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Apple Watch 5: a screen permanently on

Apple Watch 5: a screen permanently on

March 30, 2020

Features of the Apple Watch 5
Apple Watch 5: what's new
Detailed review of what's new in Apple Watch 5
Other features of Apple Watch 5
Our opinion on the Apple Watch 5: should we buy it?

Although aimed exclusively at people with an iPhone, the Apple Watch is the best-selling smart health connected watch in the world. It must be said that it has something to seduce: it is not only pretty but it is also very complete and has breathtaking functions.

After series 1 and 2 which were not fully developed, series 3 and 4 brought big improvements (fluidity of the interface thanks to a faster processor, on-board 4G telephony, advanced health monitoring (including ECG ), Siri speaking assistant, walkie-talkie function, assistance with SOS call in the event of an incident and more). The 5 series brings few changes compared to the 4 series which, by the way, is no longer marketed by the brand. However, it can still be acquired in specialized shops until stocks are exhausted.

Buy the Apple Watch 5

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€ 449

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€ 449

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€ 479 € 399.99

Buy the Apple Watch 4

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€ 699 € 629

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€ 350

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€ 299 € 259

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€ 299 € 229

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Features of the Apple Watch 5

Weight (case only)30.8 g or 36.5 g (depending on case size)

Payment systemYes

Apple Watch 5: what's new

The Apple Watch 5 is a watch with a neat and elegant design offering functions for sport and health (including an EKG app), access to many downloadable apps, an on-board mp3 player allowing you to take your favorite playlists to the wrist, contactless payment, an intelligent assistant who speaks (Siri) and smart health connected functions such as telephony without Smartphone, access to news, a walkie-talkie function, guidance to a destination and more. This watch has everything to please, whether one is sporty or not.

Compared to the Apple Watch 4, the Apple Watch 5 brings very few changes. There is a permanently activated display (for the same autonomy: 18 h), a compass, twice as much memory and a case that you can choose from aluminum, stainless steel, titanium or ceramic. The design remains the same. Here is the list of the main new features that we comment on later in this article:

A permanently lit OLED screen: no need to lift your wrist or touch the screen to activate it.
New materials for the housing: a new titanium case and, soon, ceramic, in addition to aluminum (now 100% recycled) and stainless steel
A compass to orient your cards correctly
Real-time display altitude and some other data (direction, inclination, latitude, longitude)
Assistance (SOS call) that now works internationally (the function existed on the old model but only for calls in the local country)
The Noise app, a new application that assesses the ambient sound level and issues an alert in the event of risk for hearing
Additional information : activity trends, performance analysis over a period

Noise app screen, menstrual tracking and compass

On the technical side, the watch is equipped with a few new components and has a new operating system on board:

A new S5 processor (a priori not faster than the S4 processor of the Apple Watch 4 but probably more energy efficient)
No more memory: it goes from 16 to 32 GB, which makes it possible in particular to store more musical titles
A new operating system, Watch OS 6, which includes menstrual cycle monitoring (also available on Apple Watch 3) and which also equips Apple Watch 3 and Apple Watch 4.
A new ambient light sensor more energy efficient

The price of the Apple Watch increases. That of the Apple Watch 3 decreases. The Apple Watch 4 is no longer sold by Apple but it can still be found in stores or on the Internet while stocks last.

Read also our (5.63 Comparison Apple Watch 3 versus Apple Watch 4 versus Apple Watch 5: the differences, which one to choose?)

Detailed review of what's new in Apple Watch 5

The Apple Watch 5 takes up the characteristics of the Apple Watch 4. We recall the main lines below and comment above all on the new features. For a detailed description of the features offered by the Apple Watch 4, we invite you to consult our detailed review of the Apple Watch 4 and our review and our detailed review of the Apple Watch 3 and our review.

In broad terms, the Apple Watch 5 is a watch with neat design offering functions for sport and health, many downloadable apps, an mp3 music player, a contactless payment solution, an assistant (Siri) which listens to orders and answers questions by speaking about smart health connected functions (in particular, on the Cellular model, telephony, access to news, weather, maps). It is suitable for everyone, athletic or not, for daily monitoring and during their sports sessions.

