At Apple’s California Streaming event, the company unveiled a slew of new products. This includes the iPhone 13, iPad mini, iPad, and the Apple Watch Series 7. While three out of the four product lines are available now, the Apple Watch was delayed a bit. Thankfully, the delay seems to be over, as Apple announced that the Series 7 will go up for pre-order starting on October 8 before hitting stores on October 15.
Leading up to Apple’s September 2021 event, a lot of rumors and speculation pointed to the Series 7 receiving a massive design overhaul. Expectations were that the smartwatch would be getting squared-off edges, similar to what we have with the iPhone 13 and most iPad models. This new design would make way for bigger batteries and bigger displays.
Those leaks and rumors proved to be false (for this year at least), but the Series 7 still offers a slight redesign. The display size on the Series 7 has been increased, as Apple shrunk down the bezels. As a result, more information can be shown on the screen, and Apple has even tweaked some of the UI elements to take advantage of the larger screen real estate.
Additionally, the Series 7 is using crystal glass that is 50% thicker, providing a bit more durability compared to previous models. Along with the thicker glass, Apple is introducing an IP6X dust rating while retaining the WR50 water resistance rating.
Battery life is expected to be the same, as the Series 7 is rated for 18 hours of use on a single charge. But charging speeds have been vastly improved thanks to the slightly redesigned magnetic charger. Instead of using the same USB-A cable we’ve had for years, Apple is making the move to USB-C which provides a 33% faster-charging rate. According to Apple, this will take your Watch from 0% to 80% in just 45 minutes.
Finally, with the larger display in tow, the Series 7 now has two new case sizing options – 41mm and 45mm. But Apple confirmed that you will still be able to use the same bands you’ve always used, so no harm done there. New colors are arriving for the Aluminum version, including Midnight, Starlight, Green, Blue, and Product(RED).
How To Buy Apple Watch Series 7
If you’re looking to get your hands (or wrists) on the Apple Watch Series 7, the process for pre-ordering the device is as easy as you could have hoped. Pre-orders are set to kick off at 5 a.m. PDT on October 8, which works out to 8 a.m. EDT for those of us on the East Coast. Then, Series 7 will officially go on sale starting on Friday, October 15.
Pricing for the Apple Watch Series 7 starts at $399 for the Wi-Fi Aluminum version, goes up to $749 for Stainless Steel, and tops out at $799 for Titanium. Of course, there are Cellular models also being made available, which are priced at about $100 more than the Wi-Fi version.
When the Series 7 becomes available for pre-order, you can fire up the Apple Store app on your iPhone or iPad. You’ll simply need to pick the case material, band type, and connectivity, before adding it to your cart. Then, you can use Apple Pay or enter your card information in order to pay for the smartwatch. Apple is also offering $100 back for the Wi-Fi / Cellular models after the Series 7 has been activated on T-Mobile/Sprint or Verizon.
We’re expecting to see the Series 7 land at your favorite big-box retailers, such as Best Buy and Target, along with Amazon if you prefer ordering online. The first wave of the Apple Watch will be arriving on October 15, but we also wouldn’t be surprised if shipping dates begin slipping rather quickly for the most popular models.
Andrew is a freelance writer based on the East Coast of the US.
He has written for a variety of sites over the years, including iMore, Android Central, Phandroid, and a few others. Now, he spends his days working for an HVAC company, while moonlighting as a freelance writer at night.
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