Hello Everyone,
Because of all of the images and embedded tables, this was a particularly
challenging article to format for this post. Consequently, I had to remove
the specs comparison table and additional reading references. In order to
see these and other external items, use the link located at the end of the
article.
Enjoy,
Mark
Apple Watch Series 4 review: A bigger, better watchOS experience, Ars
Technica
Apple Watch Series 4 review: A bigger, better watchOS experience
A $399 starting price is a lot to ask, but Apple added a lot to this Watch.
by Valentina Palladino, Sep 26, 2018 5:00am PDT
The fourth iteration of the Apple Watch still looks like a tiny iPhone on
your wrist, but for many, it was the most exciting device announced at
Apple's event earlier this month. A larger screen, faster performance with
improved sensors, fall detection, and ECG readings are just a few of the
features that inspired quick interest in the Apple Watch Series 4. The steps
forward in health monitoring alone point to a new era for Apple's wearable,
and users who could benefit most from them have a compelling reason to shell
out $399 or more for the Series 4.
Otherwise, the Series 4 is an amalgamation of small improvements that make a
big difference in the Apple Watch experience. These improvements will
attract new users to the Watch who have been waiting for a device that's up
to their personal standards, and they will make existing Watch wearers
question their happiness with the smartwatch currently on their wrists. But
while the Series 4 represents the first major redesign of the Apple Watch
since its birth, that alone doesn't make it an automatic upgrade for all
Apple Watch users.
The hardware
Models and pricing
The Apple Watch Series 4 comes in two sizes—40mm and 44mm—and as either a
GPS-only device or a GPS-and-cellular device. The 40mm, GPS-only Series 4
Watch with an aluminum case starts at $399, and the GPS-and-cellular Watch
of the same size starts at $499. The 44mm, GPS-only model starts at $429,
and adding cellular ups the starting price to $529. Stainless steel cases
are only available with GPS and cellular capabilities: a 40mm Watch costs
$699 while a 44mm Watch costs $749.
All models come standard with either a sport band or a sport loop band. The
special edition Nike+ Watches have exclusive Nike sport bands, but the bands
don't affect the prices of those models. A few GPS-and-cellular,
stainless-steel Watches come with the premium Milanese loop bands, and they
cost $799 and $849 for the 40mm and 44mm sizes, respectively.
Those who have bands from old Apple Watches are in luck—all old bands will
fit on the new sizes. Prices for additional bands haven't changed: a sport
band costs $49, while a Milanese loop (as well as special leather bands)
costs $149.
The Series 4 comes in an Hermés collaboration edition just like previous
Apple Watches. These luxury devices start at $1,249 for a 44mm stainless
steel model with a single leather band.
Let's talk about that new screen: first, it's the main reason the Series 4
comes in new case sizes. The amount of screen area is larger on this new
Watch, and it will tempt many to eschew their Series 3 and Series 2 Watches
entirely. After wearing a Series 3 for a year, the Series 4's screen is a
welcome change I didn't know I wanted—complications are bigger and easier to
tap, photos have more detail, and graphics are bold and take on new life
thanks to the extra space in which they can live. It's an in-your-face
change, even if the information on the Apple Watch's screen hasn't changed
much at all.
The edges of the screen are rounded now instead of sharp, but the bezels are
particularly noticeable when using certain watch faces. The new fire
animation only roars within the confines of the 759-square-mm screen area on
my 40mm Watch, leaving clear strips of black on all four sides.
It's impossible for the naked eye to tell, but the Series 4 display panels
use different technology than those on Series 3 Watches. The new LTPO
(Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Oxide) panels combine low-temperature
polysilicon thin-film transistor technology (LTPS-TFT) and Indium Gallium
Zinc Oxide technology (IGZO, or Oxide TFT) into one display. This means the
result is the best of both worlds. Essentially, LTPO tech produces a
high-quality OLED display that consumes less power.
The main way Apple's LTPO displays drain less power is through dynamically
adjusting refresh rates. Depending on the content on the screen, the
internal tech will automatically adjust the refresh rate—an animation with
all its necessary vibrancy and life may require 60Hz, but a static image may
only need 30Hz to look lovely.
The new display looks just as good as the old display, and most will notice
its increased size more than anything else about it. LTPO's biggest gains
come in battery life, but Apple still expects the Series 4 to get roughly
the same amount of alive time as the Series 3—up to 18 hours.
Further Reading
Apple Watch Series 3 review: LTE comes with high monetary and mental costs
I was initially disappointed that the Series 4's battery life wasn't
dramatically batter (er, better) than the Series 3, but there's an
understandable reason for this. The Series 4 is designed to do more than the
Series 3—it's faster and constantly processing more information in the
background when you're not using it. In addition to the display, Apple
optimized other parts of the Watch's hardware, including the processor,
accelerometer, gyroscope, and GPS. That means the Series 4 could do more
while having the same battery life as the Series 3.
Apple's method worked: at its best, my Series 4 lasted a little more than 18
hours, which is about the same amount of time as my Series 3 could last when
I really put it to the test. On the first full day of using the Series 4,
which involved much more poking and prodding than usual, the Watch was down
to 30 percent battery life after 15 hours.
Other case changes
Most people will be distracted by the bigger screen and not notice the other
changes on the Series 4's case. It's marginally thinner now, measure 10.7mm
(down from 11.4mm), and its mic has been moved to reduce echo during
LTE-enabled calls. The internal speakers have been improved as well, which
lets Siri belt out stronger, louder answers to your requests.
The digital crown has an electrode on its flat edge that, along with the
underside electrodes, takes ECG measurements, and it also has haptic
feedback. You'll feel tiny nudges when using the digital crown to scroll
through anything on the watch face, including apps in the dock, podcast
options in the Apple Podcasts app, timer values, and more.
Ceramic and sapphire glass make up the underside of the case: sapphire
crystal between the heart-rate monitor and the electrode circle and ceramic
surrounding the electrode. Previous GPS-only Apple Watch models had
composite backs, but that design is no more with the Series 4, regardless of
cellular connectivity. The new construction should help LTE Watches make
clearer calls, though.
Upon trying to set up LTE service on my Series 4, a message on my iPhone in
the Watch app told me that my device was incompatible with my service. A bit
of digging on Verizon's website shows that only certain data plans work with
the Series 4, most of which are new or unlimited data plans. Anyone thinking
of upgrading to a Series 4 should check their carrier's compatibility
details before buying the new Watch. Otherwise, they should be ready to get
on the phone with customer service to sort out discrepancies.
S4 chip and internal sensors
Apple's new dual-core, 64-bit S4 chip powers the Series 4, and it's supposed
to make the Watch perform up to two times faster than the Series 3. It
delivers on this promise, with apps loading a few milliseconds faster than
they did on the Series 3. The transitions between watch face to open app (or
from the app grid to a specific app) are much smoother and have less lag
time. My one-year-old Series 3 is by no means sluggish, but the Series 4 is
noticeably faster when completing simple and complex tasks.
While I noticed the speed difference between the Series 4 and the Series 3,
it's likely even more pronounced when comparing the Series 4 with even older
models. WatchOS 5 drops support for the first-generation Apple Watch, and
with all the new features and capabilities in Apple's wearable OS, older
Watches (particularly S0 and S1 devices) will have a continuously harder
time performing as fast and as smoothly as some users expect.
The accelerometer and gyroscope inside the Series 4 are not the same as
those in previous Watches, and they make Apple's new fall-detection feature
possible. The new accelerometer not only consumes less power than its
predecessor, but it also can measure up to 32 g-forces. The improved
gyroscope can identify a wider range of motion and orientations.
Fall detection
Combine those hardware improvements with Apple's new software and you get a
modern solution to the "I've fallen and I can't get up" devices of
yesteryear. After studying thousands of people falling in various
situations, Apple developed software that could detect real falls based on
acceleration, impact, and trajectory.
Tricking the fall-detection feature is unlikely because its hardware and
software are looking for specific concoctions of those three variables. Fake
tripping, no matter how hard you try, isn't the same as actually eating it
on the pavement. That's because your body moves and reacts differently in
both cases. The new accelerometer comes into play here—when you actually
fall, your body may hit the ground at an impact of close to 32 g-forces. The
old accelerometer could only measure up to 16 g-forces, which is why fall
detection is a feature exclusive to the Series 4.
If and when the Watch detects a real fall, it will nudge you, vibrate, and
emit progressively louder sounds until one minute of inactivity goes by.
Then, assuming you're incapacitated and need help, the Watch will call
emergency services and send a text message to your emergency contact that
includes your last known location.
Fall detection, along with the new ECG features that we'll cover soon, opens
up the Apple Watch to a new segment of older and elderly users. Fall
detection is automatically turned on for users 65 and older, but younger
users who want its protection can turn it on in the Watch iOS app.
As someone with an elderly family member who has taken numerous falls in the
past, I can see how this feature could be lifesaving. Family members must
provide constant check-ups and attention to their loved ones who can't move
as well as they once could, because a fall could be deadly. If fall
detection works as promised, the Series 4 could immediately connect those in
need of assistance with the right people—both in emergency services and in
their contacts list.
I couldn't trigger fall detection on my own, despite a couple attempts at my
best fake-fall. But the bright side is that the Series 4 never incorrectly
detected a fall while I was wearing it. So at least it isn't prone to false
positives.
Heart-rate monitor, digital crown, and ECG tech
The back of the Series 4 looks quite different from the Series 3—the first
thing I noticed was the apparent switch from a multiple-LED optical
heart-rate monitor to a single LED, but that's not exactly the case. The
optical heart-rate monitor still uses multiple green and IR LEDs to take
your pulse, but now the cluster has just been clustered closer together to
make room for the circular electrode that surrounds it. This electrode is
made of a chromium silicon carbon nitride layer that has been fused to the
sapphire back using a physical vapor deposition method—combined with the
titanium electrode on the flat edge of the digital crown, together they can
take electrocardiograms, or ECGs.
Typically measured by doctors using a machine with multiple leads, ECGs can
help monitor for heart conditions such as atrial fibrillation and heart
attacks. The Apple Watch Series 4 isn't a medical device, but it and its
accompanying ECG app have been cleared by the FDA. That announcement brought
no shortage of praise when the Watch debuted earlier this month, but it's
important to understand what that really means for the Series 4's ECG
measurements.
The Series 4, its ECG app, and its Irregular Rhythm Notification feature are
cleared under the FDA's Class II category, and they're described as:
An electrocardiograph software device for over-the-counter use creates,
analyzes, and displays electrocardiograph data, and [it] can provide
information for identifying cardiac arrhythmias. This device is not intended
to provide a diagnosis.
The Series 4 won't replace a visit to your doctor, and it won't diagnose any
heart-related conditions like atrial fibrillation. However, it can be used
to inform such diagnoses. In other words, it provides extra information that
you can measure yourself, at home and at your leisure, and provide to your
doctor when necessary.
The FDA notes that the technology isn't suitable for people under the age of
22 or for those who have already been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation or
other arrhythmias. In addition, the FDA letter is specific about the
Irregular Rhythm Notification feature: users shouldn't rely on the Series 4
to detect every instance of abnormal heart rate.
It is not intended to provide a notification on every episode of
irregular rhythm suggestive of AFib, and the absence of a notification is
not intended to indicate no disease process is present; rather, the feature
is intended to opportunistically surface a notification of possible AFib
when sufficient data are available for analysis.
The ECG app won't be available until later this year through a software
update, but I received a short demo of it upon getting my Apple Watch. When
first opened, dozens of red dots form the ethereal image of a heart on the
screen. They just float in the black abyss until you press your finger to
the electrode on the digital crown. Then the red dots spring to life and
swirl like a swarm of tiny bees on the screen as the electrodes work
together to form the electric loop necessary to take an ECG reading. You
must hold your finger to the digital crown for about 25 seconds before the
reading is complete. During that time, a timer on the Watch's display counts
down, and the line of your heartbeat moves on the screen as the device takes
your pulse.
When all is said and done, the Watch's screen shows your ECG waveform and
includes a description of what that reading means. During my demo, the Watch
informed the wearer that they had a sinus rhythm, or an otherwise
uninteresting ECG reading with a normal heartbeat and rhythm. If their heart
beat had been abnormal or showed signs of atrial fibrillation, the message
would have been quite different.
Underneath the ECG reading and description is a button that allows you to
add symptoms if you're feeling strange or unwell. Even if an ECG reading
comes back normal, tracking any feelings or issues you may be experiencing
is useful because it could help your doctor understand your overall state in
the future. You can tap on the necessary symptoms to add them to your ECG
reading, which is then saved to your profile in the Health app. At any time,
you can export the reading (or multiple readings) as a PDF so you can easily
give it to your doctor.
See that irregular up-and-down motion right before the big beat? That's
atrial fibrillation, something the new Apple Watch may help detect.
This is a big step forward for Apple's wearable, and it will undoubtedly
attract new users. Most people who would use the ECG app frequently
understand that almost nothing (certainly not a luxury smartphone accessory)
will replace a doctor's visit. But the ECG tech allows users to take a more
active role in monitoring their health. An ECG screening once a day, or even
just when the user is feeling abnormal, could record pertinent information
that can help doctors better assess that user's health. While it won't
provide the same results as a 12-lead machine in a hospital would, it's more
information than the Watch could provide before.
