Series 6 is more like Series 5S

[bluegt]

Difference for me (I posted this earlier, have updated and added more commentary):

- Faster S6 Processor - I don't see a difference 🤷‍♂️
- U1 Ultra Wideband Chip - 🤷‍♂️
- Faster 5Ghz Wifi - Content loads faster 👍
- Faster Charging - 50% in 30 minutes 👍👍
- Longer Battery Life - ~38-40 hours 👍👍

- Blood Oxygen Sensor - very reliable for me 👍
- Improved Heart Rate / ECG Sensors - certainly more accurate 👍
- Always on Altimeter - maybe I'll appreciate it after COVID 🤷‍♂️
- Improved GPS - for outdoor runners...not me 🤷‍♂️

- Brighter Always On Display - It's helpful 👍
- New Case Colors - Blue and Graphite are great 👍
- Slight improved Taptic Engine

Perhaps this wasn't the biggest Apple Watch update... but it's a nice improvement over the S5. Honestly, I think their PR push emphasised the wrong improvements... (especially referring to the S6 and Altimeter).

 

[happy orchard]

Maybe one way to look at this situation is to think about what an immensely significant upgrade of hardware in a year would mean for our purchases. Would we be happy knowing that we’re spending a chunk of money on a device that will be practically outdated in only a year because of the improvements that will be made in that time? If what is new now is not that different from what was new last year, can’t we feel good about our purchase knowing that a year later, we will still a solid, useful product?

This is not THE way to see things, just ONE way.

 

[andrewstirling]

Did they really advertise better heart rate monitoring? Has anyone tested to see if it is actually better? S5 seemed just fine.

Have a look at the dc rainmaker review posted a few posts back

 

[ukms]

The only people I encounter who upgrade their watches or even their iPhones annually seem to be on here. In the real world I find people keep phones at least two years and the watch 3 or 4. I quite agree, upgrading annually does seem like a complete waste of money.

Horses for courses ..... you only need to read this thread and others to see that everyone's needs and wants cover the spectrum, also what people choose to spend their money on differs greatly as do their priorities ...... maybe it would be a waste of your money to upgrade but certainly not a waste of mine. Likewise the people you encounter in your life are different. I live in the real world, I work on a global team of 16 and 10 have upgraded from a S5 to 6, most of the others use Garmin devices. We work in a tech company and are interested in tech, is that a waste of money ? .. Its subjective. Drinking 10 pints of beer every Friday or smoking 20 cigarettes a day would be a waste of my money but plenty of people do it and I would never dream of suggesting to them they are wasting their money

 

[George Dawes]

38-40 hours battery life ?

WOW !

 

[bluegt]

38-40 hours battery life ?

WOW !

I don’t understand it... 39.5 hours with my standard usage (+ almost 2 hours of workout app)... 1AM - 4:30p the next day. I’ll wait till it dies, maybe I can get 40 hours 😄.

I know questions will come so feel free to refer to my prior post for my setup.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Horses for courses ..... you only need to read this thread and others to see that everyone's needs and wants cover the spectrum, also what people choose to spend their money on differs greatly as do their priorities ...... maybe it would be a waste of your money to upgrade but certainly not a waste of mine. Likewise the people you encounter in your life are different. I live in the real world, I work on a global team of 16 and 10 have upgraded from a S5 to 6, most of the others use Garmin devices. We work in a tech company and are interested in tech, is that a waste of money ? .. Its subjective. Drinking 10 pints of beer every Friday or smoking 20 cigarettes a day would be a waste of my money but plenty of people do it and I would never dream of suggesting to them they are wasting their money

I totally agree but you did pick up on the fact my post was my personal opinion didn’t you? I work in a tech company too with a global team of mechanical engineers and systems and process engineers. Many are interested in tech but not necessarily consumer tech. I don’t know many people if any that upgrade watches and phones every year but that is my personal experience. It doesn’t matter what your job is really as these gadgets are used by all. Of course people choose what to spend their money on and everybody is different. Some people buy a new car every couple of years, I change mine every 3 but purely for financial reasons rather than a need.

