Apple sets its sights on the rest of the triathlon population
The world's most popular watch might not get you through an Ironman, but it will provide all the training, health and fitness info you'll need to get there and do the trick for most other distances

The Apple Watch Ultra changed the game for endurance athletes looking to combine all the features they loved from their Apple Watch, while still offering all training data they wanted when they were swimming, biking and running. Suddenly Apple had a watch that could get you through an Ironman, along with all the training required to get there.
Things have only got better on the training and racing front for the Apple Watch lineup over the years, especially with the launch of the new WatchOS 11 earlier this year geared to help provide more training insights.
Today Apple made many of those training and health benefits available in the less-expensive Apple Watch Series 10. That watch suddenly becomes a very viable option for runners, cyclists and triathletes who are looking for a watch to complement their iPhone, while also taking care of all of their health and training needs. You’re getting many of the training features of the much more expensive Ultra in a watch that’s just a shade over half the price.
In other words, for those who are into endurance sports, but aren’t so committed that they’re after the most expensive training gear, Apple now has a watch that will give them all they want in a smartwatch and training watch.
With an 18-hour all-day battery life (vs 36 or so for the Ultra) The Series 10 won’t get you through an Ironman or a 160-km Ultra marathon, but it will get you through pretty much any other long-distance race. It’s also a great option for those looking for a watch that won’t be quite as bulky on the wrist, which will likely be popular for the many small-wristed endurance women you routinely see at many running and triathlon events.
The retail price for the Apple Watch Series 10 starts at C$549/ US$399
New Design
The new Series 10 offers the largest display available on an Apple Watch – yes, it’s even bigger than the Ultra 2 – in the thinnest watch Apple has ever produced. The design features rounded corners, so it looks really sleek.
The Apple Watch Series 10 is available in both aluminum and titanium. The metal back integrates the antenna into the housing and is so seamlessly attached that it looks like the watch is made of one piece of metal. That new back also makes for much faster charging. You can get to 80 per cent power in 30 minutes, and eight minutes of charging will get you up to eight hours of sleep tracking. (We’ll explain why that’s important below.)
The watch will be available in 42 and 46 mm sizes. There are also a number of new bands, including ones to match the new titanium colours.
Display
The larger screen makes it much easier to see messages, but more importantly, training info on the go. The wide-angle OLED display is 40 per cent brighter when viewing from an angle, which means you’ll won’t have to turn your wrist as much to be able to see data while working out.
The larger display provides nine per cent more screen area than the Series 9, which improves visibility and usability – it’ll be much easier to type messages or pause a workout.
Health and Training Features
The new Watch OS allows for some innovative recovery tracking features and health monitoring. The new Vitals app allows you to quickly check out overnight health metrics, while Training Load allows you to gauge the impact of your training. You can also customize your Activity rings, too, so you can actually give yourself a day off when needed without feeling guilty.
The game changing feature on the health front, though, is the new Sleep Apnea notifications – the new design and faster charging will make it easy to keep the Apple Watch Series 10 on your wrist through the night, and it will keep track of heart rate, respiratory rate and wrist temperature. It will also identify signs of sleep apnea, a potentially serious condition where you stop breathing repeatedly while sleeping.
Like the Ultra version, the Apple Watch Series 10 allows you to connect Bluetooth sensors to be able to keep track of cycling stats like cadence and power.
Depth and Temperature Sensing for Water Activities
The new OS allows you to load custom workouts, and with 50 m water resistance, the Series 10 now gets many of the in-water capabilities of the Ultra. The depth gauge will work for snorkelling and the watch will give you the water temperature wherever your swimming – even during a pool workout.
Apple Watch Ultra 2
There isn’t a new Ultra to announce, but the Ultra 2 will now come in a stunning black titanium finish with a really cool Titanium Milanese Loop band that’s “inspired by mesh historically used by divers and stylish enough for any occasion.”
AirPods 4 gets redesign
The new AirPods offer many of the features you’ll spend a lot more money on in the AirPods Pro, including Active Noise Cancellation. They’re available in five different colours, feature USB C charging, are 10 per cent smaller and deliver up to 30 hours of battery life. They’ll retail for C$179/ US$129 with the Active Noise Cancellation version going for C$249/ US$179.
We’ll look forward to putting the new Apple products through more in depth testing once review models become available – stay tuned for more updates.