I'm curious about the future of the electrodes on the Apple Watch.
Currently, they will be used only with the ECG app, but they could be used
to better monitor heart rate during exercise. Polar announced two new
devices that use bioimpedance sensors (tech that's similar to the electrodes
on the Apple Watch) to better read pulse data during periods of intense
exercise. The Apple Watch's optical heart-rate monitor remains one of the
most accurate wrist-based monitors I've used, but adding electrical pulse
data to the mix would appeal to the most active users.
The optical heart-rate monitor can also now detect when your heart rate is
abnormally low in addition to when it's abnormally high. This was another
feature I couldn't really test, but even while wearing the Series 3, I never
received an alert that my heart rate was too high. The idea is that the
Watch can let you know when you need to calm down or, in the new case of a
too-low heart rate, when you may need more nutrients and may be in danger of
fainting.
The software
WatchOS 5 compatibility
Every Apple Watch Series 4 ships with watchOS 5 on it. The newest version of
Apple's wearable software requires an iPhone 5S or later, running iOS 12 or
later, and will work on Apple Watch Series 1, Series 2, Series 3, and Series
4 models. The original Apple Watch, now referred to as the Series 0, doesn't
support watchOS 5. This is the first time that a watchOS update leaves an
Apple Watch in the dust, which means that an entire group of Watch wearers
will have to make the decision to upgrade or not.
New watch faces and complications
As with all new version of watchOS, the new operating system includes new
watch faces that are designed to show off both new OS features and the
stunning nature of the Series 4's display. The fire and water, vapor, and
liquid metal watch faces starred in many ads for the new Watch. And rightly
so: they give the Watch face a hypnotic quality that will appeal to many.
Fire and water made it onto my Series 4 for a little while because I enjoy
how the face's animations make flames and droplets appear out of the dark
center of the screen. But I fell back into my comfort zone quickly, back to
watch faces that make way for numerous complications. The two
newbies—infograph and infograph modular—are polarizing for sure, the former
more so than the latter.
Infograph also premiered in Apple Watch ads, and some industry watchers
truly detest its information-overload aesthetic. Up to eight complications
can fit into that one watch face, and while I programmed mine to my liking,
it was a bit too much for me to look at on most days. Infograph modular
ended up being my happy medium, which wasn't surprising since my favorite
watch face has always been Apple's regular module design.
Apple also turned its Breathe app into a watch face, so users can access
guided breathing exercises more quickly. It has a similar, calming animation
as the fire and water watch face, with a light-blue flower blooming from the
middle of the screen. Even if you're not into meditation, it's a nice watch
face if you're into florals or minimalist art. Tapping on the completed
flower instantly opens the Breathe app, where you can start a meditation
session.
Complication icons, as well as most other graphics in watchOS 5, have been
slightly redesigned to be rounder, bigger, and more touch-friendly. The new
screen real estate makes it easier to tap, swipe, and navigate on the Series
4, so Apple accounted for that by making the on-screen UI use as much of
that space as possible. But don't worry—with the exception of the infograph
watch face, enough of the screen's inky blackness comes through so you
shouldn't feel overwhelmed by colors and light.
Overall, I like the balance of functional and fun that Apple achieved in the
selection of new watch faces. However, the quirkiest thing about them will
bother some users—new complications in watchOS 5 are only compatible in new
watchOS 5 watch faces. That means complications like air quality, UV index,
and Walkie Talkie are not programmable on old watch faces. The change is
disappointing because it forces users into wearing a watch face they may not
be totally happy with if they want to quickly access some new features.
I'm also disappointed that Apple hasn't allowed third-party watch faces into
the mix, but I'm also not surprised by this decision. Apple likes to control
user experience as much as possible, and a lot of that comes with the
default screen on the Apple Watch. It's unclear if Apple would ever consider
doing this, so for now, we're all stuck with Apple's ideas of what a digital
clock should look like.
Workouts
The Series 4 builds upon the exercise features of the Series 3, which
include all-day heart-rate monitoring, workout tracking for a bunch of
activities, GymKit connectivity, and more. Two popular workout profiles make
their debut in watchOS 5: yoga and hiking.