For me the S6 offers nothing that is better for me that I haven’t already got on my S5. That’s just my opinion and I’m rather happy about that as it means I don’t feel I’m missing out by not upgrading. It’s a great watch for those on an S4 or lower but it’s about as minimal an upgrade as I think we’ve seen so far in the short history of the AW. Again just my opinion.

If you felt the difference was enough then I’m not here to tell you you are wrong, just sharing my thoughts on my perception.

 

[xxBlack]

I don’t understand it... 39.5 hours with my standard usage (+ almost 2 hours of workout app)... 1AM - 4:30p the next day. I’ll wait till it dies, maybe I can get 40 hours 😄.

I know questions will come so feel free to refer to my prior post for my setup.

View attachment 956686

battery lookin good on my first real day. Got in Saturday. Charged to 100% at 8 am and now just before 11 am 96%. My S5 would be around 91-92%

 

[bluegt]

battery lookin good on my first real day. Got in Saturday. Charged to 100% at 8 am and now just before 11 am 96%. My S5 would be around 91-92%

I don’t understand it... 39.5 hours with my standard usage (+ almost 2 hours of workout app)... 1AM - 4:30p the next day. I’ll wait till it dies, maybe I can get 40 hours 😄.

I know questions will come so feel free to refer to my prior post for my setup.

View attachment 956686

Lasted until 5:10p, 40.1 hours. I think someone forgot to update Apple’s marketing materials...

 

[44267547]

It's more like the series 4S+.

That’s about right. It’s a solid upgrade for those under the S4, but if Apple actually were to call the S6 the ‘4s+’, that probably would be more appropriate, given it’s a spec’ bump upgrade versus being a substantial upgrade.

 

[xxBlack]

Lasted until 5:10p, 40.1 hours. I think someone forgot to update Apple’s marketing materials...

After now 4h I have 90% left. After work I will hit the gym without phone. Just LTE and AirPods. Let‘s see how much battery I will have after that. But currently I’m going right to your 35-40h of usuage

 

[bluegt]

After now 4h I have 90% left. After work I will hit the gym without phone. Just LTE and AirPods. Let‘s see how much battery I will have after that. But currently I’m going right to your 35-40h of usuage

I have a feeling the LTE modem usage, increased Bluetooth usage and CPU usage from playing music will eat up a bit of battery. It’s a good test!

 

[xxBlack]

I have a feeling the LTE modem usage, increased Bluetooth usage and CPU usage from playing music will eat up a bit of battery. It’s a good test!

I know. Lost around 25-30% per hour with the S5. No streaming just listening to downloaded music

 

[bluegt]

I know. Lost around 25-30% per hour with the S5. No streaming just listening to downloaded music

😲😲😲 I’m curious to see how the S6 will perform!

 

[Donnation]

I don’t understand it... 39.5 hours with my standard usage (+ almost 2 hours of workout app)... 1AM - 4:30p the next day. I’ll wait till it dies, maybe I can get 40 hours .

I know questions will come so feel free to refer to my prior post for my setup.

View attachment 956686

Can you show the usage within the settings app that shows the time since last full charge? Its in both the settings app within the watch and also in the watch app. That gives a clearer story of what your use and battery is. The other screenshots you posted don’t really show anything.

 

[Macmelman]

Better battery - Better Water Resistance - Better Speaker - More Storage - Brighter Screen

Those would be at minimal things that I would consider necessary to be considered an actual 6 instead of 5S. At the end of the day we got a series 5 that came with a blood oxygen detector that specifically says when you use it to not consider it medically accurate (so what's the point of it?)

I knew what I was buying so that's on me. Just giving my opinion that this upgrade is probably the most incremental upgrade I can remember the watch having.

How about going from 4 to 5? You just got the always-on display essentially... Not even a new color. In any case, there is no need to update every year. I had a 3 and replaced it by a 6 and it a significant change after three years from any perspective.

 

[deeddawg]

Titanium is too light plus the delivery times are crazy long - end November?!

