Review: Apple Watch Series 4

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

The Apple Watch remains the most enigmatic product in Apple’s stable. Four years after its inception as Apple’s next big product category, we now see them everywhere as beloved fitness trackers, communication devices and reliable smartphone accessories.

Apple has said the Apple Watch is the no. 1 timepiece in the world in terms of sales. Yet, the company has never released actual sales figures for the Apple Watch and closely guards this information.

Watch, how Apple changed the game

 

And yet, we see them everywhere. Apple Watch has attracted even users who don’t like traditional watches because of the benefits and conveniences it can offer.

I’ve enjoyed the Apple Watch for triaging notifications, responding quickly  and taking hands-free calls. As a weather nut, I like the new complications that even adds UVI index and detailed weather information.

 

The Apple Watch Series 4 is a huge update over the original.

Not only does it overhaul the design, look and feel without changing the shape of the OG Apple Watch, it brings larger displays, improved battery and potentially life-saving EKG tracking feature into the mix.

A viewing area that’s 30 per cent larger makes all the difference on something like an Apple Watch and being able to more accurately touch icons and keys on the display makes for a better experience.

The Digital Crown, Apple’s big interface innovation for the Watch, gets rejigged and now offers haptic feedback.

The larger display is easy to read and new watch faces with even more complications can manage more information on one screen.

Apple has also added more watchfaces to take advantage of the display technology, sadly there are still no third-party watchfaces available outside of the Hermes and Nike Edition watches.

Raise to talk

Other improvements include a louder speaker which should be good for Siri as well as taking and making calls. Talking about Siri, Apple says that there’s a new raise to talk feature on the Apple Watch which means you no longer need to say “Hey Siri.”

I found Raise to Talk works well indoors in quiet surroundings and I was able to get NBA game scores as well as get information.

A Fashion Chameleon

Apple has really evolved and expanded the Apple Watch as a fashion accessory. There have always been a great selection of straps and bands for the Apple Watch and the Series 4 devices will be able to use all the existing and older bands in the market.

Consider the range of customizations on the stock watch faces and its easy to make Apple Watch Series 4 truly yours. The slightly larger yet thinner profile make the Apple Watch the most attractive its been. It now looks like less of a techie bauble and more of a timepiece, specially when combined with a nice looking band.

A better fitness tracker

 

Apple Watch Series 4 is an outstanding smartwatch but it is also a better fitness tracker because it now integrates more comprehensive heart tracking functionality, an electro cardiogram feature that can send results directly to your doctor or health care provider. This could potentially save lives.

Another important innovation is fall detection, which can use the built-in gyroscope and accelerometer to know when a person has fallen. The feature can tell if a person cannot get up and will then dial an emergency contact or call 911.

For medical patients, persons recovering from an accident or an illness or even seniors who live by themselves, this is a huge feature which, again, can save lives.

Kudos for Apple for focusing on technologies and processes that elevate the Apple Watch beyond being a just smartwatch or fitness tracker. The company’s desire to place technology and innovation behind health initiatives.

For 2018, the Apple Watch Series 4 seems to have optimized the best parts of it predecessors while improving overall look and feel as well as incorporating better fitness and health functionality.

Pros:

• Improved design and thinner profile with larger display
• Updated digital crown seems more responsive
  
• New watchfaces and complications convey more information
• EKG and fall detection are game changing features for a subset of users

Cons:

• Siri can be slow on Apple Watch
• No sleep tracking feature
• You still need to raise Apple Watch to see the time
  

Conclusion:

For users of the Apple Watch Series 0 or Series 1, the Series 4 variant with thinner design, better battery and augmented heart tracking functionality with EKG, make it a timely upgrade. Anyone on the fence and waiting to get into the Apple Watch lifestyle will be delighted by what this device can do. It truly is the best smartwatch in the market right now by a long mile.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5