As you know, your Apple Watch SE is not new. The second generation came out in September 2022 alongside the Series 8 and the first iteration of the Ultra. You've given the iPhone, all models of the iPad, AirPods, MacBooks and both the flagship and premium smartwatches updates since then -- but not the budget smartwatch. Last month, my editors asked me to see how the Watch SE stacks up in 2025 and I was happy to oblige. I love getting my hands on novel tech, analyzing, evaluating and experiencing a device (then giving it back when I'm done so I don't have to accumulate more stuff).

It begins seven years ago, when my doctor asks me whether I want to lose my foot. I say to him: No, I do not want to lose my foot. "Good," he says back: Monitor your blood sugar, keep it down, and we can manage this disease. Then nobody has to lose a foot. It turns out I have type 2 diabetes, which--from a patient's point of view--boils down to a single data point: the amount of glucose in my bloodstream.

Captain America and Black Panther were about to defend Earth from the villain Thanos when Kevin Foley first noticed something was wrong. Foley, a 46-year-old information-technology worker from Kyle, Texas, was heading into the theater to see Avengers: Infinity War when he realized he was having trouble breathing normally. The sensation struck again during another movie the following night, but more severe this time. Once the credits on the second film rolled, Foley took action: he looked at his wristwatch. It was a bigger step than you might imagine, because Foley was wearing an Apple Watch equipped with medical sensors and experimental software to track basic functions of his heart. And the watch was worried. It had, according to the display, detected signs of an irregular heartbeat.

It says the irregular rhythm detector isn't for people who've been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. And both the EKG and heart rhythm function are "not intended to replace traditional methods of diagnosis or treatment." As The Washington Post has reported, some cardiologists worry people taking Watch EKGs could result in a flood of unnecessary office visits by healthy people. The heart sensors can let people with heart conditions or anxiety know when they might need to take it easy. Margery Widroe, 80, who's been using a Series 3 Apple Watch for a few months, recounted to our group a recent incident when she was at the grocery store and her Watch alerted her to a high heart rate.

Apple's new iPhones are impressive and all, but I'd argue the company's new Watch Series 4 stole the show in Cupertino last week. In addition to the first major redesign in the wearable's history, Apple crammed a host of improved health and fitness features into the Series 4's new and improved body. There's a lot to dig into and honestly, we're just not done testing the thing yet. As we work on our full review, though, there a few features and flourishes you should definitely keep in mind. You probably don't need me to tell you that Apple made its Watches bigger this year: we're looking at 40mm and 44mm bodies, up from the classic 38mm and 42mm.