Leaked image of Apple Watch Series 4 hints a refreshed design and new features

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

9to5Mac scored this year's biggest leak award by gaining access not just to materials outlining the upcoming iPhone Xs line but also spoiling any visual surprise in store for Apple Watch Series 4.

The leaked image shows a slighly larger display or Apple Watch. It seems to be using the standard fluoroelastomer band. the updated design and new watch face reveals some possible new features. Hit jump for my analysis.

The red dot on the Digital Crown seems to have been dialed back a bit with a less ostentatious red line denoting 4G-LTE.Maybe Apple realized a lot of users were placing decals on their Series 3 Watches to hide the red dot and decided to go more subtle.

The Digital Crown itself seems flatter, possibly with a new mechanism. A new hole under the crown could be a speaker or microphone or even a sensor for UV (which is prominently featured on the new and very busy watchface).

UV readings on a wearable make sense for Apple Watch since it is both waterproof and designed for outdoor use. Surfers, runners and anyone with skin sensitivity will know just how much UV is out there so they can apply sunscreen. Nice shout out to Tartine on this screen, one of San Francisco's (and LA's) celebrated bakeshops.

What else are we expecting from the next Apple Watch? A more edge-to-edge display, True-Tone display, better fitness tracking that doesn't require hunting for the activity or exercise you want to do, all sound great. For Apple Watch users, an improved battery life and always-on or visisble time would be huge upgrades worth upgrading for.

It wouldn't be an Apple Watch launch without editions, so that still remains a surprise. Apple seems to be hot on this copper gold look for both the iPhones and the Watch as well. We should also expect more Nike and Hermès collaborations at the launch.