I got myself the Apple Watch Series 3. I chose the GPS version, because I’m not paying 10 dollars a month for cellular connectivity.
In May of 2016, Mom and Aunt Barb got me an original Apple Watch for my birthday. I have warn it nearly every day since and have learned to love having it on my wrist.
When I got an iPhone 8 running iOS 11, I was forced to update my Apple Watch to Watch OS 4. Unfortunately, my old Apple Watch didn’t handle the upgrade very well. My guess is that VoiceOver (Apple’s free screen reader that helps blind people use devices) makes running WatchOS 4 on older Apple watches even more difficult than expected.
Speaking of VoiceOver, I will never stop appreciating the ability to take an electronic out of the box and set it up without sighted assistance. If you’re blind, you can start VoiceOver by pressing the Digital Crown three times. The Digital Crown is the round button.
The better processor in the Apple Watch Series 3 provides a noticeably faster more responsive experience. Apps open faster, information updates quicker, and sinking between my watch and phone is much faster.
The battery life in the Apple Watch Series 3 is substantially better as well. Even when my original Apple Watch was new, I had to charge it every night. If I don’t exercise, I can use my Apple Watch Series 3 for two days without charging.
Speaking of exercise, my primary use for the Apple Watch is tracking my workouts. As a blind person, I don’t have a treadmill that will speak its display to me. So, being able to track my heart rate during workouts is important to me. With the better processor, I’m able to use VoiceOver during workouts to discover my heart rate as it updates. This has encouraged me to work even harder.
If you’re thinking about upgrading your Apple Watch, I strongly recommend it. That’s especially true if you use VoiceOver.
If you have any questions about the Apple Watch Series 3 or VoiceOver, please let me know.