Apple has released the Apple Watch Series 4, a redesigned smartwatch focused on connectivity, activity tracking, and health management.
Maintaining its classic look, the fourth iteration boasts a 30% larger screen and a smaller, slimmer casing. This model introduces advanced fitness and communication features with watchOS 5, a new accelerometer and gyroscope for fall detection, and an electrical heart rate sensor that enables electrocardiograms (ECGs) through the new ECG app.
Jeff Williams, Apple’s COO, highlights the Series 4’s evolution into a health guardian, providing vital communication and fitness support alongside innovative features like fall detection and a consumer-available ECG app.
Pre-orders for the Apple Watch Series 4 (GPS) began on September 14th in 26 countries and territories, with in-store availability starting September 21st. The Apple Watch Series 4 (GPS + Cellular) followed a similar schedule, launching in 16 countries and territories.
The Series 4 is available in 40mm and 44mm sizes. Its back, constructed from black ceramic and sapphire crystal, optimizes cellular service by allowing radio waves to pass through. The digital crown now incorporates haptic feedback for a more responsive, tactile experience.
A 50% louder speaker enhances phone calls, Siri interactions, and Walkie-Talkie functionality. The microphone’s new location minimizes echo, improving sound quality. Equipped with the S4 chip and a custom 64-bit dual-core processor, the device doubles its speed without sacrificing battery life, which lasts for a full day.
The larger display optimizes the user interface, enlarging app icons and fonts for improved readability and interaction. Complications, the non-timekeeping features of the watch face, have been refined for accuracy and information delivery. From the customizable Infograph face to the Breathe face, where animations synchronize with deep breaths, new watch faces maximize the Series 4 display. Motion faces, including Vapor, Liquid Metal, Fire, and Water, uniquely interact with the curved casing edges.
Health features see significant advancements in the Apple Watch Series 4. Using a new ECG app, electrodes in the digital crown and an electrical heart rate sensor on the back crystal enable users to take ECGs directly from their wrist. Users touch the digital crown and after 30 seconds, receive a heart rhythm classification, indicating a normal pattern or potential atrial fibrillation. All recordings, classifications, and symptoms are saved as a shareable PDF within the Health app.
watchOS 5 enables the Apple Watch to periodically analyze heart rhythms and send notifications upon detecting irregularities. It can also alert users if their heart rate goes above or below specified limits.
Utilizing an advanced accelerometer and gyroscope that measures up to 32 G-forces and specialized algorithms, fall detection identifies hard falls. By analyzing wrist trajectory and impact, the watch sends a dismissible alert, allowing users to contact emergency services. If 60 seconds of immobility follow the alert, the watch automatically contacts emergency services and relays the user’s location to their emergency contacts.
watchOS 5 transforms the Apple Watch into an even more powerful fitness companion, now with a six-hour battery life. New features include activity competitions, automatic workout detection with retroactive credit, and dedicated Yoga and Hiking workout types that accurately monitor active calorie burn and exercise minutes. Runners benefit from the new cadence tracking for indoor and outdoor runs and pace alerts during outdoor runs.
The Walkie-Talkie feature allows for instant communication between users over Wi-Fi or cellular connections. Siri’s watch face offers improved prediction and proactivity, providing shortcuts and content from third-party apps. watchOS 5 also allows users to listen to podcasts using Apple Podcasts and stream any podcast using Siri. Lastly, the Series 4 enhances complications to provide more detailed views of helpful third-party apps. For example, Dexcom allows for continuous glucose monitoring, and Streaks displays daily progress on tasks.
Details:
Priced at US$399, the Apple Watch Series 4 (GPS) offers the updated design and new health features, while the Apple Watch Series 4 (GPS + Cellular) starts at US$499. The Series 3 is now available at a starting price of US$279. In addition to the silver, gold, and space gray aluminum finishes, the Apple Watch Series 4 introduces a gold stainless steel model with a matching Milanese band, alongside the silver and space black stainless steel models. A new band collection will debut in Q3/Q4, compatible with all Apple Watch generations.
The new Apple Watch Nike+ collection offers redesigned Nike watch faces in matching band colors, including a Pure Platinum/Black Sport Band and a Summit White Sport Loop with reflective yarn. Apple Watch Hermès introduces a variety of color-blocked bands and exclusive watch faces that change color as the minute hand moves.
In the Asia Pacific and Middle East regions, the Apple Watch Series 4 (GPS + Cellular) will be available to order on September 14th, with availability beginning September 21st in Australia, mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and the UAE. Other countries will follow later this year. The Apple Watch Series 4 (GPS) will be available to order on September 14th and in stores on September 21st in Australia, mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, KSA, New Zealand, Singapore, and the UAE.
The Apple Watch Nike+ will be available for order on apple.com and in the Apple Store app on September 14th in select countries, with limited availability starting October 5th in Australia, Bahrain, mainland China, Guam, Hong Kong, Japan, KSA, Kuwait, Macau, New Zealand, Oman, Qatar, Singapore, and the UAE.
The Apple Watch Hermès will be available to order on apple.com and in the Apple Store app starting September 14th, with availability beginning September 21st in Australia, mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and the UAE.
Starting on September 28th, the Apple Watch Series 4 (GPS) will be available in Bahrain, Guam, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Macau, Oman, and Qatar.
New Apple Watch bands can be ordered on apple.com and in the Apple Store app starting September 14th and will be available on September 21st at Apple Stores, select Apple Authorized Resellers, and carriers in over 35 countries and regions.
Apple offers free Personal Setup, both in-store and online, to customers who purchase an Apple Watch directly from them. This service helps users personalize their new Apple Watch with calendars, notifications, apps, and more.