The Series 5 Apple Watch - where style meets substance

(The Connected is an article-a-page site that reviews a variety of products related to technology and my interests. Click on Apropos for more information. I will usually post a new article 2-3 times a week, so, if you love deep-dive reviews with lots of pictures, please check back often! Also, just as a reminder - I am not an Amazon Affiliate and I make no money off of any purchases that you might make based on the links I’ve provided in this article. These reviews are simply for products that I enjoy, or dislike, and I pledge to always write every review without bias.)

Relative to most people, I was a late-comer to the Apple family and ecosystem. My first iPod was the second generation Shuffle. My first iPhone was the Series 5S. The first iPad I bought was the 3, and it wasn’t until December of 2012 that my wife and I bought Macs. So, when Apple announced in September of 2014 that the rumors were true, and an Apple Watch was coming, I got pretty excited at finally having the opportunity to be an “early adapter.”

I felt I was pretty lucky to have received the Apple Watch on its launch day, since when I made my order on the store, it was looking as though I had a two-month wait. And the Series 0 served me pretty well.

Something you should know about me - I am (and I pretty much always have been) a big guy. I come from a family of “big guys.” My dad was a big guy, most of my uncles were bigger. My brother was always big. And while, like a lot of people, I went on diets throughout the years, and experienced some success, I never was able to keep the weight off for more than a few months after a diet “ended.” But in June of 2014, something happened that made me really re-evaluate who I wanted to be, and what I wanted to live like. At the age of 34, I became a dad.

Anybody who experiences dieting knows that desire is often not enough, and even after my son was born I had a couple of false starts, and failed attempts, to lose weight. When my son turned a year old in 2015, I made a silent birthday promise to him that he would never have the chance to do what I did - copy his dad’s bad eating habits and deal with lifelong weight issues. But it took me another year to find the will to truly start. More on that when I discuss the fitness features later in this article.

In late 2016, I upgraded from my original Series 0 Apple Watch. I’d originally ordered a silver aluminum 42mm model. The original model did what I needed, but as all early adapters can tell you, the first generation of any product - no matter how innovative - is fairly limited in comparison to how things scale in the future. I used the Series 0 for exercise, and notifications, but after a while I felt like it looked a little too “toy-like” in comparison to the stainless steel models. So, when I had the opportunity to upgrade to a Series 2 Stainless Steel, which looked better and offered far superior processing power, I took it, with zero regrets.

The Apple Watch is now on its sixth iteration, but I’m still happily on my third upgrade - the Series 5. While I suspect that the Series 7 will be amazing, I plan to stick with the Series 5 moving forward for at least a few years, as it truly checks all the boxes in terms of my fitness needs, as well as my desire for an attractive aesthetic. Let’s take a closer look at that aesthetic, before touching more on the fitness benefits of the watch.

The Look

When Apple released the Series 4 back in 2018, they’d found a way on the limited real-estate of the device’s front to expand the actual screen size, moving it from 42mm to 44mm (and the 38mm watch improved to 40mm). The screen truly looks huge on this tiny device. It’s incredible to consider how much information they are able to get onto the watch in such limited space.

It’s possible that Apple may eventually do away with the digital crown - there have been rumors of that move for a few years now - but the look and implementation of it are, at this point, so classic, and so iconically Apple, that not only have a number of companies tried to duplicate the effect, but Apple has taken their watch’s design and applied it to other products - specifically, the AirPods Max. (Click on the link for my review of Apple’s amazing first over-ear headphones.) The digital crown can be pressed to access the apps on the watch, or held to activate Siri. It also serves as a scroller through notifications.

The side button, which can be pressed to access common apps, appears more flush with the watch’s frame in the Series 5, giving the watch a sleeker, smoother look. It can be pressed to either turn off your watch, or activate emergency services, such as your medical ID info, or calling 911 in the event of an accident.

One of the critical features of the watch is how easy it is to change the bands. There can be, literally, a band for any occasion. Referencing back to the first photo of this article, I own many, many bands. Most of them are third party, although I do also own a number of official Apple bands as well. If I was relying on the Apple Store for every band I owned, I would definitely have purchased far fewer, but it’s possible to find bands that look great on your wrist for just a few dollars from sites like Ali Express or DHGate, not to mention Amazon or eBay (where you can sometimes get authentic bands for decent prices as well).

In terms of bands, I am comfortable buying third party nylon bands, be they two-piece or looped. They closely resemble the official Apple bands, although the colours might be a few shades different. My experience buying sports bands, though, are way more miss than hit from a third party, as Apple’s silicon bands are sturdy and easier to keep clean, while a lot of third party silicon bands are thinner, seem to break more easily, and accumulate dirt and dust.

When I first picked up the stainless steel watch, I ordered a third party linked bracelet, which fell apart after about three uses, so I decided to spend a bit of extra money on an official one, and I’ve never regretted it. The official linked bracelet is incredibly simple to adjust, and it is solid and sturdy.

You have probably noticed from several of the pictures in this article that I actually own two Series 5 Apple Watches - the silver stainless steel, and the space black stainless steel. I bought both of these watches second hand, with the space black joining my collection only a few weeks ago. I’m not too ashamed to admit that I am style conscious, and I’ve always liked the idea of owning multiple watches to represent different looks. The Apple Watch comes in a variety of colours and form factors, many of which are very good-looking. So on top of being able to swap out bands depending on what I’m doing, or the clothes I’m wearing any given day, I also like to swap out watches as well. Both pair to my iPhone, and maintain effortless tracking of my fitness goals.

Truthfully, I have my eye on buying a ceramic white Series 5 Apple Watch as well, and I may even someday pick up a gold stainless steel. It’s entirely possible that the Series 7 will unveil some kind of killer feature that makes it must-own, but for me, the big killer feature of the Series 5 is the always-on display. Even when my watch is asleep, I can monitor my fitness goals and keep track of the time.

The more recent models of the Watch also come with a number of additional display options, many of which are gorgeous.

Presently, I have something like 25 watch faces to choose from, but this is merely because Apple affords me the abundance of choice, rather than any kind of necessity or need. I normally use one of two variants of the Infograph display, because I feel it is attractive and functional, but I sometimes swap over to a photo display (usually of my son).

My second favorite “functional” display is Meridian - I keep my fitness, calendar, and decibel apps on the screen. Meridian also allows for a “monogram” personalization. Most people probably just use the first initial of their name for that option, but I actually figured out a way to make it a small icon of the Apple logo.

Occasionally, if my aim is simply style, I switch my watch face to Simple, which provides literally only the hour, minute, and second hands, with no numbers or icons. I seldom use other watch faces, though I do enjoy having the option for more.

The Functionality

On top of a number of attractive displays, the Apple Watch offers a number of informational apps that appear as “complications” on whichever watch face you are using. That said, not every watch face comes with complications as an option.

I’m not interested in most of the complications. Generally, I want access to my calendar, the current temperature, and my fitness goals. I also like having easy access to the workout app. The Series 5 also offers a decibel tracker, which is useful for teachers in a noisy classroom, or at a concert, or for listening to music loudly in the car.

On my space black stainless steel watch, for my Infograph watch face, I also use the Solar complication, which allows me to see the sun’s progression in the sky, the UV Index, and the Compass complication. None of these are necessary - and aren’t my standard choice for complications, but I enjoy utilizing the different options.

When Apple first released the Series 0, a big selling point for them was fashion, perhaps best exampled by the solid gold Series 0 that sold for thousands of dollars. But, from that point, while style has remained a key aspect of the watch, the biggest selling point has been the fitness tracking - best exampled in the image above, of the numerous scanners on the back of the Series 5, which can be used to monitor your heart rate, as well as detect for ECG. The Series 6 has the added feature of calculating blood oxygen levels (admittedly useful during COVID-19), and there are rumors that Apple will someday release a watch that can track blood sugar levels for those with diabetes.

