Apple’s “California Streaming” event took place on September 14, 2021. The event introduced the 15th generation iPhone lineup, which includes the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, and the iPhone 13 Pro Max. But this event included more than just a new generation of iPhone — it also introduced the newest Apple Watch.
Continue scrolling to learn more about the Series 7 Apple Watch.
Apple Watch Series 7 release date and price
Apple announced the Series 7 Apple Watch on September 14, 2021. Orders for the Apple Watch Series 7 opened on October 8, 2021, and the watch will begin shipping and be avaialble in retail stores as of October 15, 2021. The base price begins at $399, which is for a 41mm GPS Apple Watch in aluminum. Pricing for the Series 7 Apple Watch varies based on whether you select a GPS model, or a GPS + Cellular model, and which band option you select. The starting prices for each of the models is as follows:
Aluminum | Stainless Steel | Titanium | |
Apple Watch Series 7 (41mm) | $399 GPS $499 GPS + Cellular | $699 GPS + Cellular | $799 GPS + Cellular |
Apple Watch Series 7 (45mm) | $429 GPS $529 GPS + Cellular | $749 GPS + Cellular | $849 GPS + Cellular |
Apple Watch Series 7 features
When the Apple Watch Series 7 arrives on users wrists, it will be running watchOS8, with changes that include a larger display and faster charging. The new Series 7 Apple Watch is also expected to be more durable as compared to previous models.
- Display: The Series 7 Apple Watch features 20% more screen area, has thinner bezels around the edges, and is brighter indoors. The bezels measure in at 1.7mm, which is 40% smaller as compared to the Series 6 Apple Watch. The display is an Always-On Retina and is up to 70% brighter indoors, which again, is compared to the Series 6 Apple Watch.
- Charging: The Series 7 Apple Watch battery life mirrors that of the Series 6, which is up to 18 hours on a single charge. But the Series 7 Apple Watch is able to charge quicker due to the new Magnetic Fast Charger USB-C cable. Apple has said the Series 7 Apple Watch will charge 33% faster as compared to the Series 6 and will be able to go from 0% to 80% in roughly 45 minutes, with only 8 minutes of charging time needed to provide 8 hours of sleep tracking time.
- Durability: The added durability on the Series 7 Apple Watch comes via a strong front crystal, which is 50% thicker as compared to the Series 6 model. This added thickness increases the durability and makes the display more crack-resistant. The Series 7 Watch keeps the same WR50 rating for water resistance, so you can continue to use it while swimming. The new Apple Watch adds a new IP6X certification for dust resistance.
Apple had previously added new color options with the Series 6 Apple Watch, and it looks like this tradition has remained with the introduction of the Series 7 Apple Watch. The different color options for the Series 7 Apple Watch are as follows:
Aluminum | Stainless Steel | Titanium | |
Apple Watch Series 7 Colors | Midnight, Starlight, Green, Blue, and (PRODUCT)Red | Silver, Graphite, and Gold | Space Black, and Titanium |
Otherwise, there are a few other perks that come as a result of the Series 7 Apple Watch having more screen real estate. These other perks include two additional larger font sizes and a QWERTY keyboard that allows you to type by tapping or swiping.
Read more: Which Apple Watch should you buy in 2021?
Apple Watch Series 7 vs Apple Watch Series 6
There are some changes and new features arriving with the Apple Watch Series 7, however, there are also quite a bit of similarities. Essentially, if you already have a Series 6, the Series 7 is probably not a must-have upgrade, but if you’re coming from an older model, the Series 7 is certainly worth considering. You can view the specs for the Series 7, and see how they compare to the Series 6 in the table below:
Apple Watch Series 7 | Apple Watch Series 6 | |
Size | 41mm 45mm | 40mm 44mm |
Display | Always-On Retina LPTO OLED display at 1000 nits | Always-On Retina LPTO OLED display at 1000 nits |
Processor | S7 SiP with 64-bit dual-core processor W3 Apple wireless chip U1 Ultra Wideband chip | S6 SiP with 64-bit dual-core processor W3 Apple wireless chip U1 Ultra Wideband chip |
Storage | 32GB | 32GB |
Materials | Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Titanium | Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Titanium |
Connectivity | GPS and GPS + Cellular | GPS and GPS + Cellular |
Battery Life | Up to 18 hours | Up to 18 hours |
Charging | USB-C Magnetic charging cable | Magnetic charging cable |
Water & Dust Resistance | 50m (Water-resistant, Swimproof) and IP6X certified for dust-resistance | 50m (Water-resistant, Swimproof) |
Colors | Aluminum (Midnight, Starlight, Green, Blue, Red) Stainless Steel (Silver, Graphite, Gold) Titanium (Titanium, Space Black) | Aluminum (Silver, Space Gray, Gold, Blue, Red) Stainless Steel (Silver, Graphite, Gold) Titanium (Titanium, Space Black) |
Of course, while there are plenty of similarities, Apple did make improvements in key areas such as the display, durability, and charging speed — all of which should be welcomed by those who regularly have an Apple Watch on their wrist.
Some of the other key features of the Apple Watch include health and wellness, safety and emergency, and more.
- Health & Wellness: Blood Oxygen app, ECG app, High and low heart rate notifications, Irregular heart rhythm notification, Sleep Tracking, Reflect feature, Mindfulness app
- Safety & Emergency: Emergency SOS, International emergency calling, Fall detection, Noise monitoring
- Other Features: Supports Family Setup (on GPS + Cellular models), Compass, Always-on Altimeter, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Ambient Light Sensor, Speaker, Microphone, Apple Fitness+ support, Apple Pay support, GymKit support, Siri
Another great, albeit previously existing feature of the Apple Watch is being able to use it to unlock your iPhone.
Read more: Cheapest Apple Watches with watchOS 8
Sell your Apple Watch on Swappa
The Series 7 Apple Watch may not be considered a big upgrade by everyone — but if you’re a fan and regular user — you’ll likely want to upgrade. After all, the faster charging times, increased durability, and larger display are notable feature improvements. Naturally, though, you probably want to offset the cost of your upgrade, and that can be done by selling your gently used Apple Watch on Swappa.
Swappa is an active marketplace, which increases your odds of a quick sale. And equally important, Swappa is the safest marketplace to buy and sell gently used tech, so tap the green button below to get started.