Three years in a row, Apple used the same design for
its Apple Watches and introduced only minor hardware updates whereas this year,
the company finally brought some major changes. The design concept is pretty much
the same but the size grew and now allows for a larger display to fit in. Now
instead of the 38mm and 42mm models, Apple offers the Watch Series 4 in 40mm
and 44mm flavors accommodating 35% and 32% bigger panels, respectively.
The new watchOS now takes advantage of the bigger
screen and new watch faces show more relevant information. Unfortunately,
there's still no always-on display feature so some of you will remain
disappointed.
But, we have some good news for the potential Watch
Series 4 buyers as now all versions come with ceramic and sapphire backs, not
only the LTE units as was the case on Series 3. Moreover, the crown gets a cool
update as well - haptic feedback makes rotating it more enjoyable and
functional. A nice little bonus is the 50% louder speaker. A new Apple S4 chipset is running
the show incorporating a dual-core 64-bit CPU and a more powerful GPU. Both
deliver up to 2x better performance compared to Apple S3.
All the usual sensors that are essential to a smart
wearable are at hand, but the centerpiece here is the new ECG
(electrocardiography) monitor that promises vastly improved heart rate tracking
capabilities. It works by putting your finger for 30 seconds on the crown,
which in turn is connected to the electrodes positioned on the back. This
allows for more advanced heart rate-related features like tracking heart rate
rhythm irregularities. Even the FDA has approved them and Apple promised to
deliver more features by the end of 2018 to all US customers.
A new much more advanced gyroscope sensor is taking
care of all the motion tracking inside the watch and has allowed Apple to
develop an algorithm detecting a fall. So if you fall from a ladder, for
example, the watch will prompt you with a message asking if you would like to
call 911. And if you remain motionless for more than 5 seconds, Siri will call
an ambulance automatically.
With all those sensors and larger screen, you're
probably wondering if the battery has taken a hit this time. Well, Apple didn't
disclose any details but said that you can expect just about the same 18 hours
of battery life of mixed usage. Additionally, the Bluetooth 5.0 LE connectivity
support will help preserve battery charge even further.
And here are some good news for old Apple Watch
owners that are looking to upgrade - the new one is compatible with all the
straps released before. In addition, the company introduces new leather straps.
A new Gold Stainless finish is also part. When it comes to pricing and
availability, the GPS only version starts at US$ 399 while the US$ 499 LTE version
begins at US$ 499 and both versions will be made available next Friday, September
21 with pre-orders starting September 14.
If the price is a bit too steep for you, Apple is
also keeping the Watch Series 3 around at a reduced the price of to US$ 279
starting today. And the watchOS 5 will be released on September 17 with the new
UI and app features. The new Watch Series 4 will launch in 26 countries initially while
the cellular version will be supported in only 16 countries.
