The Apple Watch Series 2 Review: Building Towards Maturity

It's been a few weeks since I have been testing the Apple Watch series 2 and before I can tell you how I feel about it, I must admit that wearing a smartwatch on me at all times has been a weird and mixed experience. I've tried numerous smartwatches in the recent past, which raised all sorts of questions such as confusion, skepticism and sometimes even praise. As a kid, I've always dreamt of having a tiny computer on my wrist to fulfill my fantasies inspired by numerous cartoon TV shows and movies. And, it feels like I finally have one.

Official Apple Watch 2 Ad

The burning question everyone asks me is, “Does the Apple Watch replace your iPhone?”. Well in my opinion – maybe

However, after a while, I realised I started using the Apple Watch for other purposes such as tracking my steps, my heart rate and my exercises. I even used the smartwatch to control my music and my volume levels on the AirPods. The iOS ecosystem worked seamlessly and that's what kept me hooked from the start.

If you look at the Apple Watch Series 2, it is almost identical to the original, apart from being a little thicker to accommodate a bigger battery and an additional microphone hole. The first Apple Watch was elegant when it came to design but lacked a lot of features that one can find on the Apple Watch Series 2 today. The new iteration is faster and more intuitive than the original and here's what we think about it. 

It Has Better Water Resistance

Let's get straight to the point; you can now wear the Apple Watch while swimming in a pool or any other open water body (not salt water bodies, though). The current model can now be submerged up to 50 meters of water and you will not face a single glitch after you're done with your swim. There are two different types of swimming workouts the Apple Watch can track i.e. pool swims and open water swim. These workout modes on the Apple Watch will track your distance, laps and different types of stroke styles.

After activating one of the swim workouts, the Watch will auto-lock the screen so that no water droplets or pressure will hinder the smartwatch's functioning. Once done with your swim, you can unlock the screen by twisting the crown, which will in turn play a sound and vibrates to push out any of the remaining water in any one of the holes. This sounds like something straight out of a sci-fi movie, but it actually works. 

The Final Say 

If you already have an iPhone and you are looking for the perfect companion smartwatch, the Apple Watch Series 2 is it. The smart watch acts as a great fitness tracker with accurate GPS, steps and heart rate tracking but lacks the battery life to make it the perfect smartwatch for your iPhone. If you have INR 34,700 at your disposal to spend on a smartwatch, the buck stops here.