It's surprising that Apple didn't have these programmed into the Workout app
until now, considering how popular both activities are and how many other
wearables consider them standard exercises to track. Both show up in the
Workout app as green cards, like the rest of the workout profiles do, and
the hiking profile takes elevation into account when tracking your treks.
But the feature that most excited me upon learning about watchOS 5 was
automatic workout detection and ending. With watchOS 5, the Apple Watch can
recognize when you're doing one of seven exercises (walking, indoor and
outdoor running, pool and open-water swimming, rowing, and elliptical
training), even if you didn't use the Workout app before you started.
After about three minutes of an elliptical workout, my Series 4 gave me a
haptic nudge, displayed a message on the screen that said it recognized my
elliptical training, and asked if I wanted to start tracking it with the
Workout app. A quick tap on the screen opened the Workout app, which showed
that my previous three minutes of exercise were already recorded. The same
process occurs when ending a workout: if you forget to do so, the Watch
nudges you after three minutes of pause or less vigorous movement.
The threshold for auto-start detection is different only for walking: you'll
need to be moving for 15 minutes before the Watch will ask if you want to
record this session. Apple didn't want to intrude on users who complete
short bursts of walking frequently throughout the day—you wouldn't want the
Watch asking you if you're working out when you're just walking to and from
meetings in the office—so it upped the time threshold for this exercise.
Auto-start and end detection elevates the Apple Watch as a fitness device,
and it's about time. Fitbit, Garmin, and other companies have been making
wearables that can auto-detect workouts for years now; considering the Apple
Watch's other fitness capabilities and the device's price, it's only fitting
that the Watch should include this feature as well.
I've believed for a while now that the Apple Watch is a fantastic fitness
device for most people. However, it's not the best or most comprehensive
fitness wearable available (certainly not at its current price point of $399
or more). It shows its weakness partially in its ability to track strength
training exercises and other non-cardio workouts.
Heart-rate data constructs the foundation for these workout profiles—the
Watch measures duration and heart rate, and that's about it. The Watch can't
recognize exercises like the newest version of Google Fit can, and it can't
count reps like various Garmin devices. Admittedly, those features in
competing devices aren't always accurate, but their inclusion in other
wearables shows that OEMs are trying to make devices that suit a variety of
athletic needs and interests.
But one feature that's considered standard for other wearables that the
Apple Watch continues to lack is native sleep tracking. A handful of
third-party apps track sleep through the Apple Watch, but Apple itself
hasn't programmed that into the Watch's health chops. Those who elect to use
a third-party sleep tracking app must charge the device more frequently than
most since the Watch still cannot match the battery life of devices like the
Fitbit Versa or the Garmin Vivoactive 3, both of which track sleep without
breaking a sweat.
My guess is that native sleep tracking will only come when Apple has made
the necessary and significant gains in battery life that such a feature
demands.
Walkie Talkie
Apple added the new Walkie Talkie feature to improve upon the Watch's
already solid communications capabilities. However, after using it, Walkie
Talkie feels like a feature that was added primarily to bolster the keynote
last month; it's a "Look, it works!" feature that isn't necessary in most
contexts.
Walkie Talkie turns an Apple Watch into exactly that—a walkie-talkie that
can transmit a voice message to another Apple Watch with a simple press on
the screen. Press and hold the big yellow circle to record your message, and
when finished, the message zooms off to your contact via the Wi-Fi or
cellular airwaves. You can add people to your Walkie Talkie list by
rummaging through your contacts for those who have Apple Watches, and the
app helps you along by providing recommended contacts (presumably those who
have an Apple Watch linked to their accounts) at the top of the screen.
It's a cool feature that works as promised, and the clarity of the messages
I received surprised me, too. My friend's voice was crisp and clear, with
little to no background noise infiltrating the recording. When you don't
want to be bothered by Walkie Talkie messages, just swipe down from the top
of the screen when in the app and turn off your Available status. If the
Watch is in Theater Mode or Do Not Disturb mode, it will automatically make
you unavailable in Walkie Talkie as well.
With the plentiful messaging options available to Apple Watch and iPhone
users, I'm not sure when I'd choose Walkie Talkie over another. Users can
dictate or scribble messages directly from the Watch, and iPhones give you
the added option to send a voice message. Walkie Talkie is equivalent to a
voice message in iMessage, and I predict those who forgo typed text and
solely send snippets of their voice to their friends will be the ones using
Walkie Talkie the most.
