Following on from the announcement of watchOS 3 earlier this year, including various new features and improvements, Apple has launched Apple Watch 2 today.
Editor’s Note: This article will be updated throughout the Apple event.
A new waterproof design (up to 50m)
Starting off with the announcement that Pokemon Go will be available on Apple Watch before the end of the year, the Apple Watch 2 goes from being ‘splash proof’ to be ‘swim proof’. It features water resistance up to 50 metres — they’ve had to redesign the speaker in order to achieve this — and they even showed off a simulator to demonstrate the Watch’s resistance over years of swimming. As if this wasn’t good news for swimmers already, it’ll also track your individual performance.
2x brighter display
With a 1000 nit display, Apple Watch 2 is shipping with the brightest display of any product Apple has launched.
Built-in GPS
This one is a great, all-round feature. For anybody who regularly goes for run, this GPS feature will show you the route you took on the run along with your varying speeds along the way.
New look & feel
Apple is introducing aluminium, stainless steel and a new ceramic material for their Apple Watch 2 casings. The ceramic version comes with a smooth and pearl like shine and is 4x stronger than steel according to Apple.
Partnership with Nike
In a partnership with Nike, Apple also announced the “Apple Watch Nike Plus”. It’s a watch designed with runners in mind, with a perforated band and lightweight aluminium case. The Watch opts for a running-focused design with shortcuts aimed specifically at runners, and even pushes notifications if you haven’t gone for a run in a while, or if a friend is way ahead of you.
Apple Watch Nike Plus is available in four colours (specifics weren’t mentioned).
Pricing: Both Apple Watch Series 2 and the Nike Plus model will sell at $369. If you want the original Apple Watch (Series 1) you can grab an updated model with the same dual core processor as the new one for $269.
