2022 is a big year for smartwatches. Samsung has just refreshed its Galaxy Watch range with a new ‘Pro’ model, Google is finally releasing the Pixel Watch, Qualcomm has released a new wearable chip and some Wear OS 2 watches will finally get an upgrade to Wear OS 3. And back in Apple camp, the Apple Watch range is about to see its biggest overhaul in years. This year we expect to see not one, not two, but potentially three new Apple Watch models. A new 8 Series, a new SE and a never-before-seen rugged ‘Pro’ model — a new high-end option that could potentially shake things up in the smartwatch world.
That’s because the Apple Watch Pro would mean that Apple is entering a whole new category of wearables: multisport fitness watches. It’s a category with passionate users who demand a specific list of fitness and navigation features to fuel their sporting adventures, potentially putting the Apple Watch up against challenges it hasn’t faced before.
Fitness watches are a niche dominated by brands such as Garmin, Polar and Coros. These brands specialize in devices that can beat all the elements, last for weeks on a single charge, offer advanced navigation features, and give users dozens and dozens of performance metrics to obsessively analyze. Newer models feature multi-band GPS so users can get a signal even in the most remote locations.
Check out this massive Vertix 2. Its battery is expected to last 60 days! Photo by Victoria Song / The Verge
This is an interesting point for Apple, which already dominates the overall smartwatch market. However, while multisport watches appeal mostly to a niche, it’s a loyal crowd. Unlike people who only engage in casual training to stay active, these are dedicated athletes who invest a lot of time and money in training. They are unlikely to leave their sports watches gathering dust in a drawer for months. Leading GPS watches like the Garmin Fenix 7 start at around $700 and can cost up to $1,000 for the most advanced models. This is a lucrative market for Apple to enter.
While multisport watches appeal mostly to a niche, it’s a loyal crowd.
It’s also a departure from what Apple’s smartwatches are primarily known for. The Apple Watch is known for its advanced health features, superior connectivity, seamless iPhone integration, and frankly, average battery life. It’s more of a mini computer than a dedicated learning tool. This presents some opportunities, but also challenges, if Apple wants the “Pro” watch to succeed.
To win over the Garmin crowd, Apple will need a watch with better battery life, superior durability, improved physical controls, and support for recovery metrics to help with training. If Apple can pull this off, it has the ability to change what a “traditional” smartwatch can do in the fitness space. Innovations here could actually lead to an advanced sports watch that doesn’t make users choose between fitness and smartness.
The Series 7 added fast charging to get rid of the supposed 18-hour battery life, but that’s not going to cut it for the Pro. Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge
The most obvious issue Apple needs to address is battery life. Since day one, Apple hasn’t deviated from the 18-hour battery life rating for its smartwatches. In fact, you can get more depending on your usage — some models went up to 36 hours before I needed to charge. But 36 hours is still not weeks of battery life. When I tested the Garmin Fenix 7S, I got two weeks on a single charge. I have a week on the Polar Grit X Pro and the Coros Vertix 2 has roughly 60 days of daily use. (After two weeks of testing the Vertix 2, I still had 85 percent battery left.) I’d be genuinely shocked if the Apple Watch Pro got anywhere near a week, but it needs to run for more than 36 hours to be a truly multi-day watch. For example, in testing I got about 48–60 hours with the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. It’s not up to Garmin or Polar, but it’s a start.
As for durability, I’ve never broken an Apple Watch before — and I’m clumsy. However, I have nicks and scratches from normal wear and tear on almost all of my Apple Watches. (Including more durable models like the Series 7!) If you’re going to be taking a watch out on a dirt trail run, rafting, kiteboarding, skiing, or what have you, you want to know that sweat, dirt, dust, water, sand, and the elements aren’t a problem . Part of it is a problem of perception. You can swim with the Apple Watch, and the durability has improved compared to earlier models, but it just doesn’t feel sturdy.
Then comes the issue of control. I’ve already written about why physical buttons are important for athletes, but relying on touchscreens is a potential problem. Wet fingers make swiping a chore, the digital crown isn’t immune to accidental presses, and the side button, while perfect for elegant minimalism, isn’t great when you’re wearing gloves for cold-weather sports. These controls are fine for everyday use, but not as reliable as Garmin or Polar’s five-button navigation system for activities. And while Siri is useful, it’s not always an option in noisy environments or when you need to be discreet. For example, using Siri was controversial when I was running a half marathon. The cheering crowds and loudspeakers made any commands imperceptible.
Garmin watches feature a five-button system to ensure you can always navigate menus with sweaty fingers or gloves. Photo by Victoria Song / The Verge
Apple also lags behind when it comes to certain tracking metrics. Injury recovery and prevention has been a hot trend in fitness technology in recent years, and it’s an area where Apple hasn’t done much. Not only was it late for native sleep tracking, it’s still a pretty basic feature in watchOS 9 beta. The watch also doesn’t offer much insight into how well you’ve recovered from exercise.
Instead, Apple is focusing more on users closing their rings. This often leads to prioritizing sets at the expense of rest – which anyone who seriously trains for events will tell you is a big no-no. If it wants to win over serious athletes, the Pro will need less gamification and more flexibility. However, after testing the watchOS 9 beta, I’m not too concerned about the front workout metrics. While you don’t get as much detail as a Garmin or Polar watch, watchOS 9 adds some necessary basics like heart rate zones, custom workouts, run form metrics, and altitude charts.
If it wants to win over serious athletes, the Pro will need less gamification and more flexibility.
These are all big challenges for Apple’s new watch, but there are also big opportunities here. Multisport watches tend to be weak on smart features like music streaming, digital assistants, smart home technology control, contactless payments, LTE connectivity for emergency SOS calls, fall detection, and advanced health features like atrial fibrillation alerts. Garmin is the best of the lot, but its versions of these features often have caveats. Safety features depend on your phone being nearby, apps in its Connect IQ store aren’t up to par, adding music can be finicky, and Garmin Pay is limited to your watch. It’s probably easier for Apple to improve its fitness features, battery, and durability than it is for Garmin and Polar to improve their smart capabilities.
Samsung also has a shiny new rugged smartwatch in the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. Photo by Alison Johnson/The Verge
Apple isn’t the only one going Pro this summer. Samsung just launched the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, which is also aimed at outdoor enthusiasts. And while it improves battery life and durability, it still lacks reliable physical controls and training recovery metrics. (Plus, its turn-by-turn navigation misses runners.) Overall, it’s an admirable first attempt, but there are definitely areas where Samsung could improve. I imagine the Apple Watch Pro might be similar—a first attempt that tries to nail down the basics while leaving room for more exciting features down the line.
None of us have seen the Pro yet — or whatever it’s called after all. There may be new design elements or more powerful specifications that would address at least some of these challenges. However, it’s rare for a company to knock it out of the park on the first try. The Apple Watch itself didn’t hit the mark until the Series 4. It’s unlikely that the first Pro will make hordes of Garmin enthusiasts suddenly ditch their beloved Fenix and Forerunner watches. It’s also not how anyone should measure their “success.” For this first rugged Apple Watch, it will be far more important that it does the basics well enough to pique the curiosity of the most die-hard Garmin and Polar devotees.
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