This article may contain personal views and opinion from the author.

While it’s obviously too soon to know if this apparent lack of excitement will translate into shrinking sales numbers during the always important holiday season, it might be worth highlighting why Apple made the right call in playing things safe this year and why you can’t find a better smartwatch… to use alongside an iPhone.

No real pressure from the competition, no reason to take big risks

Just like in the handset market all those years ago, it took Apple a little while to find its footing and focus in the fledgling wearable industry. As such, the first couple of Apple Watch generations were far from perfect. A third edition followed that also got a few things wrong but at the same time implemented a game-changing cellular feature better than all other smartwatches that previously dared to go there.

The design doesn’t matter (yet)

Will Apple ever give up the square and embrace the circle to answer the pleas of fashionistas everywhere? Perhaps, but only if it absolutely has to, pressured by the competition or in lack 

Should you buy it or wait for the Apple Watch Series 6?

As for the Series 6, no one knows what it could bring to the table. Sleep tracking might be in the cards or Apple might do the unthinkable and release a perfectly circular smartwatch with both Android and iOS support in 2020. 

But it’s generally not wise to chase some distant pipe dream when a product as well-balanced, mature, and polished as the Series 5 is sitting right in front of you. And if it’s not completely flawless or it doesn’t quite look as the smartwatch of your dreams, you may want to blame Google and Samsung for not challenging Apple to speed up its pace of innovation.