SS seems like a decent compromise to me

Which model/combo? 44mm Space Black Titanium is showing Oct 1-5 here (US).

Maybe your choice of watch band is pushing the date? The above is with a basic black sport band.

 

[deeddawg]

Always on altimeter - this could easily be added on the 5, its just a software tweak.

The same was said by many regarding AOD a year ago... LOL

We're now six generations into the Apple Watch. In terms of product development, we're well into the evolutionary stage of model to model differences and it's improbable we'll see anything revolutionary. IMHO it is misguided to expect any substantial single-generation changes at this point. Much as with iphones back in the 5/6/7 days, we're now into the every-other or every-third generation upgrade cycle if one wants to see substantial difference.

 

[russell_314]

After using mine for a couple of days I don't think I'll be keeping it. The Series 5 is the EXACT same watch minus the blood oxygen sensor, which to me hardly justfies keeping the watch. If you are coming from a Series 4 or later, it will be a nice upgrade.

The Series 4 is the EXACT same watch minus the always on display.

 

[andrewstirling]

And compass and less storage

 

[Never mind]

I hate to say this I really do, because I love the Apple Watch and I even really like the Series 6. But honestly, its really just a Series 5S and is the weakest update since the Series 0 was replaced by the Series 1.


- Battery life is exactly the same as the Series 5

- AOD is barely, and I mean just barely, a slight bit more readable outside

- The speed is negligible coming from the Series 5. Its milliseconds faster and really not noticeable

- The Blood Oxygen sensor is gimmicky at best. I'm sure it will improve, but I get different readings all over the place. Even with that, I'm not sure its anything more than something you'll use every once in a while just to see what it is. I don't know if this is what go force touch removed but it wasn't worth it.

-No improved durability or water resistance

-No charging brick and same price for the watch


I just don't think there is that killer feature or hardware improvement that makes this a true leap from last years watch. Its nice, don't get me wrong, but not really any different than the Series 5

After using mine for a couple of days I don't think I'll be keeping it. The Series 5 is the EXACT same watch minus the blood oxygen sensor, which to me hardly justfies keeping the watch. If you are coming from a Series 4 or later, it will be a nice upgrade.

All this means is that the individual who has the series 5 will make a decision whether to purchase the series 6 or not. That’s all. Do you want to buy it, you don’t want, don’t buy it. End of conversation. I think each person can make up their own minds based on the specs.

 

[Donnation]

All this means is that the individual who has the series 5 will make a decision whether to purchase the series 6 or not. That’s all. Don’t have to make a big hullabaloo over it. Do you want to buy it, you don’t want, don’t buy it. End of conversation. I think each person can make up their own minds based on the specs.

Well this is a forum to discuss these types of things. Not making a “hullabaloo” over it, just giving my opinion. If you don’t like the topic you also don’t have to enter the thread. I’ve said many times its a great watch, I was just giving some of my thoughts on it compared to the 5.

 

[xxBlack]

So I finished my 54 min workout.

After I took the screenshot it fell to 76% so I calculate with that. In that 54 min I had the most time 2/4 signal sometimes 1/4 so pretty bad. I got it down to 51%. So I lost 25% in 54 min , so basically the same like the S5. I listened to downloaded music via AirPods . Little disappointed because before the workout I lost around 2.6-2.9%/h which was less then a 1 month old S5

 

[kirk.vino]

The only people I encounter who upgrade their watches or even their iPhones annually seem to be on here. In the real world I find people keep phones at least two years and the watch 3 or 4. I quite agree, upgrading annually does seem like a complete waste of money.

I recently had a convo with a friend and he tends to keep his iPhone for 3 years. I upgrade every other year. He was like, “you’re crazy! That’s so much money to waste!” So yeah, most people would keep their gadgets longer than people on this forum.

 

[deeddawg]

@xxBlack are you saying you're disappointed that you're seeing similar battery usage on the S6 as the S5?

Were you expecting something different given the two watches are listed as having the same battery life?

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