Apple almost never discounts its own hardware, but that doesn’t stop other stores from running major deals. Amazon’s Big Spring Sale kicked off today, and you can get a 45mm cellular Apple Watch Series 9 for $399.99 ($400 off) for the next few hours. The deal brings the Apple Watch down to its lowest price ever by a fair margin.
The ninth-generation Apple Watch has an always-on display, so you can check the time without pressing a button or flicking your wrist. Its health sensors can detect your movement, sleep, and heart rate, and it can also detect heart irregularities like Afib, allowing you to take an ECG without additional equipment. All of the information it collects is stored in the Health app on your iPhone or iPad, making it easy to check for trends or share with your doctor if you notice an abnormality.
The watch’s Crash and Fall detection feature will automatically send your emergency contact and emergency services a notification when it senses you’ve fallen or been involved in a car crash and you don’t respond to an on-screen prompt. These features are especially helpful for elderly folks who live alone but want to remain independent, and are beneficial to everyone.
All Apple Watch models can display notifications (texts, social media updates, reminders, etc.), but the Cellular model allows you to receive them when you’re away from your iPhone or Wi-Fi. The Apple Watch also supports Bluetooth, so you can pair it directly with a pair of AirPods (or other Bluetooth earbuds) and go for a run without any other gadgets. You can also place calls directly from the Apple Watch, which has its own assigned phone number. Be mindful that enabling the Apple Watch’s cellular connectivity will require you to pay a monthly fee from your carrier because it is its own line.
The only potential downside to the ninth-generation Apple Watch (and all previous and future models) is that they require an iPhone to set up and use. You can’t use an iPad or Android phone, so be mindful that you won’t be able to continue using it if you switch smartphone platforms.