Last week Apple announced three new smartwatch models at its September launch event: the second-generation Apple Watch SE, the Apple Watch Ultra — a pro-grade product that targets professional athletes — and the Apple Watch Series 8, the company's most advanced smartwatch for the general public. The Series 8 has been the subject of multiple rumors.

Some rumors proved true; the Apple Watch Series 8 features the ability to detect car crashes, a useful low-power mode, and the addition of a temperature sensor. There was chatter of the Series 8 gaining the ability to detect blood sugar levels and the possibility of supporting satellite connectivity, but neither feature made it to the watch’s final production.

A common thread with early reviews is the inability to thoroughly test the new cycle-tracking and temperature-sensing features because the watch needs to be used for a significant amount of time before the algorithm can accurately track them. CNET's Scott Stein noted his watch lasted an entire day on a single charge, and it took only an hour and a half to charge from 0 to 100%.

As expected, most of the initial Apple Watch Series 8 reviews seem to focus on the fact that the Series 8 is a marginal upgrade over the Series 7 models. While these upgrades might not be something to get excited about, incremental upgrades over multiple generations have resulted in a product that has improved a lot over the years.