Apple Watch Series 7 Release Dates Announced
Apple has announced availability dates for the Apple Watch Series 7. You can place an online order starting on 8 October 2021 at 5 AM PDT, and Apple Watch Series 7 models will be available in stores on 15 October 2021. However, Apple’s announcement says nothing about when orders placed on October 8th will arrive, which could suggest that supply constraints may delay delivery times for all but the very first orders.
The Apple Watch Series 7 starts at $399 for the 41mm aluminum model. Apple has yet to release full pricing information, but we expect the stainless steel model to start at $799 as it did for the Series 6. The new titanium Apple Watch Edition model also lacks pricing details.
Apple is making the aluminum Apple Watch Series 7 in five colors: midnight, starlight, green, blue, and (PRODUCT)RED. The stainless steel model comes in silver, graphite, and gold, while the titanium model comes in titanium and space black titanium. There are also the usual Nike and Hermès variants.
Overall, the Apple Watch Series 7 is a minor upgrade over the Series 6 (see “Apple Watch Series 7 Brings Modest Tweaks,” 14 September 2021). The most significant change is a larger and more space-efficient screen that allows for a full keyboard. The screen is also brighter and more durable.
If you own an Apple Watch Series 5 or 6, it’s probably not worth upgrading to the Series 7, assuming you’re happy with your current watch. Those who rely on a Series 4 that’s getting long in the tooth will likely appreciate the faster processor, larger screen, additional sensors, and improved battery life. However, if you’re still wearing a Series 3 or earlier, the Series 7 will be an enormous improvement to your Apple Watch experience, and it’s well worth upgrading.
I had to give up my Watch after I deduced that I am allergic to the cobalt in the back of it. Any chance that problem, which Apple has acknowledged, will be fixed? The problem exists with stainless, aluminum and titanium cases, something to do with the charging system.
Bill
I’m thinking of upgrading my Series 1 Watch. The battery encountered problems on Friday, which Apple Support confirmed with a remote diagnosis, and they will be replacing it since it’s still under monthly warranty (worth the $2.49/month).
But I’ve grown to like the Watch and keep on looking at my wrist while waiting for my new Watch to come.
I was thinking of upgrading to either the SE or the new Series 7. Maybe with cellular, since that’s only an extra 350 yen ($3.15) a month, and I’ve gone on walks a couple of times leaving my iPhone behind.
I can’t see paying extra for stainless steel. What’s that all about?
Anyway, looking forward to trying the new Watch in a store before making a leap. I guess I’ll notice quite a difference from my Series 1.
One of the advantages of the stainless steel (and titanium) models is that they have a sapphire crystal rather than what Apple calls Ion-X Glass for the aluminum models. The Series 7 is supposed to have a “tougher” glass but, because they still haven’t been shipped yet, nobody knows for sure if they are as close to scratch resistant as the sapphire ones (I have had both aluminum and stainless steel and the sapphire Crystal really is more scratch resistant.) Apple says it will be better than their existing aluminum watches though. (The SE has the same glass as was used in the Series 1 - it doesn’t get the new glass.)
Of course the stainless and titanium might also be considered more “dressy” or fashionable than aluminum, but functionally the watches are exactly the same. From a watchOS point of view, the Hermes stainless have special Hermes watch faces that the regular watches lack (but the Nike aluminum also have some extra Nike watch faces). The Titanium edition watches used to have some more color options for some faces but I don’t think they do anymore. The Hermes and Titanium watches do include an extra year of warranty (at least in the US, but I assume that they may in Japan as well), and getting AppleCare+ for those watches extends the warranty to three years rather than just two (if you pay for AC+ up front.)
Interesting. Do they all weigh the same?
Stainless watches are heavier, titanium are in between. Titanium are about 15% heavier, stainless about 30%.
But the differences are about 5 grams and about 10 grams. My mechanical watches are all quite heavier than my stainless Apple Watch. There are times when I wonder if I’ve forgotten to put the watch on; it is not really a heavy watch at all.
The stainless casing definitely scratches more than aluminum does. (My aluminum series 2 had no scratches on the case after three years; my series 5 definitely has them after two.) I understand that the Titanium cases are also very scratch resistant.
The stainless cases are polished while the Titanium have a more brushed finish, like the aluminum models.
So what’s the advantage of stainless if it costs more, is heavier, and scratches more easily?
doug
As I said, the crystal doesn’t scratch like aluminum watch crystals do, and it looks much better. If you care about that. As far as scratches on the crystal, I do. If those things don’t matter to you, buy the aluminum.
The replacement for my Series 1 Watch is not delivered. I called Apple and they said it’s in stock and now they’re waiting on a tracking number before the courier can deliver it and it might take them until next Tuesday (a week away) to get a tracking number! Say what?
This is after them initially telling me it would be delivered last Saturday. Then saying it would take 3-5 days from October 1st.
Unfortunately, due to the global pandemic there are still ongoing supply chain issues in the US:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2021-09-16/supply-chain-issues-shortages-and-delayed-shipping-through-2023
Even Apple is not exempt.
They’re claiming they have it in stock and that the issue is assigning a tracking number for delivery.
There are so many broken things in the supply chain right now, including a labor shortage. I wrote about it here for anyone interested.
Just got an email from Apple saying they can’t find a Watch series 1 so they are offering me a series 2 instead. Fine with me.
Looks like the Series 7 is in short supply.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-08/apple-s-new-watch-is-in-tight-supply-leading-to-long-wait-times
Yeah, I ordered a 45 mm blue aluminum non cellular model pretty early on the 8th, and my delivery dates are currently Nov 2 - 9. We’ll see.
Please keep us posted. Sometimes those delivery dates are overly pessimistic.
For example, when I ordered my phone (a 13 mini) from Verizon, they told me to expect it in two weeks, but it shipped in less than one.
My Apple Watch 7 arrived today, October 28, so ahead of schedule.