Apple Watch Series 2: Apple Inches Closer To Perfection

The Apple Watch Series 2 came out a couple of weeks ago, and so far, the response has been mostly positive. The Daily Express claims that with the Watch Series 2, it is finally time to buy a smartwatch.

“The Apple Watch 2 is finally here bringing a host of new features and improvements to the world’s most popular smartwatch and this is why you should finally consider buying one,” says critic David Snelling, who adds that the water-resistant design and GPS make it ideal for fitness fans.

Snelling also likes the improved processor, which makes things go significantly faster on the Watch 2 than the original Apple Watch. He doesn’t like the fact that there is still no choice for an always-on display and the fact that the battery life is still dismal.

The battery life actually is slightly better than that of the first Apple Watch, but not enough where you won’t need to leave your Watch charging overnight. But the most noticeable improvement on the Apple Watch Series 2 is a very important one — speed. For example, on the first Apple Watch, if you said, “Drive to the closest Best Buy” to Siri, you would have to wait at least a minute before your route appears and your Watch is ready to tap you in order to make the next turn. The process takes about 25 seconds on the Series 2 — this still isn’t optimal, but it’s an improvement.

The voice-to-text features are especially impressive. The first Apple Watch worked surprisingly well when answering emails or instant messages with your voice by converting spoken words to text. However, the Series 2 takes it to another level. If you try answering all your emails and instant messages with the Series 2 for a day, you may realize you never need a keyboard.

With the added GPS, the Apple Watch Series 2 becomes the ultimate exercise companion. You can leave your iPhone at home and go cycling with just you, your watch, and your bicycle. Even with your iPhone, the exercise tracker is more accurate. With the first Apple Watch, you could be told that you ran certain distances that weren’t realistic. This certainly isn’t the case with the Series 2.

You can even exercise with your Apple Watch Series 2 under water (in most cases). If you go scuba diving with your Watch Series 2 and stay under water for a long time, your watch may not work when you get to the surface. However, it really is waterproof for the most part, even though it may be nerve-wrecking to test it out. Tests that included swimming, taking showers, and even (purposely) dropping the watch in the toilet reveal that the Series 2 acted as if water had never existed.

Of course, the big question for Series 1 users is if they should upgrade to the Series 2. If you can sell your Watch on eBay or Craigslist for around $150, the upgrade will be worth it. However, it’s not an absolutely necessary upgrade. The biggest improvement that comes right when you start the Series 2 is watchOS 3, an operating system that you can now download for your Series 1 as well. The Series 2 doesn’t offer better aesthetics than the Series 1, so people won’t even notice that you upgraded — if that’s a concern of yours.

It’s easy to see why Apple left an optional cellular connection off the Series 2 — battery life. However, Samsung’s Gear S3 will have cellular connectivity, so it’s hopeful that Apple will include this on the Series 3. For now, the Apple Watch Series 2 is a solid smartwatch.

[Featured Image by Daryl Deino]