Apple Watch Series 10 Drops to $679 at Amazon, Cutting $120

Q: Why is a premium smartwatch heavily marketed for swimming bundled with a band that cannot handle water?

Because Apple is marketing two different things at once: the watch case’s capabilities and the bundled band’s style. The Apple Watch Series 10 itself is rated for shallow-water activities such as pool or ocean swimming, but Apple’s own guidance says the Milanese Loop is not water resistant. That mismatch is common in premium watch packaging. The discounted model is a luxury configuration: titanium case, gold finish, and matching metal mesh band. The Milanese Loop is aimed at buyers who want a dressier look for everyday wear, not a purpose-built swim setup. Apple sells the watch as a modular product, and the band is interchangeable in seconds, so the company often pairs premium cases with premium-looking bands rather than the most sport-practical one. The practical implication is that the swimming features remain real, but the included band is the wrong tool for that use. Metal bands such as the Milanese Loop can be less comfortable when wet and are explicitly listed by Apple among bands that should not be exposed to liquids. For regular swimming, Apple’s Sport Band, Ocean Band, or other fluoroelastomer or suitable fabric options are the better match. So the bundle is best understood as a fashion-forward version of a swim-capable smartwatch, not an all-in-one swim kit. Buyers attracted by the underwater and fitness features should factor in the cost of a second, water-friendly band.

3 articles · Updated · Mashable · Oct 12

$679 buys the Apple Watch Series 10 at Amazon as of Oct. 12, down from its $799 list price for a 15% discount.
The sale applies to the 42mm model with cellular and GPS in a gold titanium case paired with a gold Milanese loop.
Series 10 targets fitness users with running and swimming tracking, advanced workout metrics, training load insights, plus water temperature and depth readings.
The watch also bundles safety and health tools including Fall Detection, Crash Detection, Emergency SOS, ECG, blood oxygen monitoring, heart-rate alerts and sleep tracking.
Amazon described the offer as limited-time, making the current markdown the key draw for buyers considering an upgrade.