The workout app offers a variety of options, both for indoor and outdoor exercise, and both structured or unstructured. It also offers up achievable goals. Close your rings, get a badge. Close your rings every day for a week, get another badge. I don’t actively pay a lot of attention to my awards, but when a special badge pops up (like the Ring in the New Year Challenge, which enticed me to close my move, exercise, and stand rings every day for a week), I do my best to get it. I also feel disappointed if I lose my Move Streak, which is achieved by closing your movement ring every single day. I recently lost a streak, and will get to that under the “cons.”

I frequently use the watch to set reminders. Pressing the crown and saying “remind me when I get home to…”, is extremely useful, especially if I’m at work and am in the middle of teaching, or interacting with my students, and I don’t have time to pull out my phone and set it up manually. And having the watch connected to relevant apps - especially news apps - helps me feel connected to the world around me, even if, sometimes, the news is far more often bad than good. I also enjoy that the watch notifies me when it’s time to leave the house for an appointment.

After I published this article, I realized I forgot to talk about notifications. It used to be that the Apple Watch used a feature called “force touch” to allow the user to dismiss notifications. However, Apple is moving away from that feature, and now the wearer has to scroll through the notifications to “Clear All” with a tap. I enjoyed the convenience of force touch when it was available, but I’ve found I don’t miss it at all now that it’s gone. Apple has found a way to seamlessly integrate taps and held presses to achieve the same functionality.

There are a number of other uses that I don’t utilize at this point. Back before I owned a car with built-in GPS, and anytime we’d fly somewhere and drive a rental, I loved using the navigation features of the watch, which tapped my wrist ahead of any turn, silently directing me and relieving a lot of the driving stress I’d feel in a new environment. Apple also offers a “breathe” app, which is intended to remind the wearer to stop for a moment and practice calming breaths. I don’t use this feature, not because I don’t recognize the benefit, but because I have trouble getting behind the idea of a device reminding me to do something that I should be conscious of on my own.

Fitness Benefits

It was around my son’s second birthday - June of 2016, that I decided to make a concerted effort to change my health. I was 275 lbs (way too big for a guy who stands just shy of 5'11), and I had a father, and some other senior-aged friends, with a lot of poor health and mobility issues. I suspected that I’d probably live a good, long time regardless, but I very badly wanted - and I still want - to not only live for as many years as possible, but to be able to enjoy them as much as my body allows me to. What’s the point of getting to 75 if I can’t get around without the help of a cane, or a walker?

Using my Apple Watch’s fitness features, I began exercising every day, while dramatically modifying my food intake. I went from living a sedentary lifestyle to literally walking for 30-50 minutes a day, every day. And, from July to the start of September that year, I lost more than 40 pounds. The journey was just beginning, though. I kept exercising. I kept dieting. I kept losing weight.

By the time October of 2016 rolled around, as I approached my 37th birthday, I realized I had two issues to contend with. First: as I was walking, I found that I had trouble keeping my heart rate elevated above 120 beats per minute. Second, it was getting colder, and I wasn’t really enjoying my 40 minute walks in chilly weather. So, I did something I had literally never done before … just, one day, when I noticed that my heart rate was a bit low on my walk, I started to run. I made sure to go slowly, I made sure to keep a close eye on my heart rate and my breathing, and what I realized was, after about a kilometre, I felt really good.

Like really, really good.

I had never run a kilometre, not to mention a mile, in my life before I was 36 years old. By the time I turned 37, I was running multiple kilometres a day. By December, I was running 5K a day. And I just kept going, and going, and the weight basically felt like it melted off.

I wish I could say that that was the end of my weight loss journey. That I hit my goal of 175 pounds - which I did - and then stayed there. But life is a little more complicated than that. Personal stress, coupled with self-induced injuries, stopped my running all together in 2019, and I saw my weight balloon back up to 265 lbs. But the thing is, I didn’t forget the promise I made my son, or that I made myself, and so I decided just over a year ago that I had to try again.

