Since the first Apple Watch came on the scene in 2015. This smartwatch has revolutionized the smartwatch industry.
The Apple Watch is still one of the best smartwatches out right now.
With each new Apple Watch release they continue to innovate and add more features.
Now Apple have released their latest Apple Watch Series 8. Making it the very best Apple Watch yet.
In this blog post we’ll break down all of the Apple Watch pros and cons. Helping you decide on whether an Apple Watch is for you.
Keep scrolling to find out the advantages of having an Apple Watch!
Apple Watch Pros And Cons
To get you started here is a quick breakdown of all the advantages and disadvantages of having an Apple Watch. We will be focusing on the latest Apple Watch Series 8, and the Series 7, and what these smartwatches are built to do.
Below is our list of the top Apple Watch pros and cons. To help you decide whether it’s worth investing in one.
| Top Pros | Top Cons |
| Exercise tracking | Battery life (17 – 18 hours) |
| Heart rate monitoring | Only works with an iPhone |
| Sleep pattern tracking | Expensive |
| Call, message, app notifications | No new case shapes or diversity in design |
| Can make + receive calls | Distracting |
| ApplePay | |
| iPhone camera remote control | |
| Ability to control smart appliances | |
| Easy to read display 40mm or 44mm screen size | |
| Slick design | |
| Maps + Location sharing | |
| Siri | |
| Water resistance (*) | |
| Large storage capacity (32GB on Series 5 and above models) |
Apple Watch Pros
The Apple Watch is the world’s most recognized smartwatch.
Below we’ve researched and listed all the great features that an Apple Watch has to offer.
There are a LOT of amazing pros to having an Apple Watch, especially the latest one. So in order to cover them all we’ve had to split the advantages/pros into categories.
What are the advantages of an Apple Watch?
Smart Features (Apple Watch Pros)
First and foremost the Apple Watch is one of the top performing smartwatches on the market. Some would even say they are the best in terms of performance and innovation.
To be honest, we’d have to agree. Take a look at their smart features and find out why.
- Receive + make calls
- Receive + reply to messages/emails
- App notifications
- Always on display
- Apple Pay
- Control other Apple products
- Control smart appliances
- Help find your iPhone
- Handy flashlight
- Walkie-Talkie
- Siri
- Feel the time
1. Receive + make calls
What made a smartwatch so revolutionary is the ability to use it like a phone.
Of course an Apple Watch can make and receive calls. This means that even while you are away from your iPhone, you can still be reachable through your Apple Watch.
2. Receive + reply to messages/emails
Also your Apple Watch will keep you notified of any messages or emails that get sent to your iPhone. You’ll also be able to reply to them using the Apple Watch.
That’s thanks to the large, easy to use display. Making replying simple.
3. App notifications
Your Apple Watch will keep you up to date on all of the latest notifications from your favorite apps.
However, this can get distracting, so make sure to only allow notifications on the apps you want to see. Keep the apps you don’t use often on silent.
4. Always on display
The always on display feature is great, because at a glance you’ll be able to check up on your watch.
When this feature is on, it means you’ll instantly see the time, battery life, and notifications without having to move your wrist a lot or push a button.
This feature is only available from Apple Watch Series 5 and newer series.
You can choose to turn on this feature, or keep it off. However, don’t worry this feature runs on a low power so it won’t drain your battery that much.
5. Apple Pay
Nowadays we are paying with our devices more and more. Through Apple Pay we can now use the Apple Watch to pay at the card machine.
This is a super handy feature of the Apple Watch, and makes forgetting your wallet a thing of the past.
6. Control other Apple products
Another great smart advantage of an Apple Watch is how it will seamlessly sync with all of your other Apple products.
From your Apple TV to your Mac. The Apple Watch will make connections with these and allow you to control them from your wrist.
7. Control smart appliances
Also, the Apple Watch can often connect with a whole range of non Apple smart appliances.
This can help you control all of your smart appliances in your home from your watch. Making life easier for you for sure!
8. Help find your iPhone
We all often loose our phone, by simply putting it down in a dumb location in our home.
Well with the help of an Apple Watch you can use it to ping your iPhone. A handy way to locate that lost phone, fast.
9. Handy flashlight
The Apple Watch comes with a very handy flashlight as well, similar to what you have on a smartphone.
A perfect tool to use when you need to find something in the dark.
10. Walkie-Talkie (careful now…)
Now this smart feature comes with a warning. The Walkie-Talkie feature is great fun, but it can also interrupt at very inappropriate times!
How it works is that you can match your Apple Watch up with someone else’s, like a best friend or your partner.
This ensures that your Apple watches can be used just like a walkie-talkie, where throughout the day, at any time, you can communicate.
If you speak into it, then your voice will come out through their watch. Great fun, but I’m sure you can see how this can cause some awkward scenarios…
11. Siri
The Apple AI assistant known as Siri is also an integrated smart feature on your Apple Watch.
You can speak to Siri anytime with your watch, you just do this by simply addressing Siri and asking your question.
E.g. “Siri, what time is it?”
12. Feel the time
Your Apple Watch also has the ability to tap the time onto your wrist. This is a great way to feel the time if you don’t want to, or else can’t, read the time.
Health + Fitness Features (Apple Watch Pros)
Now onto the advantages of having an Apple Watch when it comes to your health and fitness.
Apple has built their watches with a lot of handy health monitoring features. So that you can keep track of all areas of your well-being.
Apple Watch also makes for an ideal workout partner thanks to all of their handy exercise features too.
Check out some of the advantages of having an Apple Watch when it comes to this.
- Exercise tracking
- Heart rate monitoring
- ECG
- Blood oxygen monitoring
- Sleep pattern tracking
- Menstrual cycle tracking
- Fall detector
- Noise level monitoring
- Handwashing tracking
13. Exercise tracking
Apple Watch makes it easy to stay on track with your exercise and workout routine.
What’s great is that your Apple Watch will notify you when you start a workout. The watch will ask if you want to track this workout with the Workout app.
So whether you are into running, yoga, or cycling. The Apple Watch will provide you with real time information and stats showing how you are performing.
14. Heart rate monitoring
Your Apple Watch will have heart rate monitoring built in. So it will constantly monitor your heart rate. It will even check for any abnormalities, using the next feature…
15. ECG
The ECG feature on your Apple Watch is a lifesaving feature. As you can check for any heartbeat abnormalities. Such as an irregular rhythm, like a skipped beat.
16. Blood oxygen monitoring
Your Apple Watch Series 6 (and newer models) will help you monitor your blood oxygen levels. This measures how much oxygen your red blood cells are carrying.
Your blood oxygen monitoring app will give you a percentage of how much oxygen is in your blood. Giving you even more of an inside look into your health.
17. Sleep pattern tracking
Many of us can struggle with our sleep, so using your Apple Watch to keep track of your sleep pattern is a game-changer.
If you wear your watch at night it will monitor how well you slept, storing the info in your Sleep app. You can then set sleep goals and monitor your sleep pattern trends.
The only thing to remember is to make sure your Apple Watch has enough battery left. We’d recommend at least 30% – 40% to ensure it lasts the night.
18. Menstrual cycle tracking
For women, the Apple Watch is a great companion to help keep track of the menstrual cycle. You can keep track of ovulation, fertility, PMS symptoms, and more in the Cycle Tracking app.
19. Fall detector
For someone who is at risk of serious falls, this is a great smart feature.
Basically if you have a sudden fall while wearing your watch, it will call your designated contact for you to warn them. If they are unable to reach them then the Apple Watch will call the police and send your location.
This feature can be turned off as well. In case you are worried about setting it off by mistake.
20. Noise level monitoring
Your Apple Watch has the ability to monitor noise levels, through the Noise app. This is to protect your hearing from damage. It will warn you if noise increases to harmful levels.
21. Handwashing tracking
The Apple Watch Series 6 first came with the handy (especially in pandemic times) hand washing reminder.
Meaning your Apple Watch can encourage you to wash your hands for longer (ideally 20 seconds). Also the watch will give you a reminder to wash your hands after you come home.
Travel Features (Apple Watch Pros)
An Apple Watch makes for a handy travel partner too. Thanks to all of their tracking and outdoor navigation features.
Learn more about the advantages of having an Apple Watch on the road.
- Location sharing
- Maps
- Compass
- Barometric altimeter
- Water resistance
22. Location sharing
Your Apple Watch has the ability to share your location, which you can see through GPS tracking. You can use it to find yourself on your Apple Watch map.
You can even share your location with someone else who has an Apple Watch. Then you’ll also appear on their map.
23. Maps
You can access maps through your Apple Watch, making it a great device for getting around cities and unfamiliar places.
You can use it to guide you to your destination. Plus you can use your Air-pods to listen to the directions, but the watch will also vibrate to warn of a change in direction as well.
24. Compass
Your Apple Watch is a very handy tool when hiking, as it comes with a built-in compass. So you can check which direction you are heading in.
25. Barometric altimeter
A barometric altimeter is a device that can measure the altitude of a location by calculating that location’s air pressure.
So basically your Apple Watch can tell you how high you are (your elevation) above sea level.
26. Water resistance
The Apple Watch Series 6 comes with a 50 meter level of water resistance.
Best for Water Resistance!
Here is what Apple have to say about it…
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.
– Apple
As for showering with an Apple Watch, we recommend that you never shower with a watch. Especially a smartwatch, as the heat of the water can damage your watch. Along with all the soaps and shampoos.
If you want to be on the safe side, then we would recommend you avoid getting your Apple Watch wet as much as possible. As water resistance will always diminish over time.
But if you really need a watch for surfing then why not check out our recommendations for the best surf watch brands.
Apple Watch Cons
While the Apple Watch has a tonne of brilliant features. This smartwatch does also have its drawbacks.
Here are our top cons to the Apple Watch.
- Battery life
- You need an iPhone
- Expensive
- Bands are expensive too
- Lack of design diversity
- Distracting
- Disliked by watch enthusiasts
1. Battery Life
The battery life on an Apple Watch lasts for a maximum of 17 – 18 hours. This means that you’ll need to charge your watch at least every other day.
If you want to use your Apple Watch for sleep tracking through the night, then it’s best to give it a charge before bed. Especially if you have been wearing it all day.
This level of battery life is the main drawback of the Apple Watch. Other smartwatch brands like Garmin or Fitbit often come with a better battery life.
2. You need an iPhone
If you want an Apple Watch, well then you’ll need an iPhone to work it.
A smartwatch isn’t a smartwatch without a smartphone to sync with. And an Apple Watch will only work with an iPhone.
So if you love your android phone, well then an Apple Watch isn’t for you. Instead you should check out smartwatches that are compatible with Android smartphones instead.
Like Samsung for example.
3. Expensive
An Apple Watch is a fairly pricey piece of tech. If you want the latest Apple Watch along with the latest Apple iPhone, you’ll need to have a bit of cash on hand.
Apple isn’t known for their affordable products. However, their products will last and an Apple Watch is no different.
For the price you pay you get a lot of smartwatch for your money.
4. Bands are expensive too
The official Apple Watch bands can be expensive. If you want to add a new band to your new Apple Watch you’ll be paying quite a lot.
However, many Apple Watch users instead opt for unofficial Apple Watch bands to keep their costs low.
Amazon has a large selection of these unofficial Apple Watch bands to choose from. Check them out.
5. Lack of design diversity
This could be seen to some as a pro, but for those who want a bit of freshness. The fact that Apple has not updated the design of their watch could be seen as boring.
When you look at other smartwatch brands, they offer a lot more diversity in their case shapes and designs. Just take a look at Samsung.
Apple Watch users don’t have this. The case shape has stayed the same since its inception.
The only way you can make your Apple Watch stand out a bit more is to pick an eye-catching case material or color. Also add a different band to it as well.
6. Distracting
Smartwatches can be very distracting devices. As it is like attaching a smartphone to your wrist.
This can cause more distraction in our lives. However, that can be limited by you reducing the amount of notifications that come through to your Apple Watch.
So you can make your smartwatch as distracting as you want.
7. Disliked by watch enthusiasts
The watch world can be a snobby place at times. Some watch collectors look down on smartwatches and feel like they are a threat to their industry.
However, a smartwatch has a different purpose to a traditional watch. It is a piece of technology built to make your life easier.
Whereas a traditional watch is like a beautiful accessory used to express your individuality and add to your look or style.
We think that there is plenty of room in the industry for all styles of watches, smartwatches included.
Is an Apple Watch worth it?
Yes, we think that an Apple Watch is worth it.
An Apple Watch can add a lot to your life. From monitoring your sleep patterns, your workouts, and helping you pay for groceries at the store.
The Apple Watch will seamlessly integrate into your routine, as long as you own an iPhone already.
Word of warning though…
Once you buy one you can be guaranteed that it will be hard to live without it from then on.
But if it makes your life that bit easier, then why would you want to live without it?
Check out the latest Apple Watch available now. You can often find many renewed Apple Watches for a good price on Amazon.
