Apple has announced the release date of the Series 7 – with pre-orders set to open on 8 October 2021.
And the watch will start shipping from 15 October, when it will also available to buy in Apple Stores.
At the launch event back in September the company would only confirm that the smartwatch would be available ‘later this Fall.’
There had been reports from China that manufacturing processes of the new display had caused delays – so the vague release date set alarm bells ringing that there could be a wait for the new Apple Watch.
However, it’s good news for those hungry for the Series 7, which has heralded the second design change in the history of the Apple Watch.
To recap, the Apple Watch case size has changed to 41mm and 45mm, and the bezel now measures just 1.7mm, increasing the screen size 20% over the Series 6 and SE – and a whopping 50% over the old Series 3.
The screen has also been toughened, with extra dust-resistance too thanks to an IP6X rating.
The larger screen has also enabled some new features. Some watch faces have been redesigned to fit more information on screen. And there’s an on-screen keyboard for the Series 7 only, which means the Series 7 could be closer to a replacement for an iPhone than ever before.
To recap on pricing, the Series 7 will start at for the 41mm model in aluminium – which is the same price as the Series 6, and thus, a direct replacement.
How we test
James is the co-founder of Wareable, and he has been a technology journalist for 15 years.
He started his career at Future Publishing, James became the features editor of T3 Magazine and T3.com and was a regular contributor to TechRadar – before leaving Future Publishing to found Wareable in 2014.
James has been at the helm of Wareable since 2014 and has become one of the leading experts in wearable technologies globally. He has reviewed, tested, and covered pretty much every wearable on the market, and is passionate about the evolving industry, and wearables helping people achieve healthier and happier lives.