I started slowly, I ran with great care, I watched what I ate, and while everyone around me endured weight gain during the pandemic, I lost a ton of weight again. I ran more than 1000 kilometres. I’m back to 180 pounds, and I’m still exercising, and taking care of myself. I’m still losing weight, and, this time, I’m not going to stop at 175 pounds.

My weight loss journey isn’t at an end. Even if I hit some imaginary weight goal, it won’t be at an end. Anybody who diets will tell you - losing weight is much easier than maintaining weight loss. It’s basically a battle against biology. I may or may not keep the weight off. I’ll have make an effort every single day. I’ll have to watch what I eat every single day. And I’ll keep running, very nearly every single day.

Could I have lost the weight without the watch? Possibly. But there is no denying that visualizing my progress, through both tracking my runs with the fitness app, and also seeing those rings close, as well as earning those badges, has been a great asset in my war against myself. I owe a lot to the Apple Watch.

Cons

So what could be improved? Minor things, really. The Apple Watch’s fitness features are incredibly useful, and closing your rings feels like a great achievement, especially on days when it’s an effort to step outside the house. One thing the Apple Watch should do is have built in “rest day” options - days when the wearer is planning to rest from exercise. On those days, it obviously makes sense that fewer calories would be burned. The Apple Watch allows you to set and modify your caloric goals, but if you set them too high, then to maintain your movement streak you would have to reduce them for the day of rest. I’m willing to do that, but it would be more convenient - and sensible, in my mind, to not have to.

One thing Apple changed with a recent update was suggesting incremental changes of 20 calories each time a new goal is set. Where before, it could be adjusted in ten or even five calorie increments, it now demands a larger change. I lost my movement streak because the watch adjusted to a goal of 360 calories for the day, and I ended at like 355. Had I been able to set my goal to the number I preferred (350), my streak would still be ongoing.

A feature I don’t use is song/podcast loading. It’s possible to put songs/shows on my watch, but I don’t find the process to be easy and I run with my phone, even though I might prefer not to. At this point, I haven’t identified a way, for example, to listen to a podcast on my phone, and have it seemlessly transfer to the watch so I could continue where I left off - and then have it transfer back to my phone once I’m home again, for example. This is a feature that generally works in other areas of Apple’s ecosystem. I can watch a movie on an iPad, and then continue watching it on my iMac, and switch back and forth without losing my place. But I admit that I haven’t really tried it with my watch in some time, so maybe this is a problem they’ve solved and I just don’t know it.

Conclusions

Ever since Apple released the first iPhone, and iPad, critics of the company have clamored for “the next big thing,” basically demanding the company pull a world-changing, innovative product from their hat like a magic trick. When Apple unveiled the Apple Watch, a lot of critics called it a whiff. But, in my life, no other piece of technology I’ve owned has meant as much to my health and well-being as my Apple Watch. Of course, it wouldn’t be possible without the iPhone. Of course the iPhone remains, perhaps, the most innovative product of the 21st century, and the gateway to future innovations like the rumored Apple Glasses.

But I truly believe that I owe my health to the Apple Watch. I love the way it works, as well as the way it looks. I love that I have a watchband for literally any situation. That I can wear it in the pool, on the track, at the theater, in the meeting, anywhere.

And as a parent, I am looking forward to buying my six-year-old an Apple Watch a few years down the road. Both my wife and I are generally opposed to exposing kids to too may electronics too soon. I’ve always said he wouldn’t get his first cell phone until he was approaching his teen years. But having the option of buying my son an Apple Watch, which he can use without a phone to make calls, and to keep us informed on where he’s at and what he’s up to - well, that’s the kind of reassurance any parent desires, and it feels to me like a solid “middle ground” between too much technology and not enough.

I don’t know when I will upgrade to a newer model. The Series 5 seems, in many ways, to be in the “sweet spot” for me. But I have no doubt that Apple has in store some killer features that I haven’t even considered yet, and it will be only a matter of time before I sell my Series 5 collection to upgrade. But hopefully not too soon. I’m very happy with what I have.