Why the big screen, versatility, and evolved Apple Watch Series 7 are a bargain
"Apple Watch Series 7" (hereinafter referred to as "Apple Watch 7"), which went on sale on October 15, 2021. It seems that reservations have been flooded from the beginning of the release, and even at the time of writing (early November 2021), if you purchase at the Apple Store, it will take about a month to arrive.
As the name suggests, the Apple Watch is the 7th generation of this model, but since the appearance has not changed significantly from the previous model "Series 6", many people may be wondering whether to buy it. .. This time, I was able to actually try the product, so I will deliver a review while focusing on the evolution points.
"Apple Watch 7" can be purchased from the official HP from 48,800 yen!
If you purchase the Apple Watch 7 from the official Apple Store, the selling price in the cheapest configuration will be 48,800 yen. The cheapest configuration is "41mm", "aluminum case", "solo loop / sports band / sports loop".
The Apple Watch series has multiple patterns for the size and material of the case and the type of band, and it is also attractive that you can customize it to your liking to some extent and purchase it. The official HP also has an "Apple Watch Studio" that is convenient when thinking about your favorite combination, so it is recommended to try this before purchasing.
[Reference] Apple Watch Studio
In addition to the Apple Store, it is also available for purchase at home electronics mass retailers and EC sites, as well as at three carriers: docomo / au / Softbank.
Although the main body size is almost the same, the display has become larger! Durability is also greatly improved !?
First of all, about the appearance and design. Apple Watch 7 has two display sizes, the 41 mm model that has been prepared conventionally and the 45 mm that is a large screen model. 45mm is the largest display size in history, but by designing the bezel to be thin, it is almost the same size as the previous 44mm model.
Compared to the circular display of Galaxy Watch 4 (left), Apple Watch 7 (right) can display a wide range of characters, giving an impression of good visibility.
This time, I tried 45mm, which is a large screen model. Compared to the 44mm before Apple Watch 6, there is only a 1mm difference in numbers, but when you wear it on your wrist, you get the impression that it has a solid presence. The size of the notification is also clearly visible, so it was convenient for checking a little email on the go.
The body material can be selected from three types, "aluminum", "stainless steel", and "titanium", and the mass of each is 38.8g / 51.5g / 45.1g (45mm model, excluding band). ..
This time, I used the heaviest stainless steel model, so it had a solid feel like a wristwatch. It's not a mass that makes you worry about the burden on your arm, but a certain amount of mass leads to a sense of luxury, so it's a good impression for me personally.
In addition, "the strongest front crystal in the history of Apple Watch" is adopted for the body, and crack resistance is improved. It has IP6X grade dustproof performance and water resistance that is safe to wear when swimming, so there is a certain degree of security in durability.
Check out with your Apple Watch!Supports a wide range of payment services
Since I usually use Android smartphones mainly, I use a smart watch equipped with "Google Wear OS", but this time I tried Apple Watch 7 with iPhone for about a week and felt it again. Is the convenience of the payment service.
The most famous one is the registration of transportation ICs such as Mobile Suica and Mobile PASMO. The number of smart watches that can register transportation ICs is still small, and one of the strengths of the Apple Watch series is that it can be easily registered in cooperation with the iPhone.
In recent years, the number of smartphones equipped with FeliCa has increased, so many people should use the transportation IC registered on their smartphones to do small shopping when passing through the ticket gates of stations. Of course, payment with a smartphone is convenient because you don't have to take out your wallet, but if you use the Apple Watch, you don't even need to take out your smartphone, so it's a "smart" function.
Another advantage is that there are abundant support services, such as support for registration of electronic money such as "WAON" and "nanaco" from October 21, 2021. Personally, I often use "au PAY" when shopping at convenience stores, so I used the function to display barcodes and QR codes on the Apple Watch and make payments quite often. ..
Let's charge faster and make the most of the abundant functions !?
Charging speed is one of the evolutionary points of Apple Watch 7. If you use the USB-C cable included at the time of purchase, you can charge up to 80% in about 45 minutes. It is said that it is up to 33% faster than Apple Watch 6, and it can be charged to almost 100% in about 1 hour from the dead battery state.
The weak point of smart watches is that, unlike ordinary watches, most models require frequent charging. As with the Apple Watch, it requires charging almost every day, but there are many benefits to having a shorter charging time.
If you can charge 80% in about 45 minutes, you can charge up to about 100% in the time to prepare after waking up in the morning. You don't need to charge much while you sleep at night, so you can use the Sleep app to measure your breathing status and sleep time during sleep.
Also, using the "always on" feature available on Apple Watch 5 and above (except Apple Watch SE) will naturally drain the battery. By increasing the charging speed, you will be able to use these battery-intensive functions without hesitation.
Apple Watch 7 to buy if new features enrich your life
In addition to the functions introduced, there are abundant workout modes with new functions such as the ability to break through the Face ID of the iPhone while wearing the Apple Watch, health management functions such as electrocardiogram and blood oxygen level measurement, and cycling. Apple Watch is a device that can make your daily life more comfortable.
However, many functions such as the payment service introduced here can be used by updating the software even in the model before Apple Watch 6, and the pure evolution point as Apple Watch 7 is "larger display" " Is it something like "improvement of durability" or "improvement of charging speed"?
Of course, all of these are essential enhancement points for smartwatches. For Apple Watch 4 and earlier models and users of Apple Watch SE, the "always on" function will also be available, so it is best to think about which function you want from your smartwatch before purchasing. recommendation. Even if you want to use Apple Watch for the first time, I would like you to try the latest model that can use the current full functionality.
Interview / text / Fumihiko Sato