While many expected the iPhone 12 to be announced at Apple’s September event, the company instead focused on the Apple Watch and iPad ranges, with multiple new products in both categories. The headline is arguably the Apple Watch Series 6, offering new health-focused hardware, a faster processor, new colour options and more, but the mid-range Apple Watch SE may tempt the more budget-conscious.
If you’re interested in picking up the Apple Watch Series 6, you’ve come to the right place. We break down all you need to know about buying the Apple Watch Series 6 including different price points, retailers and the key upgrades of this years model.
How much does the Apple Watch Series 6 cost?
The Apple Watch Series 6 starts at £379 for models with GPS, but it’ll depend largely on the combination of size, connectivity and watch strap that’ll ultimately determine the price you’ll pay:
Apple Watch Series 6 (40mm): £379 / US$399 / AUD$599
Apple Watch Series 6 (44mm): £409 / US$429 / AUD$649
The price jumps up an additional £100 if you’re interested in cellular connectivity. It’s worth noting that you’ll likely also have to pay an additional monthly cost for cellular connectivity, although just how much depends on the network provider you sign up to.
Apple Watch Series 6 (40mm, cellular): £479 / US$499 / AUD$749
Apple Watch Series 6 (44mm, cellular): £509 / US$529 / AUD$799
If that’s a little too pricey, why not consider the mid-range Apple Watch SE or the entry-level Apple Watch Series 3? If you’re not wedded to the Apple ecosystem, there are plenty of cheap fitness trackers that do a great job.
Where can I buy the Apple Watch Series 6?
The easiest way to buy the Apple Watch Series 6 is via Apple itself – going direct to Apple allows you to customise the finish and strap, making the watch a little more personal to you.
Of course, other retailers and network providers stock the Series 6, including Currys PC World and Amazon as well as the likes of Vodafone, O2 and EE if you’re on the market for a cellular model.
Those in the US can head to Best Buy and Walmart to buy the Apple Watch Series 6. If you want the standalone connectivity, your best bet is to head to the likes of Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile.
What’s new with the Apple Watch Series 6?
When it comes to the Apple Watch Series 6, the headline new feature is the addition of a blood oxygen sensor, utilising LEDs and sensors to measure the colour of your blood to provide an accurate O2 level reading. It goes beyond simply measuring though; Apple aims to help manage asthma and heart complications with the feature, and possibly even alert COVID-19 sufferers to low blood oxygen levels.
Alongside the blood oxygen sensor, you’ll find an upgraded S6 chipset for a 20% boost in performance and a range of new customisable watchfaces too. There are also new Blue and Product RED colour options available for those bored of the muted colour options available on Apple’s smartwatch range until now.
On the non-Apple front, you’ve also got the premium Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 to consider.
The Galaxy Watch 3 isn’t necessarily cheaper than the Series 6, starting at £399 for the 41mm model, but it’s a viable alternative if you’ve not got your heart set on Apple’s official smartwatch.
It doesn’t offer the notification integration or Siri support of the Apple Watch, but the sleek circular design, great fitness tracking capabilities, standalone apps and rotating bezel should be enough to tempt some dedicated iPhone fans.
We gave it 4.5 stars in our review and used it with an iPhone, which says a lot about what the Galaxy Watch 3 has to offer.