The design: new brushed titanium and ceramic case

The design of the Apple Watch 5 hardly changes. We find a nice watch in rectangular format offered in 2 case sizes (40 and 44 mm) with a case to choose between aluminum (Apple now uses 100% recycled aluminum), titanium (new), stainless steel or ceramic (new ). The advantage of titanium is that it is both resistant and lighter than steel. Apple offers two beautiful brushed titanium finishes: a version in space black titanium (titanium with diamond-like carbon coating (DLC), a version in natural titanium treated to keep its color and be more resistant to stains.

Apple will offer a scratch-resistant white ceramic case this fall and will further expand its range of bracelets with a new Sport Buckle and new colors.

As with previous models, the Apple Watch 5 is offered in 2 versions. So be careful during your purchase:

Apple Watch 5 GPS: with GPS but without 4G chip (no connection to the cellular network).
Apple Watch 5 GPS + cellular: with GPS and a 4G chip allowing access to the 4G cellular network without a nearby smartphone. We can therefore call or connect to the Internet without having to turn on our phone (which by the way must be an iPhone …). It is recognizable by the discreet red circle stuck on its wheel button. This model is worth 100 € more than GPS model.

AMOLED screen permanently on

The great novelty of the Apple Watch 5 is its screen which now remains permanently activated and above all without impacting the autonomy (18 h as on the old model). There is therefore no longer any need to lift your wrist or press the screen to consult the time or the data of the current activity.

It is surprising that this novelty alone (or almost) justifies a new watch version when most cardio watches already do so. The reason is simple: the Apple Watch offers an AMOLED screen, a characteristic specific to some smart health connected watches (Samsung Galaxy Watch, Apple Watch, Garmin Venu for example). The AMOLED screen is made up of OLED diodes rendering a palette rich in colors (unlike transflective screens which only offer 64) and offering an exceptional rendering. The drawback of the AMOLED screen on a watch is its power consumption, which is greater than that of a transflective screen. Read our explanations on the AMOLED screen.

To minimize screen consumption, Apple plays on its refresh rate which drops to 1 Hz (one refresh per second) instead of 60 Hz when the watch is not in use.

Note that it is possible to permanently deactivate the display and thus increase the autonomy a little.

Autonomy: 6 p.m., as on the old model, but with a screen permanently on

Where almost all manufacturers of sports and smart health connected watches make every effort to improve the autonomy of their watch, Apple stays at 6 p.m. for "reasonable" use (watch + activity tracking + a touch of sport). Suffice to say that this is very little. As long as you listen to a little music or phone a few minutes, the autonomy melts like snow in the sun. It will therefore be necessary to recharge the Watch every day and not rely on its watch for sporting outings that are a little too long. Admittedly the AMOLED screen, which, in addition, is now permanently on, consumes a lot but the competition does much better for the same configuration. For example the Garmin Venu, the first watch smart health connected to the AMOLED screen from Garmin. Its autonomy reaches 5 days in watch mode and activity monitoring with a permanent display!

A compass to orient yourself during outdoor outings

This instrument was lacking for a watch intended for hiking (it has a barometric altimeter and offers the possibility of displaying maps and plans). The new Apple Watch therefore now has a compass that will allow you to properly position a map during hikes or orienteering trips.

Watch OS 6 and the new features of Apple Watch

Watch OS 6, the latest operating system from Apple Watch, offers new health features.

A new Noise app measures ambient noise thanks to the microphone built into the watch and alerts its user if the noise level poses risks to hearing.

Women will now be able to closely monitoring their menstrual cycle with the Cycle Tracking app. The function makes it possible to record information and know the dates of the next periods or periods of fertility.

The emergency call function, which can be activated manually or in the event of a fall detection, now works abroad. On the old model (Apple Watch 4), the service only worked in the country of purchase.