Apple Watch Series 11 The Apple Watch Series 11 is classic Apple iteration: sturdier glass, longer stamina, smarter workouts, and a cautious step into preventative health. It still delivers everything that defines the lineup, including powerful performance and seamless iPhone integration, and for anyone on a Series 8 or older, it’s a worthwhile upgrade.
Apple doesn’t rewrite the playbook each fall; it just adds footnotes. The Apple Watch Series 11 is another careful revision, making reviews feel more like progress reports than breaking news. Still, refinement isn’t a bad thing when the smartwatch lineup is already one of the best (unless you have an Android phone, unfortunately). With improvements in battery life and fresh health insights, Apple inches its flagship wearable closer to a genuine all-day health companion.
A familiar look that’s subtly stronger
Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
For all my grumblings about repetition out of Cupertino, I still get joy from unboxing a new Apple Watch. At first glance, the Series 11 looks nearly identical to last year’s model. It’s slim, lightweight, equally comfortable, and still stylish enough to wear in most scenarios. I tried the new Space Gray, which is muted and classy, but nothing to write home about. As for durability, it’s still rated for water resistance up to 50m and IP6X dust resistance.
The Apple Watch Series 11 looks a lot like last year's model, but now with stronger glass and an updated UI.
However, aluminum models like the one I tested now feature tougher Ion-X glass with a ceramic coating to better resist everyday scratches (titanium versions stick with sapphire crystal). I didn’t take an exacto blade to mine, but after a week of normal wear and workouts, it still looks pristine. Below the glass, the domed display is bright and crisp, topping out at the same 2,000 nits, which is more than bright enough for all conditions.
Where the Series 11 feels freshest is in WatchOS 26, which leans into Apple’s new “Liquid Glass” design language. Think translucent layers and glossy transitions. Animations are snappy, navigation is smooth, the app grid is gloriously neater, the control center now supports third-party actions, the Notes app is finally synced, and there are two new watch faces up for grabs. I’ve been wearing the new Flow watch face, which is minimal in data but maximal in hypnotic charm. It’s not my go-to for workouts, but for day-to-day wear, it’s funky and fun.
Gesture controls also feel smoother, including a new Wrist Flick gesture: a quick turn of the wrist away from your body dismisses notifications, mutes calls, silences timers and alarms, or drops you back to the watch face. It feels natural when your hands are full or if (like me) you’re covered in cooking ingredients and you need to shut up a timer. Paired with Double Tap, it makes one-handed use feel much smoother.
Overall, the software updates aren’t revolutionary, but they add up to a watch that feels polished. And since most WatchOS 26 features roll back to older models, they don’t necessarily skyrocket the Series 11’s value.
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