Apple has taken the wraps off of the Apple Watch Series 4.
The iPhone maker unveiled the latest iteration of its popular smartwatch at its annual hardware event in Cupertino, California.
The Series 4 features the biggest display yet on an Apple Watch, with a display that’s 30 percent larger than the Series 3 and a nearly edge-to-edge screen with almost no bezels.
Apple says the GPS-enabled Series 4 starts at $399, while a version with cellular connectivity is a step up at $499. The watch comes in Silver, Gold and Space Grey.
Orders open Friday and the device will begin shipping to consumers starting September 21st.
WatchOS 5, the latest Apple Watch operating system, will become available on September 17th.
‘Everything has been re-designed and re-engineered,’ Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams told the audience at the Steve Jobs Theater.
‘We’ve pushed the screen right to the edges, over 30 percent larger, with minimal changes.’
It’s thinner than the Series 3, thanks to slightly bigger cases and two sizes: 40 millimeters and 44 millimeters.
The Apple Watch has a ‘brand new watch face…that really brings it to life,’ Williams said.
The Series 4 features the biggest display yet on an Apple Watch, with a display that’s 30 percent larger than the Series 3 and an edge-to-edge screen with almost no bezels
Apple says the GPS-enabled Series 4 starts at $399, while a version with LTE cellular connectivity is a step up at $499. The device will ship to consumers starting September 21st
Users can customize their watch face with unique and interactive backgrounds, including one of friends and family that lets users tap on their face and instantly connect with them.
The face can now hold up to eight different complications, or the Apple Watch version of apps, at once.
It retains the same 18 hour battery life as the Series 3, which means it can last for up two days based on average use.
The inside of the Apple Watch has been overhauled, too, with a brand new dual-core 64-bit S4 processor with performance that’s two times better than previous models.
The inside of the Apple Watch has been overhauled, too, with a brand new dual-core 64-bit S4 processor with performance that’s two times better than previous models
Apple’s Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams announced the new Apple Watch Series 4 at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, California on Wednesday. The device starts at $399.
The acclerometer and gyroscope, which power all-day activity tracking, were also redesigned.
A next-generation gyroscope and accelerometer on the Series 4 allows it to sample motion data up to eight times faster than prior models.
Another innovative feature enables the Apple Watch to be able to detect when a user falls.
The watch analyzes a user’s wrist trajectory and acceleration to determine when a fall occurs.
From there, it delivers an alert to the watch face that allows you to initiate an emergency call.
The acclerometer and gyroscope, which power all-day activity tracking, were also redesigned. A next-generation gyroscope and accelerometer on the Series 4 allows it to sample motion data up to eight times faster than prior models
The watch’s digital crown has been ‘reimagined’ to include haptic feedback. Users can also put their finger on the crown to trigger the device’s heart-monitoring EKG capabilities
If it senses your immobile for an extended period of time, it will start the emergency call automatically.
In one example, the Series 4 display says ‘It looks like you’ve taken a hard fall’ and suggests users call 911 with the slide of a button.
But one of the most impressive features by far is the addition of a heart-monitoring electrocardiogram.
It takes advantage of the electrodes built into the Digital Crown and new electrical heart rate sensor in the back crystal.
To take an EKG, users only need to open the app and put their fingers on the crown to take a reading. This takes around 30 seconds to complete.
A next-generation gyroscope and accelerometer on the Series 4 allows it to sample motion data up to eight times faster than prior models. The watch can also detect if you fall
To take an EKG, users only need to open the app and put their fingers on the crown to take a reading. This takes around 30 seconds to complete. Users place their finger on the crown
Apple received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration for the Apple Watch, paving the way for it to be used as a medical device.
It is the first EKG product to be offered to consumers over the counter.
Apple received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration for the Apple Watch, paving the way for it to be used as a medical device.
‘I am pleased to say that we’ve received clearance from the FDA,’ Williams explained.
‘[This device] is the first of its kind to have the heart rate alerts…It’s amazing to think that the same watch you wear every day to make calls, run a marathon and more, can now take an EKG.’
The launch of the Apple Watch Series 4 comes as the firm also unveiled the latest versions of its flagship smartphone models.
WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE IPHONE XS AND XS MAX?
The iPhone XS and larger XS Max are Apple’s latest flagship devices.
The pair have a similar design and features to the existing iPhone X – including its much-hyped Face ID unlock system – with a few key additions.
They hit stores on September 21, 2018 with the iPhone XS priced at $999 (£999) and the XS Max a whopping $1,099 (£1,099).
Like the iPhone X, the XS has a 5.8-inch OLED screen, while the XS Max boasts a mammoth 6.5-inch OLED display.
For comparison, the iPhone XS Max is bigger even than the Galaxy Note 9, which spans 6.4 inches.
The XS and XS Max have dual 12-megapixel rear cameras and a dual 7-megapixel selfie camera – just like the iPhone X.
Apple launched its iPhone XS and XS Max flagship devices at an event in San Francisco on September 12
Apple has bolstered the batteries loaded into each phone too.
It claims the iPhone XS runs for half an hour longer than last year’s X, while the XS Max lasts an additional 1.5 hours.
Apple’s newest phones feature faster processors and better memory capacities than their predecessor.
Both are loaded with Apple’s new A12 Bionic chip, which Apple claims runs run 15 per cent faster than the A11 chip in the iPhone X.
The iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max are shipping in 64GB, 256GB or 512GB — the largest in-built storage ever shipped on an Apple-branded smartphone.
They are available in gold, silver and space grey.