What Has Changed; Wasn't the Apple Watch Waterproof Already?

Is your first generation Apple Watch waterproof? Not exactly. It is “splash proof,” as we were told by Apple’s Jeff Williams at yesterday’s keynote. The Apple Watch Series 2, in contrast, is “swim proof.” He said that you can wear it while swimming, surfing, or even doing a cannonball. It’s rated water resistant 50 meters, which is the industry standard for a swim watch. This means the watch needs to be able to resist water at the equivalent of being 50 meters under water.

Apple’s engineers were able to seal up all possible entry points for water such as the digital crown and side button, except for the speaker. The speaker must remain open, because it needs air in order to produce sound. And if air can get in, so can water. But Apple’s created an elegant solution to this physics problem with its Series 2 redesign. At the end of your swim workout, the speaker itself vibrates enough to eject the water that has made its way inside.

Apple tested its Series 2 watches in a swim simulator that recreates the effect of swimming hundreds of thousands of strokes. You can feel comfortable in the water with your Apple Watch Series 2.

Apple also reworked the fitness aspect of the Apple Watch with regards to swimming workouts. They’ve calculated caloric burn on over 700 swimmers of differing fitness levels, making a more accurate algorithm for your swim workout. There are two new swim workouts in the Activity app, Pool Swim and Open Water Swim, where you’ll get information about your pace, caloric burn, and lap count. It uses your individual stroke efficiency to get more accurate over time.

Read more about what was announced at yesterday’s event and why the Apple Watch Series 2 is a good upgrade. You’ll be able pre-order the Apple Watch Series 2 at midnight PDT tonight; it will be available on Sept. 16.