How is it possible that, for the past five years, the smartwatch recognized as the world’s best was also a watch that didn’t always show the time?
This is the truth, though. From the time the Apple Watch first launched in 2015, it evolved from is-it-an-iPhone-killer? to a killer fitness tracker to an FDA-cleared ECG monitor. Reader: The Apple Watch has saved lives. It has located women who were swept out to sea. It has made men with erratic heartbeats cry after learning how close they were to the brink of death.
And yet it doesn’t always show the time of day. Not unless you tap on it or twist your wrist toward your face.
Until now, that is. The Apple Watch Series 5 is the first Apple Watch to always shows the time. If you were to put last year’s Series 4 next to this year’s Series 5, you’d hardly notice any differences. The “digital crown” on the side of the watch even has the same thin line if you have the cellular version. What you would notice is that, when the Series 4’s screen goes to sleep after 15 seconds, the Series 5’s screen transitions to a dimmed, shrunken version of whichever watch face you’re using.
A lot of people reading this review might already know what the Apple Watch is for and how it works. But unlike smartphones, which have matured as a product and are used by most of the global population, wearables still carry an air of mystery for a lot of consumers.
The Apple Watch connects wirelessly to an iPhone and tracks your movement throughout the day. It also shows you the same notifications you see on your phone. While this often means a veritable bees’ nest of flutters and buzzes and pings on your wrist, it provides the benefit of not always having to check your phone. When you get a text, you don’t need to reach into your pocket; you can look at your wrist.
When it was first rolled out, the Apple Watch was also pitched as a platform for third-party apps. But over time, its value as a fitness tracker and as a platform for Apple apps became clear. I personally like the Apple Watch as a fitness tracker. Even when I’m not in active workout phases, it tracks how much I’m moving and standing up. Over the past year I have swapped it out only for a Samsung smartwatch or a Garmin wearable with a much longer-lasting battery and the ability to track my sleep.
The Apple Watch is very useful for Messages notifications, but as a desk worker I’m already glued to larger screens with apps. Anecdotally, doctors, nurses, drivers, people working in food service and hospitality—people who can’t check their messages throughout the day—tell me they like the Apple Watch as an alternative way to receive notifications.
This year’s Apple Watch doesn’t look different from last year’s Watch. I wouldn’t say the Apple Watch is unilaterally attractive, but it is distinctive. It lacks the overtly masculine aesthetic some sporty smartwatches have, and it’s more sophisticated than most Fitbits. (Then again, Fitbits are less expensive than Apple Watches, and work with Android phones instead of just with iOS devices.)
This year’s base model of Apple Watch has an aluminum case, just like in past years. It costs $399, unless you want one with a cellular modem (for when you’re swept out to sea!), in which case it costs $499. You can upgrade to a stainless steel model ($699), a titanium version ($799), or a model with a ceramic case ($1,299). You can even buy a Hermès-branded version for the low, low price of $1,399. I’ve been wearing the aluminum Series 5 with cellular connectivity.