iFixit took apart the Apple Watch Series 6 today, getting an inside look at the new sensors added to enable blood oxygen tracking. There’s also one major piece of hardware that’s disappeared from the Watch: the tech used to enable Force Touch.
Force Touch allowed the Apple Watch’s screen to recognize how much force you’re applying, and it’s been a part of the Apple Watch since the first model was released in 2015. But the latest version of watchOS removes Force Touch from prior models, and now it’s clear why: it’s not part of the Series 6 Watch at all.
Apple had an equivalent feature, known as 3D Touch, for phones starting with the iPhone 6S in 2015. The tech giant began removing 3D Touch on its smartphones and replacing it with Haptic Touch in 2018.
The smartwatch also has a bigger battery and a bigger Taptic Engine than its predecessor. According to iFixit, the 44mm Apple Watch Series 6’s battery is 3.5 percent larger, and the 40mm size’s battery has increased by 8.5 percent. It’s a notable difference for both sizes considering Apple said the Series 6 Watch has the same 18-hour battery life as the Series 5. The latest models have a brighter screen than their predecessors, which may be one reason the battery has been upgraded.
If you want to see our first thoughts on the Apple Watch Series 6, check out my colleague Dieter Bohn’s first look at the wearable.
