80 MACWORLD DECEMBER 2019
FEATURE REVIEW: APPLE WATCH SERIES 5the screen, simplify and
the sap the color, or add
a transparent FSTN LCD
over the OLED to save
battery life like other
smartwatches, Apple has
combined the best parts
of each into a new kind
of display that’s equal
parts delightful and
surprising.
Depending on the
face you choose (go.
macworld.com/fchs), the
always-on display acts differently,
sometimes dimming, sometimes inverting,
and sometimes leaving only the vital
ambient bits. Like the faces themselves,
Apple has carefully considered how each
always-on screen looks and functions,
giving each ambient face
a unique style. And the
carefully calibrated OLED
display means you can
read it in direct sunlight
at any brightness level.
But it’s not just the
look of the face that
changes. While the
watch obviously still tells
time, the clock and
complications (weather,
calendar, etc.) only
update once per minute,
and time-based complications such as
timers are rounded to the nearest minute.
The Workout app stays visible but the
screen dims and milliseconds aren’t
displayed. And when you’re using an app,
the background will blur and the time willThe Apple Watch Series 5’s display is visible in all kinds of light.The Apple Watch Series 5’s always-on display means you’ll never
have a blank screen on your wrist (unless it runs out of juice).