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The best Apple Watch deals ahead of Memorial Day will net you a great smartwatch for less
Apple
For many iPhone users, an Apple Watch is the ultimate smartwatch companion. With Memorial Day on its way in just a few weeks, we’re about to see a deluge of sales on the popular wearable. Some of those deals, however, are already live ahead of the holiday, making now an even better and more convenient time to save.
From discounts on the Apple Watch Series 9 (without the blood oxygen feature) to the budget-friendly with the Apple Watch SE, there’s an Apple Watch on offer for every type of wearer. It’s time to score some serious savings on your preferred Apple Watch model. Whether you want the newest tech or value-focused option, the deals are super hot right now.
Check out our picks for the best Apple Watch deals you can shop ahead of Memorial Day. Best of all, you can probably get most of these models in a day or two thanks to quick shipping. And when it comes to shopping for optional watchbands for your Apple Watch, our team has compiled a roundup of the eight best premium bands for 2024. It’s always a good idea to accessorize.
Apple Watch Ultra 2 (49mm, GPS + cellular, refurbished): $600 (25% off)
Amazon
Though there aren’t currently any great deals on the Apple Watch Ultra 2’s retail version, you can still save when buying refurbished at Amazon. You’re covered with Amazon’s guarantee that your renewed watch is up to snuff according to the brand’s standards, so it’s safe to buy.
For outdoor adventurers and active users, the latest Apple Watch Ultra 2 is an exciting upgrade packing advanced capabilities into a durable smartwatch design. It’s sleek, it’s rugged, it’s everything you could want in a wearable, and while you’ll pay a premium for it, it’s worth it.
This rugged model adds handy new features like a double tap control to manage calls and music using your thumb and fingertip. It retains Apple’s excellent health sensors for heart monitoring, crash detection, and menstrual cycle tracking. As previously mentioned, there’s no blood oxygen monitoring available on this device, so adjust your expectations accordingly.
Otherwise, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 makes upgrading a no-brainer. It’s the best of the lineup, and definitely worth grabbing if you don’t mind spending a pretty penny. The least expensive option we found was for this model with a blue band.
Apple Watch SE 2nd Gen (40mm, GPS only): $189 (24% off)
Amazon
The Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) makes an ideal entry-level smartwatch, with key safety features for users of all ages. You can grab this budget favorite for just $189 right now at Amazon, but if it goes out of stock, it’s up for grabs for $209 at Walmart.
It runs using the powerful S8 chip from the Series 8 and features a lightweight aluminum frame. This gives you impressive performance with a budget price tag.
The SE retains must-have Apple Watch capabilities like fall detection, emergency SOS, activity tracking and more. You’re also covered for health monitoring, notifications, communication and basic app needs.
While it lacks some flagship model perks, the SE (2nd Gen) nails the basics for an excellent starter smartwatch. And current sale pricing makes it even easier to bring home Apple’s wearable safety and utility at a solid value.
Apple Watch Series 9 (41mm, GPS + cellular): $429 (14% off)
![Apple Watch Series 9 [GPS + Cellular 41mm]](https://assets1.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2024/04/02/4682d869-bd5d-43c9-bcd8-6321655eca16/thumbnail/620x1068/57af292cc512322933ecf0be82143b36/61wepbus4al-ac-sx522.jpg?v=5b44a284b59f1e101ea6bf2f76b493fc#)
Amazon
Here’s a limited-time chance to snag the latest Apple Watch Series 9, with GPS and cellular capabilities, but with the smaller (41mm) housing size at a discounted price: $429 at both Amazon and Walmart.
Once you activate the cellular capabilities of this smartwatch, it can work autonomously from your iPhone, so even when your smartphone isn’t close by, you can use the Apple Watch to make and receive calls, send and receive text messages, stream music, seek out answers to questions from Siri, or take advantage of the GPS navigation capabilities.
The Apple Watch Series 9 comes in a wide range of colors, with numerous watchband options and in your choice of two casing sizes. While not all options are currently on sale, this price for the 41mm version of Apple’s latest smartwatch, with GPS + cellular capabilities represents a really good deal.
