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Dump Your Smartphone for the Apple Watch Series 7
Cutting another cord
By Sascha Brodsky Sascha Brodsky Senior Tech Reporter Macalester College Columbia University Sascha Brodsky is a freelance journalist based in New York City. His writing has appeared in The Atlantic, the Guardian, the Los Angeles Times and many other publications. lifewire's editorial guidelines Published on October 11, 2021 01:17PM EDT Fact checked by Rich Scherr Fact checked by Rich Scherr University of Maryland Baltimore County Rich Scherr is a seasoned technology and financial journalist who spent nearly two decades as the editor of Potomac and Bay Area Tech Wire. lifewire's fact checking process Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Smart & Connected Life Mobile Phones Internet & Security Computers & Tablets Smart Life Home Theater & Entertainment Software & Apps Social Media Streaming Gaming Key Takeaways
The larger display on the new Apple Watch Series 7 means that it potentially could replace your phone.The Series 7 now boasts a QWERTY keyboard that can be tapped or swiped with QuickPath—allowing users to slide a finger to type.Ditching your phone even could improve your relationships, experts say. Apple It's time to leave your iPhone behind and strap on the new Apple Watch Series 7. Apple has long positioned its wearable as an iPhone accessory, but the Series 7's bigger screen and new capabilities make it a worthy contender as a temporary phone replacement. Ditching your phone means you'll have fewer distractions and lighter pockets. There even could be safety benefits if you're not tempted to glance at your phone constantly. "Mobile phone distraction has been a problem since the advent of smartphones," tech expert Daniel Levine told Lifewire in an email interview. "In cities like New York, they have become agents of chaos, as mindless users routinely stop short in the middle of busy sidewalks. Of course, that's not as dangerous as crossing a busy road without looking both ways." More Capable Than Ever
One of the biggest hurdles to greater usability with the Apple Watch has been its limited screen space. Even with Siri to help as a voice assistant, the Watch has a display that’s too small to type on and gives a limited amount of information. The new Series 7 offers more real estate to work with than previous models. Two of the most significant changes with the Apple Watch 7 are a slightly larger case at 45 and 41mm and a larger display. It’s 20% bigger than Series 4-6/SE and 50% larger than the Series 3 display. The new display is also brighter. The bigger display means you’ll be able to see more information at a time on the Series 7, opening a new range of possibilities for how you can interact with the device. Currently, I use my Apple Watch Series 6 as just a way to get reminders, because looking at pictures and text is painfully difficult for aging eyes. With more screen space, it will be practical to read news articles on the Series 7. The possibilities are endless. How about short stories that are downloaded automatically to your Watch? Even more revolutionary could be the new input methods made possible by the larger display. The Series 7 now boasts a QWERTY keyboard that can be tapped or swiped with QuickPath—allowing users to slide a finger to type. Apple says the keyboard uses on-device machine learning to figure out the next word based on the context, making text entry easier and faster. Fewer Distractions
While the new Series 7 offers more, its most significant benefit is to give you less. If you ditch your smartphone, even temporarily, you might be surprised to find out how much more peaceful life is without it. I own the LTE version of the Apple Watch Series 6, and it's a liberating feeling knowing that I can leave my phone at home and still get essential information. Apple Modern smartphones have become miracles of miniaturization, with so many abilities that they can practically replace laptops and PCs. In contrast, the Apple Watch does a few things well, which may make all the difference. The new Series 7 is a turning point that may liberate us from the tyranny of smartphones. Social media apps on smartphones are tearing apart relationships. This distraction could be less of a problem if you used your watch instead of your phone. "It's a fight for your attention," relationship expert Deon Black told Lifewire in an email interview. "On one side, there is your partner, whom you love." "On the other side, there is a billion-dollar company with an army of engineers who spend hours daily and are paid to find ways to manipulate your behavior by releasing dopamine (in the form of social media approval [likes], cute GIFs [novelty], and more) at just the right times to create addiction and have you stuck on that screen. You love your partner, but the phone wins sometimes." Unfortunately, you still need an iPhone to set up the Series 7. But the day is getting closer when most of our computing may take place on our wrist. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire Apple Watch: Everything You Need to Know Apple Watch Series 7: Price, Release Date, News, and Specs What Is Crash Detection on iPhone and Apple Watch? How to Close Apps on an Apple Watch Is an Apple Watch Worth It? Apple Watch Ultra: Release Date, Specs, Price, and News Apple Watch Series 8: Release Date, Specs, Price, and News How to Fix an Apple Watch That Won't Turn On How to Reset Your Apple Watch Is the Apple Watch 7 Waterproof? How Far Does the Apple Watch Reach? Apple Watch SE Review: A More Affordable Apple Watch Apple Watch Series 6 Review: A Modest Upgrade, But Still the Best How to Zoom In and Out on Apple Watch Is the Apple Watch Series 6 Waterproof? Expert Tested: The 9 Best Smartwatches in 2022 Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies