fascinating pivot for Apple, which already dominates the general smartwatch market. However, whereas multisport watches largely enchantment to a distinct segment crowd, it’s a loyal crowd. Unlike people who solely interact in informal exercises to remain lively, these are devoted athletes who make investments lots of money and time into coaching. They’re unlikely to go away their sports activities watches to gather mud in a drawer for months on finish. Flagship GPS watches just like the Garmin Fenix 7 begin at round $700 and might value as a lot as $1,000 for probably the most superior fashions. That’s a profitable marketplace for Apple to enter.

It’s additionally a departure from what Apple’s smartwatches are primarily recognized for. The Apple Watch is understood for its superior well being options, superior connectivity, seamless integration with iPhones, and, to be frank, middling battery life. It’s extra of a mini laptop than a devoted coaching device. That presents some alternatives, but additionally challenges if Apple needs the “Pro” watch to succeed.

To win over the Garmin crowd, Apple goes to wish a watch with higher battery life, superior sturdiness, improved bodily controls, and help for restoration metrics to assist with coaching. If Apple can pull that off, it has the power to reshape what a “traditional” smartwatch can do within the health area. Innovations right here may truly result in a complicated sports activities watch that doesn’t make customers select between health and smarts.

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

The most obtrusive challenge for Apple to deal with is battery life. Since day one, Apple hasn’t veered from the 18-hour battery life estimate for its smartwatches. In actuality, you will get extra relying in your utilization — on some fashions, I’ve gone so long as 36 hours earlier than needing to cost. But 36 hours nonetheless isn’t weeks of battery life. When I examined the Garmin Fenix 7S, I acquired two weeks on a single cost. I acquired every week on the Polar Grit X Pro, and the Coros Vertix 2 has an estimated 60 days of on a regular basis use. (After two weeks of testing the Vertix 2, I nonetheless had 85 p.c battery left.) I’ll be genuinely shocked if the Apple Watch Pro will get wherever close to every week, but it surely has to do higher than 36 hours to really be a multiday watch. For occasion, in testing I’ve gotten about 48–60 hours on the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. It falls in need of a Garmin or Polar, but it surely’s a begin.

As for sturdiness, I’ve by no means damaged an Apple Watch earlier than — and I’m a klutz. However, I’ve gotten nicks and scratches with regular put on and tear on nearly all my Apple Watches. (Including extra sturdy fashions, just like the Series 7!) If you’re going to take a watch working on a dusty path, whitewater rafting, kiteboarding, snowboarding, or what have you ever, you need to know that sweat, grime, mud, water, sand, and the weather aren’t a problem. Some of it is a notion challenge. You can swim with an Apple Watch and sturdiness has improved since earlier fashions, but it surely simply doesn’t give the impression that it’s robust.

Then there’s the matter of controls. I’ve already written about why bodily buttons are necessary for athletes, however counting on touchscreens is a possible dealbreaker. Wet fingers make swiping a chore, the digital crown isn’t immune from unintended presses, and the aspect button, whereas perfect for glossy minimalism, just isn’t nice while you’re sporting gloves for cold-weather sports activities. These controls are wonderful for each day life, however they’re not fairly as dependable as Garmin or Polar’s five-button navigation system for actions. And whereas Siri is useful, it’s not at all times an possibility in loud environments or when you might want to be discreet. For occasion, utilizing Siri was moot once I was working a half-marathon. The cheering crowds and loudspeakers rendered any instructions inaudible.

Photo by Victoria Song / The Verge

Apple can be nonetheless behind with regards to sure monitoring metrics. Recovery and damage prevention have been a sizzling development in health tech lately and that’s an space the place Apple hasn’t carried out a lot. Not solely was it late to native sleep monitoring, it’s nonetheless a reasonably fundamental function within the watchOS 9 beta. The watch additionally doesn’t supply a lot perception into how properly you’ve recovered from bodily pressure.

Instead, Apple’s centered extra on customers closing their rings. That typically results in prioritizing streaks on the expense of relaxation — which anybody who severely trains for occasions will inform you is a giant no-no. If it needs to win over severe athletes, the Pro goes to wish much less gamification and extra flexibility. That stated, having examined the watchOS 9 beta, I’m not too involved in regards to the exercise metrics entrance. While you don’t get as a lot element as a Garmin or Polar watch, watchOS 9 provides some mandatory fundamentals like coronary heart price zones, customized exercises, working kind metrics, and elevation charts.

Those are all large challenges for Apple’s new watch, however there are additionally large alternatives right here. Multisport watches are typically weak on good options like music streaming, digital assistants, management of good dwelling tech, contactless funds, LTE connectivity for emergency SOS calls, fall detection, and superior well being options like atrial fibrillation alerts. Garmin is one of the best of the lot, however its variations of those options typically have caveats. Safety options rely in your cellphone being close by, the apps in its Connect IQ retailer aren’t as much as snuff, including music could be finicky, and Garmin Pay is restricted to your watch. It’s arguably simpler for Apple to enhance its health options, battery, and sturdiness than for Garmin and Polar to beef up their good capabilities.

Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge

Apple isn’t the one one going Pro this summer time. Samsung additionally simply launched the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, which is also geared toward outside lovers. And whereas it improves battery and sturdiness, it’s nonetheless missing in dependable bodily controls and coaching restoration metrics. (Plus, its turn-by-turn navigation leaves out runners.) Basically, it’s an admirable first try however there are positively areas the place Samsung can enhance. I think about the Apple Watch Pro may be comparable — a primary try that tries to nail the fundamentals, whereas leaving room for extra thrilling options down the road.

None of us have seen the Pro — or no matter it finally ends up being known as — but. There might very properly be new design parts or beefier specs that will handle no less than a few of these challenges. That stated, it’s uncommon that any firm knocks it out of the park with a primary try. The Apple Watch itself didn’t actually hit its stride till the Series 4. It’s unlikely that the primary Pro will lead a horde of Garmin lovers to instantly ditch their beloved Fenix and Forerunner watches. That’s additionally not how anybody ought to consider its “success.” For this primary rugged Apple Watch, it’ll be far more necessary that it does fundamentals properly sufficient to take advantage of diehard Garmin and Polar loyalists curious.