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm, GPS only): $359 (16% off)
Amazon
The Apple Watch Series 9 is the most recent in Apple’s smartwatch lineup, outside of the rugged Ultra 2 model. This smartwatch is designed to support virtually every activity and need. Health insights like ECG, SpO2 monitoring and menstrual cycle tracking join must-have basics like fitness metrics and crash detection.
New intuitive features such as double tap, which controls calls and music with two fingers, demonstrate Apple’s relentless innovation. And the iconic styling looks as stellar on the wrist as it functions.
When in close proximity to your iPhone, the GPS only version of the Series 9 enables calling, messaging, app access and more. With cutting-edge tech and design, it represents the pinnacle of Apple’s world-leading smartwatch ecosystem.
This model is available on Amazon with the Product Red Sport Band for $359, while it’s available at Walmart with a Midnight Sport Band for the same price.
Apple Watch Series 8 (41mm, GPS + cellular): $299 (Save $200)
Walmart
Time is ticking away to head over to Walmart’s website to snag this Apple Watch Series 8 (41mm, GPS + Cellular version) with a silver color aluminum case and white Sport Band for just $299 — that’s $200 off its regular price.
The Apple Watch Series 8 is still available at most retailers, but given that it’s been replaced by the newer Apple Watch Series 9, stock will be less readily available going forward.
This special price is only valid for a few watch colors, and several configurations are already sold out, so don’t wait to take advantage of this deal.
Apple Watch Series 8 (41mm, GPS + cellular): $199 (save $300)
Apple
While it’s currently being overshadowed by the newest Series 9, the previous generation of the Apple Watch is still a stellar smartwatch option at a more affordable price point. It packs the core capabilities diehard Apple Watch fans expect into a slim, ergonomic design.
For everyday use, the Series 8 performs great without the premium price tag. Must-have health sensors like optical heart rate monitoring, ECG, SpO2 and body temperature features are on board, in addition to advanced fitness and sleep tracking. There are also must-have safety features like car crash detection, which can immediately contact emergency services.
For a feature-packed, cheaper Apple Watch alternative, the Series 8 hits the sweet spot. It brings plenty of monitoring functions, safety innovations and slick styling in a more affordable package that you can still get right now.
Right now, you can snag an Apple Watch Series 8 for just $199 at Walmart. That’s a discount of $300, down from its normal price of $499.
Apple Watch Series 7 (45mm, GPS + cellular, refurbished): $200 (62% off)
Amazon
While the Apple Watch Series 9 models are the latest versions available, the Apple Watch Series 7 remains an excellent option if you’re looking for a balance of utility and value. It’s not very readily available outside of refurbished models now, so that’s what you’ll have to go with when buying from a retailer like Amazon.
This older generation wearable offers the core Apple Watch experience, so you have a good idea of what to expect when you use it. In addition to its standard suite of phone features, it also comes with health sensors like ECG, SpO2, fall detection and more.
Of course, it also offers fitness tracking and health monitoring features, as well as activity goals, challenges with friends, and in-depth metrics to help you get in better shape or maintain the one that you have.
If a refurbished model isn’t something that scares you away, you can get a renewed watch right now for $200 at Amazon, which is 62% off its original price of $529.
How do I know if I’m buying an Apple Watch with the blood oxygen feature?
The only way to tell if you have a pre-ban Apple Watch is to look at the packaging or menus for part numbers ending in LL/A. You’ll have no way of knowing which one you get buy purchasing online, so keep that in mind unless the retailer has explicitly describes which version you’re buying.
What’s the best Apple Watch?
There’s no tried-and-true way to determine the “best” Apple Watch overall. But you can determine the right one that works for you and your lifestyle. Here are some of the key features to consider when shopping for an Apple Watch:
Size: The latest Apple Watches come in two sizes. The right size for you will depend on your wrist size and preference for screen size. Larger screens give you better visibility and touch targets, but can feel bulkier on smaller wrists, so it comes down to personal preference.
