Watch Series 8

Apple announced several new products at its ‘Far Out’ event on September 7th. While many go up for pre-order on September 9th, the company’s fancy new smartwatches are already available and, unfortunately, not delivering for while.

Depending on the model and band, the Apple Watch Series 8 and the rugged Watch Ultra won’t arrive until as late as October, despite becoming available on September 16th and 23rd, respectively. Those who got a pre-order in early will likely get their watches on time, but if you haven’t pre-ordered yet, be ready for a wait.

For the Apple Watch Ultra, the medium and large ‘Alpine Band,’ all Trail Loop sizes, and the ‘Midnight’ colour ‘Ocean Band’ appear to be the most popular, with expected delivery dates ranging from early- to mid-October.

The Apple Watch Series 8 also has a few options with later expected delivery times, although thanks to the wider variety of bands, watch colours, and sizes, it’s easier to find a Series 8 set-up that will ship on September 16th.

Although I typically don’t recommend pre-ordering products, if you really want a new Apple Watch and hate waiting, you may want to place an order.

The Apple Watch Ultra starts at $1,099 in Canada. You can check it out here, or read MobileSyrup‘s hands-on to learn more. The Watch Series 8, on the other hand, starts at $529 — check it out here.

Apple’s fall 2022 event featured several new devices and products that continue to propel Apple’s dominance in the technology sector. To provide you with a summary, here are the top five announcements from the event, in no particular order.

Emergency SOS via satellite

Apple has developed a new method to help people connect with emergency services in remote areas lacking cell towers. Available on the iPhone 14, Emergency SOS via Satellite will allow the handset to use its antennas to connect to satellites. It will then connect the device to a ground station, a relay center and emergency services. More information on the feature is available here.

New AirPods Pro

Apple’s second edition of the AirPods Pro features noise cancellation that’s twice as good as the first edition. Users can also use their iPhone to scan a room and adjust the Spatial Audio of the earbuds to their space, creating a personalized effect. The new AirPods also feature the H2 chip, allowing for enhanced high-bandwidth connections and longer battery life. You can find more details here.

Watch Series 8 and women’s health

Apple’s new Watch Series 8 features an ‘Always On’ display and new watch faces. But perhaps the most significant update is its focus on women’s health. It features an ovulation tracker utilizing the new temperature sensor. Overnight, the temperature sensor tracks changes every five seconds to show women when their ovulating, digitizing a method that largely relies on tracking apps and at-home tests.

New features through the iPhone 14 Pro/ Pro Max

Apple has released several new features under the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. Two of the most notable ones have to be ‘Dynamic Island’ and ‘Always-On Display.’

Dynamic Island is a pill-shaped display cut-out used for the selfie cam and Face ID. It also shows notifications and other indicators, such as an incoming call. The company also introduced the long-anticipated Always-On Display. The feature can operate as low as 1Hz and automatically dims the lock screen. You can read more on all the new features here.

Apple Watch Ultra

Perhaps Apple’s most prestigious smartwatch, the Apple Watch Ultra, features a larger display and is designed for outdoor activities.

On one side, the device features an ‘action’ button that can be used to activate a number of features. The other side of the watch has a digital crown and button to be used while wearing gloves. It also features three microphones and two speakers to help make calls outdoors.

The Apple Watch Ultra will cost Canadians a whopping $1,099. It officially releases on September 23rd but can be pre-ordered today. More information is available here.