In the ongoing human effort to put useful tools on the wrist, Apple used its September Far Out event to unveil the second-generation Apple Watch SE, a budget device that keeps the familiar shape of its predecessor while borrowing the chip and safety features once reserved for the premium Series 8. It arrives at a moment when the cost of carrying technology close to the body is becoming a question of what can be left out without losing what matters most. The watch goes on sale September 16, and its quiet lesson is that some protections, like crash detection, may be meant for everyone rather tha
Apple Watch SE 2 Brings Series 8 Features to a Cheaper Price Tag
A budget model getting that safety feature at launch is the most notable move
Mark
So what's the headline here? A cheaper watch that does more?
Mimi
Pretty much. The SE 2 gets the S8 chip and car crash detection, and it still starts at $249, about $30 under the model it replaces.
Mark
Car crash detection on the cheap model seems significant.
Mimi
It depends on new hardware, a 3-axis gyroscope and an updated accelerometer, and the SE 2 gets both. So a safety feature isn't reserved for the pricier watch.
Luke
Worth saying the 20% performance boost is Apple's claim. The reporting doesn't include independent testing.
Mark
Fair. What do you give up compared to the Series 8?
Mimi
No temperature sensor, so no ovulation and period insights. No ECG, and no Always-on Display.
Luke
And the design is essentially the same, apart from a nylon composite back. Lighter, but not a redesign.
Mark
Does the software differ?
Mimi
No. It runs all of watchOS 9, including sleep stages, richer workout metrics and the updated Mindfulness app.
Luke
What we don't know from this piece is how the car crash detection performs in practice. It confirms the hardware and the feature, not real-world results.
The Pulse
- Apple has packed the S8 chip and car crash detection into a budget watch, raising the question of how far safety features can travel down the price ladder.
- Buyers face a sharper choice than before, since the SE 2 drops the temperature sensor, ECG, and always-on display that the Series 8 keeps.
- Apple is smoothing the tension with software parity, offering the full watchOS 9 feature set and three months of free Fitness+ to first-time buyers.
- The cheaper price, starting at $249 for GPS and $299 for cellular, lands the SE 2 about $30 below its predecessor, with pre-orders open and sales beginning September 16.
In the ongoing human effort to put useful tools on the wrist, Apple used its September Far Out event to unveil the second-generation Apple Watch SE, a budget device that keeps the familiar shape of its predecessor while borrowing the chip and safety features once reserved for the premium Series 8. It arrives at a moment when the cost of carrying technology close to the body is becoming a question of what can be left out without losing what matters most. The watch goes on sale September 16, and its quiet lesson is that some protections, like crash detection, may be meant for everyone rather than only for those who can pay more.
At its Far Out event, Apple introduced the second-generation Apple Watch SE, a budget smartwatch that looks almost identical to the model it replaces. The most visible change is a lighter nylon composite back, offered in silver, midnight and starlight, and in 40mm and 44mm sizes. The real upgrades sit inside.
The SE 2 carries the S8 chip from the Series 8, which Apple says runs 20% faster, though that is the company's own figure rather than an independent test. Paired with a new 3-axis gyroscope and updated accelerometer, the chip allows the cheaper watch to offer car crash detection, a headline safety feature of the premium model. Seeing that protection arrive in a budget device at launch is the announcement's most notable move.
The compromises are real but specific. There is no temperature sensor for ovulation and period insights, no ECG, and no always-on display. Software, however, is not cut back at all, so buyers still get sleep stages, richer workout metrics and the upgraded Mindfulness app from watchOS 9.
The pricing is the unusual turn. Even with the faster chip, the SE 2 costs less than its predecessor, starting at $249 for GPS and $299 for cellular, roughly $30 less. First-time buyers also receive three months of Apple Fitness+ free. Pre-orders are open now, and the watch goes on sale September 16, when shoppers will weigh what the Series 8 adds beyond it.
At its Far Out event, Apple introduced the second-generation Apple Watch SE, a budget smartwatch that borrows several of the headline features from the new Apple Watch Series 8 while costing less than the model it replaces.
The outside tells you little has changed. The 2022 SE looks much like the older one. The one design change is a redesigned back made of a nylon composite material, which makes the watch lighter than any SE before it. It comes in silver, midnight and starlight, and in 40mm and 44mm case sizes.
The real changes are inside. The SE 2 uses the S8 SiP, the same system-in-package chip found in the Series 8, which Apple claims delivers a 20% performance boost. That figure is Apple's own claim, not an independent measurement.
Apple has also fitted the watch with its new 3-axis gyroscope and an updated accelerometer. Together, these let the SE 2 offer car crash detection, one of the main new features of the Series 8. A budget model getting that safety feature at launch is the most notable move in the lineup.
There are clear limits, though. The SE 2 has no temperature sensor, so it cannot offer the added insight into ovulation and periods that the Series 8 provides. It also lacks ECG capabilities and the Always-on Display.
Software is not part of the trade-off. The SE 2 supports all the new watchOS 9 features, including sleep tracking with sleep stages, more detailed workout metrics, and an enhanced Mindfulness app.
The price is where the announcement turns unusual. Despite the faster chip and internal upgrades, the watch is cheaper than its predecessor. The GPS-only model starts at $249 and the cellular version costs $299, about $30 less than the outgoing model. First-time Apple Watch SE buyers also get three months of Apple Fitness+ free.
The Apple Watch SE 2 is available for pre-order now and goes on sale September 16, when buyers can start weighing what the Series 8 offers beyond it.
Notable Quotes
The S8 SiP brings a claimed 20% performance boost.— Cult of Mac, reporting on Apple's claim
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