Features: If you’re into fitness, look for models with advanced health and fitness tracking. If you need it for connectivity and productivity, you’ll want an Apple Watch with GPS + cellular capabilities so that the watch can work more autonomously from your iPhone.
Battery Life: Different models and usage patterns affect battery life. If you’re a heavy user or plan to use features like GPS and cellular internet connectivity frequently, keep in mind these features deplete battery life faster. From all of the latest Apple Watch models, you can typically get at least one full day of usage between charges.
Compatibility: Make sure your Apple Watch is compatible with your iPhone model. Yes, you do need an iPhone to activate and manage an Apple Watch, so if you don’t own an iPhone or plan to pair the watch with an iPhone, don’t buy one.
Health features: If health monitoring is a priority (like ECG, heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen monitoring, etc.), look for models that include these sensors and keep in mind which features are no longer available on certain models.
Future-proofing: Buying the latest Apple Watch model guarantees longer software and WatchOS support, plus access to new features released in future updates. As long as you stay current, you’ll get all of Apple’s newest updates.
Americans are increasingly skeptical about the value and cost of college, with most saying they feel the U.S. higher education system is headed in the “wrong direction,” according to a new poll.
Overall, only 36% of adults say they have a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in higher education, according to the report released Monday by Gallup and the Lumina Foundation. That confidence level has declined steadily from 57% in 2015.
Some of the same opinions have been reflected in declining enrollment as colleges contend with the effects of the student debt crisis, concerns about the high cost of tuition and political debates over how they teach about race and other topics.
Whether a college educations is required to achieve professional success is also up for debate, as only about 1 in 4 Americans say a bachelor’s degree is necessary to secure a well-paying job, according to a March survey from the Pew Research Center.
Employment opportunities and earnings for young men without college degrees have improved in the last decade, reversing some of the economic damage that eroded the group’s fortunes starting in the 1970s. Young men with only a high school degree have seen a slight rebound in their earnings since 2014, Pew found.
The median annual income for men 25- to 34-years-old without a college degree was $45,000 in 2023, a 15% increase from $39,300 in 2014 when adjusted for inflation, according to Pew’s analysis of Census data.
Dimming belief in college
But the dimming view of whether college is worth the time and money extends across all demographics, including gender, age and political affiliation. Among Republicans, the number of respondents with high confidence in higher education has dropped 36 percentage points over the last decade — far more than it dropped for Democrats or independents.
“It’s so expensive, and I don’t think colleges are teaching people what they need to get a job,” said Randy Hill, 59, a registered Republican in Connecticut and a driver for a car service. His nephew plans to do a welding apprenticeship after graduating high school. “You graduate out of college, you’re up to eyeballs in debt, you can’t get a job, then you can’t pay it off. What’s the point?”
The Gallup-Lumina survey’s overall finding — that 36% of adults have strong confidence in higher education — is unchanged from the year before. But what concerns researchers is shifting opinion on the bottom end, with fewer Americans saying they have “some” confidence and more reporting “very little” and “none.” This year’s findings show almost as many people have little or no confidence, 32%, as those with high confidence.
Tuition too high
“The No. 1 deterrent for a student not to pursue a college degree is affordability — they simply think they can’t afford the cost of a higher education,” Michael Itzkowitz, founder of HEA Group, a research and consulting firm focused on college, told CBS MoneyWatch in May.
The schools with the best return on investment for low- and middle-income students include many of California’s state colleges, which tend to be lower-priced than nonprofit private universities, he noted.
Experts say that fewer college graduates could worsen labor shortages in fields from health care to information technology. For those who forgo college, it often means lower lifetime earnings — 75% less compared with those who get bachelor’s degrees, according to Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce. And during an economic downturn, those without degrees are more likely to lose jobs.
“It is sad to see that confidence hasn’t grown at all,” said Courtney Brown, vice president at Lumina, an education nonprofit focused on increasing the numbers of students who seek education beyond high school. “What’s shocking to me is that the people who have low or no confidence is actually increasing.”
This year’s survey added new, detailed questions in an effort to understand why confidence is shrinking.
