Apple Watch Series 3: Built-in cellular, improved Siri, WatchOS4, heart rate monitor

Apple’s iPhone launch event kicked off with the unveiling of the Apple Watch Series 3. The new smartwatches are better, faster, and come with built-in SIM slot.

Jeff Williams, Apple COO, speaks as product images are shown behind him during a launch event in Cupertino, California, US on Tuesday. (REUTERS)

Apple on Tuesday launched its new smartwatch, Apple Watch 3, at its first-ever keynote at the Steve Jobs theater in Apple Park, Cupertino. Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed the Apple Watch sales have grown at a 50% year-on-year rate. He further claimed that Apple Watch is now the number one smartwatch in the world.

Prices of the Apple Watch Series 3 start at $249, which is approximately ₹16,000. The smartwatch will be available on September 22 while customers can make pre-orders from September 12.

The Apple Watch comes with a built-in cellular connectivity, making it independent from the iPhone. The smartwatch will be synced with the paired iPhone, without requiring to change the number. You can receive or make calls, even messages, while away from your iPhone, by just using the Apple Watch. It boasts a new dual-core processor with 70% better performance, as well as a new W2 chip that improves Bluetooth and wireless connectivity and power efficiency. Interestingly, the cellular antenna is actually the display itself, and it has an electronic SIM card inside for connectivity.

Jeff Williams, Apple COO, during the launch of the Apple SmartWatch. (REUTERS)

Jeff Williams, Apple COO, during the launch of the Apple SmartWatch. (REUTERS)

It is the same size as the Series 2, despite adding everything needed for cellular and LTE connectivity. The back crystal is extended 0.25 mm. It's still got GPS like Series 2, and it's swimproof. Apple Smart Watch packs in all-day battery life still. The company claims that Series 3 is 50% more battery efficient.

Users can use the Apple Watch Series 3 to stream music (upto 40 millions songs), navigate via Maps and even use Siri.

The Apple Watch comes with a slew of new features focused on fitness enthusiasts. (REUTERS)

The Apple Watch comes with a slew of new features focused on fitness enthusiasts. (REUTERS)

The company also introduced a newer version of the Apple WatchOS. The new WatchOS 4 will be available for all Apple Watch customers from September 19.

The company has introduced a slew of new features focused on fitness enthusiasts. The smartwatch comes with an improved heart rate sensor, which will provide a more in-depth insight about heart rates. The heart rate will also now be available on the Watch face as well. The new Apple Watch will also notify users when their heart rates are higher than normal if they aren't performing any activity. New measurements include resting heart rate, and a recovering heart rate that shows how fast your rate drops after you complete a workout.

The smart watch will also notify users when it detects you have an elevated heart rate even if you aren't actually being active. And they'll alert you when you have an arrhythmia, or an irregular heart rate compared to your usual stats. That could help it spot health problems earlier, including strokes, before they become more serious.