I decided to purchase the Apple Watch Series 10 even before Apple announced it. I was ready to upgrade from my Apple Watch SE 2, which has served me well for the past two years, for two reasons. First, we needed to improve the health tracking capabilities of our top models. But more importantly, I needed an Apple Watch with a fresh battery to last me through the marathon. My Apple Watch SE 2’s battery health was below 80% and it was nearing the time to replace it.
It’s also worth remembering that Apple Watch Series 10 has even faster battery charging than any other model.
Knowing Apple, I wasn’t expecting any improvements in battery life. I expected the Apple Watch Series 10 to have the same 18-hour battery life as all other models. That’s what Apple did. However, I was surprised by the actual battery life of the Apple Watch Series 10.
Apple Watch Series 10 typically has a battery life of 30 to 36 hours. This also includes sleep and fitness tracking. The only thing that can explain the increase in battery life is turning off the Always On display.
This battery life surprise has already made us realize that the Apple Watch Series 10 may be the kind of device you repair rather than replace when the battery gets bad. But then iFixit’s teardown showed that repairing a brand new Apple Watch isn’t easy.
When I saw the battery health of my Apple Watch SE 2 getting worse, I knew that replacing it with a series model was the best option. I’d get better health tracking, a faster processor, and a new battery in one package.
However, your Series 10 may need battery repair within two years. Even if I upgraded to what should have been Series 12, Series 10 might be useful to someone else in the family.
I would never try to repair an iPhone or Apple Watch myself because I don’t have the expertise. Yes, Apple can provide manuals and tools, but I don’t have the experience to do so yet. But the iFixit teardown above proves that replacing the Apple Watch Series 10 battery is an incredibly difficult task.
Taking apart wearables is not easy. That’s because you have to remove the display, which is held in place with lots of adhesive. The 327mAh (1,266 Wh) battery itself is also glued to the frame. There’s no “electroglue” like Apple introduced with the iPhone 16 models. Also, the battery is not made of metal and comes in a soft pouch like previous models. The iPhone 16 Pro has a battery inside a metal case.
Repairing the bottom sensor below the battery will be more difficult, but we don’t expect these components to be damaged during normal use. iFixit’s teardown also reveals a new OLED panel that appears to be nearly identical to the Series 9.
Even more interesting is the CT scan, which shows how incredibly tightly constructed the wearable is. Recall that Apple made the Series 10 slightly smaller compared to its predecessor while enlarging the screen.
Getting back to the battery, the only way to get your Apple Watch Series 10 battery replaced is at an Apple Store. But I still think it would take enough time for an experienced technician to disassemble the watch, put in a new battery, and put it back together again.
Thankfully, we don’t expect to experience any battery issues with the Apple Watch Series 10 for the next few years. Instead, I’m going to enjoy the great battery life for as long as I can before thinking about my next Watch.
iFixit rates Apple Watch Series 10 with a repairability score of 3 out of 10. This reflects the difficult repair work expected for wearables. Watch the clip below.