Almost one-third of respondents say college is “too expensive,” while 24% feel students are not being properly educated or taught what they need to succeed.
The survey did not specifically touch on the protests this year against the war in Gaza that divided many college campuses, but political views weighed heavily on the findings. Respondents voiced concerns about indoctrination, political bias and that colleges today are too liberal. Among the respondents who lack confidence, 41% cite political agendas as a reason.
Generally when people express confidence in higher education, they are thinking of four-year institutions, according to Gallup. But the survey found that more people have confidence in two-year institutions. Forty-nine percent of adults say they have “a great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in two-year programs, compared with 33% of Americans who feel that way about four-year colleges.
California college student Kristen Freeman understands why.
“It’s about saving money. That’s why I went to a two-year. It’s more bang for your buck,” said Freeman, 22, a sociology major at Diablo Valley Community College with plans to transfer to San Jose State University for the final two years of college.
Freeman understands the concerns about indoctrination and whether college prepares students for life and work but also feels the only way to change structural problems is from the inside. “I am learning about the world around me and developing useful skills in critical thinking,” Freeman said. “I think higher education can give students the spark to want to change the system.”
The Republican National Committee’s 2024 platform, approved by its platform committee and released Monday, is influenced heavily by presumptive presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump, and in a change from prior years, it backs the rights of states to make their own abortion laws.
The 2016 RNC platform mentioned the word “abortion” 35 times and backed a constitutional amendment to ban abortion: “[W]e assert the sanctity of human life and affirm that the unborn child has a fundamental right to life which cannot be infringed,” the RNC’s 2016 platform said. “We support a human life amendment to the Constitution and legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment’s protections apply to children before birth.”
The Republican Party did not release a platform in 2020. And the 2024 platform only mentions the word once.
“We proudly stand for families and life,” the 2024 platform says. “We believe that the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States guarantees that no person can be denied life or liberty without due process,” but it goes on to say, “the states are, therefore, free to pass laws protecting those rights.”
The platform has been initially approved by the RNC committee, but is expected to go to a full vote Tuesday and be officially approved the first day of the Republican National Convention next week.
It also goes on to express opposition to late-term abortion and support for “policies that advance prenatal care, access to birth control, and IVF (fertility treatments).”
Ralph Reed, founder and chairman of the Faith and Freedom coalition, previously expressed concerns about removing abortion language, but he appeared to fall in line and back the GOP platform as released.
“The Republican Party platform makes clear the unborn child has a right to life that is protected by the Constitution under the due process clause of the 14th Amendment,” Reed said in a statement. “That language has been in the GOP platform for 40 years and reflects the view of Ronald Reagan. While aspirational, it applies to both the states and the federal government. The proposed ban on late-term abortion also implies federal as well as state action. It is an unapologetically pro-life position, and we are grateful to President Trump and the Republican Party for standing for life.”
RNC Chairman Michael Whatley and Co-chair Lara Trump focused on the economy and the border in their statement on the platform.
“Only President Trump can restore our economy, restore our southern border, and restore America’s standing in the world,” the two RNC leaders said in a joint statement. “His 2024 Republican Party Platform is a bold roadmap that will undo the devastating damage that Joe Biden’s far-left policies have done to this country, power President Trump to a historic victory in November, and Make America Great Again.”
The platform is titled, “2024 GOP Platform: Make America Great Again!” It bears clear signs of the former president’s influence, emphasizing enforcing border security and stopping the “migrant crime epidemic.” The platform includes a goal to carry out “the largest deportation operation in American history.”
The platform also proposes building a “great iron dome missile defense shield over our entire country.”
Trump and his campaign have also adopted a new proposal in recent months — eliminating taxes on tips. Trump mentions it frequently at rallies, and it appears in the RNC 2024 platform, along with a promise to end inflation, which has been easing.
The GOP also states in the platform that there will be no cuts to Social Security or Medicare and no changes to the retirement age. It also says that the push for electric vehicles should be canceled and regulations should be cut. And it calls for “same day voting, voter identification, paper ballots, and proof of citizenship” as means to “secure our elections.”
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