Apple Watch Series 6
The blood oxygen sensor, taking a reading in fifteen seconds, plus a brighter always-on display and a 20% faster chip.
Released September 18, 2020 · Discontinued September 14, 2021 · From $399 (40mm GPS)
Blood oxygen. The Series 6 added a sensor using four clusters of green, red and infrared LEDs firing light into the wrist and measuring what comes back, giving a reading in fifteen seconds. Apple was careful to call it a wellness feature rather than a medical one, which is a distinction that did real work during a pandemic year when people were buying pulse oximeters in a panic. The S6 chip ran about 20 percent faster than the S5 and the always-on display got 2.5 times brighter outdoors with your wrist down. Apple also added blue and red aluminum cases and dropped the price of the entry model to $399.
Reviews & Reception
Apple led on the blood oxygen sensor; reviewers pointed instead at the speed and the faster charging.
The things I like best about the Series 6 are generally not visible, and not necessarily the things I think Apple wanted to showcase at its recent launch event.
Not because I think you need a blood oxygen sensor, but because if you're going to be using this watch for years to come, choose the one that's noticeably faster and quicker to charge.