During the launch of the Apple Watch Series 10 at the Glowtime Apple event 2024, Apple announced that the new watch's built-in speakers have been redesigned to finally play your favorite music and podcasts – giving you a back up for when your pick of the best AirPods are out of charge, or if you've left your phone at home and can't rely on its speaker.
The Apple Watch having a speaker built-in isn't new (older models of the best Apple Watch have been able to output some audio), plus you've been able to play music you've downloaded to your Apple Watch through connected AirPods before.
However, this new generation of Apple Watch its the first that has allowed the device itself to play music directly from services like Apple Music, as well as other best music streaming services, without needing an external device.
We haven't yet been able to give this feature a try for ourselves, but while it will undoubtedly be better than having no music at all, we don't expect the fairly small Apple Watch speakers to come close to matching the performance of the best earbuds out there. As we said above, think of this option as a backup rather than your first port of call.
In addition to this redesigned speaker, the Apple Watch Series 10 has a few additional upgrades.
There's a new wide-angle OLED display – which is the biggest we've seen yet on an Apple Watch – that Apple said offers better off-angle brightness for keeping an eye on your watch without bringing it up all the time.
Additionally, with its more efficient display choice Apple adds that the always-on display will refresh every second instead of simply every minute. So your Apple Watch's digital second hand never has to stop ticking.
Lastly, the Apple Watch Series 10 adds Sleep Apnea Detection, a feature which was teased by leaks ahead of its reveal, and will let you know if you might want to speak to a doctor about the condition.
Apple Watch Series 10 will be available from September 20 starting at $399 / AU$649, with UK pricing TBC.
On top of the Apple Watch we've also been introduced to the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro, and AirPods 4.
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