An upgraded Apple Watch SE was unveiled today at the company’s “Far out” event. The new SE doesn’t reinvent the affordable Apple Watch, but it integrates a new crash detection feature that Apple announced in the Apple Watch Series 8 and it delivers 20% faster performance with the new S8 chip, which it also shares with the Series 8.
However, the biggest update for the Apple Watch SE is likely the drop to a $249 starting price for the base wi-fi only model, while the cellular model starts at $299. It’s a $30 price cut from the previous model, which puts it below the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5.
The Retina OLED display on the new SE is 30% larger than the Apple Watch Series 3, which has finally been discontinued following this event. The new lower price point for the Apple Watch SE is excellent news, as this is a far better entry point into the Apple Watch lineup than the $199 Apple Watch Series 3 has been for the last couple of years with its outdated design and relatively weak performance.
The Apple Watch SE will be available in silver, midnight, and starlight colors. All models are available to pre-order today and will be shipping on September 16.
