What Does SE Stand For On An Apple Watch?

If you've been shopping around for an iPhone or Apple Watch, you might have noticed models labeled as "SE" models. Since most of Apple's flagship models are indicated simply by the generation number, like the iPhone 16 Pro and the Apple Watch Series 10, the iPhone SE and Apple Watch SE stick out when looking at comparisons and reviews. For one, they don't seem to change year after year of production, unlike other models that keep getting a massive upgrade.

When the first iPhone SE model came out, there were all sorts of rumors as to what the acronym could mean. Funnily enough, some were jokes like "Still Expensive" and "Slightly Entertaining." Eventually, Phil Schiller made the meaning of the two letters clear: Special Edition. An Apple product labeled as a "Special Edition" might make you think it'd be more expensive than other Apple offerings. However, it means the opposite — SE products are more affordable options to other Apple device lines.

The SE devices offer many of the same features as its full-fledged brethren but at a lower cost. However, that doesn't mean an iPhone SE or Apple Watch SE has every feature of their respective flagship models. Some sacrifices have to be made for the lower price. These trade-offs normally come with the hardware, and since SE models don't get yearly refreshes, it can start to lag behind other models.

For example, the latest available Apple Watch SE second generation model from 2022 has a S8 SiP chip with a 64-bit dual-core processor, the same as the Apple Watch Series 8 from that year. But as the years go on, the S8 chip and other features, such as only being able to connect to 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, start to feel outdated compared to the Apple Watch Series 10 or the Apple Watch Ultra 2, which can also connect to 5GHz Wi-Fi networks. Depending on the features and hardware you're looking for, you may need to consider if the Apple Watch SE is worth it.

All that said, that doesn't mean the Apple Watch SE is missing the most important features. For starters, the Apple Watch SE can run the latest watchOS 11, so you don't need to worry about missing out on important OS updates. That also means you can look at the latest version of the Apple Watch App Store to find useful apps. Additionally, the Apple Watch SE has the most important safety features, such as Emergency SOS, Crash Detection, and Fall Detection. You'll even be able to use helpful features you may not have even known about.

In terms of health, the Apple Watch SE has a heart rate app that alerts you if your heart rate seems off. It can also track your sleep, workouts, medications, and even the noise around you, so you can make sure you don't damage your hearing. What the Apple Watch SE doesn't have that later models do is the ECG app, which checks the rhythm of your upper and lower heart chambers. However, the SE model does include other useful sensors, such as a compass, an always-on altimeter, and high-dynamic range gyroscope.