Here it is: Apple unveils the Apple Watch Series 2
At its Apple Keynote event on September 7, Apple unveiled the next iteration of its Apple Watch.
Apple revealed Apple Watch Series 2 using a flashy hype video with music by Pusha T and an overt fitness theme. The new features of the watch all reinforce the idea that the device is not just a phone for your wrist, but now a fitness band that competes with Fitbit, Jawbone UP, and other trackers.
Apple Watch 2 is “faster, brighter,” and “the ultimate device for a healthy life,” said senior VP Jeff Williams on stage.
The new device is “swim-proof,” whereas the first Apple Watch was just “splash-proof,” and Apple trusts that “swimmers will absolutely love it,” Williams said. Apple Watch Series 2 has a new app, Breathe, that reminds you to stand up and walk around multiple times per day.
And there’s a new Nike+ version of Apple Watch, the Apple Watch Nike Plus. “We think it delivers the best running experience out there,” said Nike brand president Trevor Edwards.
Nike discontinued its own fitness tracker, FuelBand, last year, and has focused on beefing up its Nike+ software instead. Now the move makes more sense.
Apple Watch Series 2 also comes with two times the graphic performance of the first Apple Watch, and a display two times brighter. It is the brightest display Apple has ever shipped on any product.
But the biggest new thing in Apple Watch is built-in GPS tracking. This has all kinds of impact on outdoor activities, like hiking at Yosemite National Park, for example, as Apple showed through its new ViewRanger app for hiking.
Williams touted a number of Apple Watch apps such as the Washington Post, Major League Soccer, and Sweat With Kayla. “But there’s one app,” Williams said, that Apple is extra excited about: Pokémon GO.
On the new Apple Watch operating system, WatchOS 3, Pokémon GO can be played using a combination of the Apple Watch and an iPhone. Combined with the launch of a Mario game for iPhone, both are a reminder that Apple, even as it touts physical fitness, still sees the importance of mobile gaming as well.
After shipping the first watch in April 2015, Apple CEO Tim Cook said on stage, Apple quickly became the No. 2 best-selling watch brand, above household names like Fossil, Omega, and Casio.
Apple Watch Series 2 will be priced at $369, as will the Apple Watch Nike Plus. The old Apple Watch, now being called Series 1, drops to $269.
Of course, even with all of the flashy new features, not everyone will be interested in buying an Apple Watch.
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Daniel Roberts is a writer at Yahoo Finance, covering tech and sports business. Follow him on Twitter at @readDanwrite.
Read more from Yahoo Finance on Apple’s September 2016 keynote:
Why I’m buying the new Apple Watch
Why I’ll never ever want an Apple Watch