Last week, Apple had a major announcement featuring numerous product updates, but the new iPhones took up nearly all of the attention coming out of the keynote.

However, the Apple Watch Series 10 is well worth discussing.

The hardware and software have received a number of noteworthy improvements this year, and some of those features might even save lives, but there's no denying a sense of disappointment from some techies hoping for a wearable revolution.

We could go over each and every single feature, but we'd probably fall asleep before we finished writing that post, so let's just dive into the handful of meaningful changes before tackling the complaints.

Bigger screen, thinner body, less weight

Over time, the usable screen space for the Apple Watch has increased substantially. The 46mm model now has 1.89 square inches of display while the 44mm model is about 1.5 square inches.

The Series 10 enjoys a 30 percent screen increase over the likes of the Series 6 and 75 percent more than the Series 3. That's not nothing.

All the while, the watch itself has gotten thinner — just 9.7mm (0.38 inches) thick. The smaller model with an aluminum body now weighs just 30 grams (about and ounce) while the larger titanium model weighs 41.7 grams (roughly and ounce and a half). Regardless of your configuration, these aren't particularly hefty.

Improved health monitoring

The Apple Watch now includes a new Vitals app that gives you a simple interface for all of the countless health metrics that Apple is monitoring with this device. Sleep quality, heart rate, temperature and more are right on your wrist.

But more importantly, Apple has received clearance from the FDA to offer detection of sleep apnea on the new model. Considering that nearly a billion people suffer from some form of this condition, mostly unknowingly, this is absolutely a life-saving feature provided that it works as advertised.

Quick charge rules

Apple boasts that you can zip up to an 80 percent charge in about a half hour, but some real-world testing has had trouble reaching those numbers.

Still, that rapid charging is appreciated since it'll need to be charged daily unlike more basic fitness tracking devices that can last a whole week on a single charge.

And even if you only have a few minutes to juice up before bed, Apple says you can get eight hours worth of sleep tracking on just an eight-minute charge.

No earbuds needed

While you've had the ability to pair your wireless headphones to your watch to listen to audio before, the Series 10 will actually allow you to play music or podcasts on your wrist without additional hardware.

While we can see the benefit of having a backup against boredom if you forget your earbuds, we hope this doesn't encourage more people to be playing audio in public places. Nobody wants to hear your jams in the grocery store.

No major rethinking of the product

With all of that said, these are mostly small year-over-year improvements that won't excite most folks who own a Series 8 or 9. There's no major form factor change, no new way to interact like a moving bezel and nothing that demands your attention.

It's just a standard update to a popular product — nothing to write home about.

The Apple Watch Series 10 starts at $399, and launches on Friday, September 20, 2024.

[Image: Apple]