Apple Watch Series 10 come with new speakers that support music and podcasts for the first time. To dispel any confusion, its predecessor had speakers, too, but only for beeps, tones, and taking calls from loved ones and friends.
The new-generation Apple Watch Series 10, however, can actually play music. The recently dropped smartwatch comes with new sleep apnea monitoring, larger sizes, a thinner chassis, faster charging, brighter, more visible viewing angles, a new titanium casing that echoes the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro lines, and stunning new colors — but it’s the new music-playing speakers that piqued my interest the most.
Why?
Because when I heard “music-playing Apple Watch,” I immediately thought, “OMG, I can take it into the shower with me and blast my favorite tunes!”
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
Yes, I’m one of “those people” who brings their phone into the bathroom — and jams out to their favorite Apple Music playlists while standing under the cascading waters of their shower. Sue me! And I know I’m not the only one who does it.
The best solution for music-loving shower takers is waterproof bluetooth speakers — like these JBL speakers from Amazon. But the question is, could the Apple Watch Series 10 serve as an alternative? I put it to the test.
Apple Watch Series 10: How does it fare in the shower?
I set up the Apple Watch Series 10 and eagerly tapped on the Apple Music app.
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I played a radio station curated just for me and it launched a classical music tune called “Piano Sonata No. 18 in D Major” by Yeol Eum Son. Since the Apple Watch Series 10 is so small and compact, I expected a tinny, metallic sound.
To my surprise, the song sounded richer, smoother, and more lush than I thought it’d be. I don’t know how I could expect any different. If there’s anything Apple gets right, it’s nailing warm, full-bodied, balanced audio, whether it’s on a MacBook, a pair of AirPods, the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Keep in mind, however, that I tested this in a quiet room, so my expectations were still high going into this quick experiment.
Before hopping the shower, I decided to switch gears and play some Frank Ocean. (Before using your Apple Watch Series 10, I suggest curating a shower playlist so that you can easily play your favorite song right from your wrist.)
I played “Thinking Bout You,” swayed to the chill tune, and turned on the faucet to start the shower. I stepped in, but noticed one tiny little problem: the water droplets hitting the shower floor were overpowering Frank Ocean’s crooning.
Even when I tried to turn the digital crown to increase the volume to the max, I could barely hear the song while showering. Bummer!
The Watch Series 10’s speakers aren’t tinny, but they are definitely quiet. So if you had plans of purchasing the Apple Watch Series 10 for shower parties (and yes, you can wet it because it’s swimproof), you need to temper your expectations.
It can handle a wide variety of environments, but one that involves loud splashes of water simply isn’t one of them.
Apple Watch Series 10: What can I use the music-playing speakers for?
We already established that the Apple Watch Series 10 isn’t ideal for dance sessions in the shower, but the question is, what can you use it for? I’ve compiled a list here:
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A quiet, relaxing bath
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Walking on a treadmill
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Dancing in front of a mirror
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Listening to podcasts in a quiet room
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Sleeping with music that lulls you into a slumber
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Doing chores in a low-noise home
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Floor exercises
You get the picture here.
As long as there isn’t any loud noise in your environment, the Watch Series 10 music-playing speakers are pretty good.
For anything else, jogging alongside a clamorous street, for example, or a boisterous room with kids, the smartwatch’s quiet tunes won’t stand a chance.
The Apple Watch Series 10 starts at $399 and it hit store shelves on Sept. 20.
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