Apple Watch SE vs. Apple Watch Series 8: New Features to Expect If You've Waited to Upgrade

The Apple Watch SE was announced in September 2020 and has been a popular Apple Watch model for customers looking for their first smartwatch or an affordable Apple Watch. ‌Apple Watch SE‌ customers may be wondering, however, what's in store for them with the upcoming Apple Watch Series 8 and what new features they can expect. Continue reading to find out.

Apple Watch SE vs. Apple Watch Series 8

• Significantly larger displays: Apple increased the size of the display by shrinking the bezels and rounding the corners with the Apple Watch Series 7. The standard Apple Watch Series 8 model will continue to adopt the Series 7 display, which features a 20% larger screen than the ‌Apple Watch SE‌.
  

• Always-on Retina display: Introduced with the Apple Watch Series 5 and present on every flagship Apple Watch since, the Apple Watch Series 8 will feature an always-on display that allows the display to remain dimly lit at all times, providing easy access to quick information like the time and complications.
• More durable hardware: Alongside a rumored "rugged" Apple Watch set to launch this fall, the standard Apple Watch Series 8 will feature the same durable hardware as the Series 7, such as a stronger front glass and more durable aluminum models compared to the ‌Apple Watch SE‌.
• Ability to measure Blood Oxygen: The Apple Watch Series 8 will feature a Blood Oxygen sensor, introduced with the Series 6 in 2020 and unavailable on the ‌Apple Watch SE‌. The sensor allows wearers to measure the amount of oxygen in their blood.
• ECG capabilities: The Apple Watch Series 8 will be able to take an ECG, or an electrocardiogram, right on your wrist. This high-end health and wellness feature is not available on the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ and has been present on Apple Watch Series models since the Series 4.
• Built-in temperature sensor: One new health sensor coming to the Apple Watch Series 8 is the ability to measure body temperature. Rumors suggest the new sensor will not, at least at first, provide wearers a direct temperature reading of their body but may simply advise them if they may have a fever and seek medical attention.
• Fast charging: The ‌Apple Watch SE‌ does not support fast charging, and with the Series 8, customers can look forward to up to 30% faster charging alongside all-day 18 hours of battery life.
• Improved optical heart sensor: The ‌Apple Watch SE‌ features a second-generation optical heart sensor, compared to the third-generation model in the Series 7, and we expect the fourth-generation model in the upcoming Series 8. The improvements in heart sensors are likely to offer more reliable and accurate readings.
• Faster performance: The Apple Watch Series 8 is likely to feature a dual-core S8 SiP (system in a package), which would be faster than the dual-core S5 chip in the ‌Apple Watch SE‌. Customers can expect faster performance and more fluid animations as a result.

If the Apple Watch Series 8 is not an attractive option for current ‌Apple Watch SE‌ customers, it's worth noting that we are expecting an updated ‌Apple Watch SE‌ alongside the Series 8 that may offer more moderate upgrades, though there have been few rumors about specs for the new SE model.