Apple (AAPL) debuted its new Apple Watch Series 8 at its Far Out event on Sept. 7, revealing that it starts at $399 and will be available Sept. 16.
The new watch — announced the same day as the higher-end, $799 Apple Watch Ultra — features a temperature sensor, advanced women's health capabilities, a car crash detection feature, low power mode, and international roaming.
The company also emphasized that the health data it's gathering is "encrypted end-to-end" and that users have "granular control" over how their data is shared.
Series 8 is also "swim proof" and "dust proof," Apple COO Jeff Williams told viewers.
The presentation in Apple's Cupertino, California headquarters led with stories of safety, where Apple says its watch saved users' lives.
The smartwatch market
Smartwatches are a growth area, according to Insider Intelligence data. This year, the number of Apple Watch users will be up 8.9% from last year, hitting 25.8 million. By 2025, the number of Apple Watch users is expected to pass 30 million.
Apple Watch competitors include other wearables made by Google-owned Fitbit, Samsung, Garmin, and Huawei.
However, it's important to remember where, despite its growth, the Apple Watch lands in the Apple ecosystem. The Apple Watch falls under the umbrella of Apple's accessories business, a segment that also includes AirPods and HomePod. In 2021, that segment generated about $38.4 billion in revenue — a seemingly minor figure compared to the $191.97 billion that iPhone sales generated last year.
However, Apple's accessories business, despite its relative youth, has notably surpassed both the iPad and Mac businesses in terms of revenue. In 2021, the company's iPad operation reported $31.86 billion in revenue, while Macs brought in $35.19 billion.
Allie Garfinkle is a Senior Tech Reporter at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter at @agarfinks.
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