DECEMBER 2019 MACWORLD 81appear in the top right corner.
Apple has put such a high-level
of care into the always-on face
that I actually turned off the
raise-to-wake functionality a few
days into my testing. Why? The
always-on face gave me what I
needed more often than not.
The always-on display
provides the kind of at-a-glance
functionality you expect in a
traditional wristwatch, while still
providing the functionality of a
smartwatch. For example, you’ll still
receive vibrations when alerts come in, but
notifications won’t display unless you
activate the screen.
Of course, there are other watches that
do similar things with their always-on
displays, but none of the methods I’ve
seen come close to this level of care.
Some are hard to read, others eschew
basic functionality, but Apple’s both look
good and perform exactly as they should.
The Series 5 display may be the same size
as the Series 4, but it feels like a whole
new experience. If you’re coming from a
Series 3 or earlier, there’s no comparison.
BATTERY LIFE IS STILL
AN ISSUE
While other smartwatches issue warnings
that using the always-on display will
negatively impact battery life—for example,
the Fitbit Versa 2 will last for three days
with the always-on display active versus
five days with it off—the Apple promises
that the Series 5 watch gets the same 18 to
20 hours of battery life that the previous
five generations of watches got with or
without the always-on display.
It’s an impressive feat for sure,
accomplished through the use of a low-
temperature polysilicone and oxide
display, ultra-low power display driver,
efficient power management integrated
circuit, and new ambient light sensor. But
the fact that Apple was able to add an
impressive always-on display without
impacting expected battery life
underscores how frustrating the Apple
Watch’s battery is. While it charges
quickly—I averaged about 70 percent in an
hour—it also requires an annoying level of
attention. If I go away for a weekend, IThe Digital Crown is still a prominent feature on the
Apple Watch Series 5.