Siri and everything else
Apple claims Siri gets smarter on the Watch the more you use the virtual
assistant. That means speaking to your wrist and using the Siri watch face
could benefit you in the long run. I don't use Siri a lot, but I was
impressed by how much faster and louder she is on the Series 4. Siri is a
few milliseconds faster at answering my questions, and her voice comes
through clearly thanks to the improved speakers.
Instead of tapping the Siri complication or pressing the digital crown, now
you can just raise your wrist to your face and speak to Siri as well. The
assistant hears you even before the Watch's screen turns black as her UI
pops up on the screen. I appreciate the convenience that the new
raise-to-talk feature provides, and that alone could get me to experiment
with Siri more.
Siri also has the power to evoke Shortcuts, or quick ways to trigger
multiple actions from your iPhone. The Shortcuts app on iOS 12 lets you
customize numerous Shortcuts and assign them trigger phrases. Apple created
a bunch to get users started, and those live in the Gallery section of the
Shortcuts app. I tried to make a few Shortcuts of my own and use some of
Apple's pre-fab ones, but Siri on my Series 4 couldn't complete any of them.
When I tried to trigger a Shortcut using the appropriate phrase, Siri on my
Watch "thought" for a few seconds and then told me to open my iPhone to
continue with the Shortcut—my iPhone showed no signs that any Shortcut had
been evoked.
In an update that will spark joy for many Watch users, Apple brought the
Podcast app to watchOS 5. Those who use Apple Podcasts as their primary
player can now download episodes to the Watch and listen with a pair of
connected Bluetooth headphones.
Similarly to Apple Music on the Watch, Podcasts heavily features show
artwork and you can scroll through different shows as if they were albums in
Apple Music. Overcast is my podcast app of choice, but I'm happy to see
Apple Podcasts get some love on the Watch because plenty of users have been
asking for this app for a long time.
WebKit support in Messages and Mail lies deep within the grab-bag of other
watchOS 5 improvements, but it's a feature that could change how you use the
Watch. Previously, if someone sent you a link in Messages or Mail, it would
come up as plain text on the screen with a prompt saying that you should
open the link on your iPhone. Now, webpages actually render in full on the
Watch's screen, and they're not as terrible as you'd think. No, you're not
going to browse Amazon from the Series 4's display, but you can view a
linked Amazon wishlist without wanting to gouge your eyes out.
This has the potential to be quite useful—if a coworker sends you a link in
an email and wants your feedback on said link before you arrive at work, now
you could view the contents of the link on the Watch. When your phone is on
your bag or somewhere else entirely, WebKit's new Watch abilities could come
in handy. I hope to see WebKit capabilities stretch to third-party apps in
the future.
Indispensable for some, desirable for others
The Apple Watch Series 4 contains the most significant improvements since
the Series 2 brought onboard GPS to the smartwatch. Most notable out of all
the new features are fall detection and ECG readings, as these have the
potential to change people's lives or, quite literally, save them.
The Series 4 is a worthwhile upgrade for those additions alone, particularly
for those who will benefit from them the most. Fall detection and ECG
readings will also be reason enough for some who have never worn an Apple
Watch to get the Series 4 now. By introducing these health-oriented
additions, Apple seems to be realizing some of its original vision for the
Watch by making it a device that can connect you to the right people at the
right time, as well as a device that can give you more control over your
long-term well being.
As for the other improvements that the Series 4 brings, they make a
noticeable difference in the Apple Watch experience. But I'm convinced that
much of the perceived greatness of the Series 4 comes from the larger
screen: it amplifies everything, and pretty much everything runs well on the
Series 4.
Of course, everything still runs well on the Series 3, too. For that reason,
I don't recommend that Series 3 owners abandon their one-year-old smartwatch
yet. WatchOS 5 perks that don't require special hardware, including Walkie
Talkie, will work on old devices. So the Series 3 gets revitalized in that
sense.
Users with older devices (Series 2 and earlier) will want to consider
upgrading purely for the performance improvements. WatchOS 5 and all of its
new features will run better on the Series 4 thanks to the S4 chip, and that
combined with the new health features make it a worthy (albeit expensive)
upgrade.
The Good
Bigger, better screen.
All old Watch bands fit on the Series 4.
Good battery life.
Faster performance.
Fall detection has the potential to be lifesaving.
ECG features give users more control to monitor their health on a daily
basis.
Accurate auto workout detection and ending feature.
WebKit support makes viewing HTML links tolerable.
The Bad
ECG app isn't available yet.
WatchOS 5 drops support for Series 0 devices.
New complications are only compatible with new watch faces.
Still no support for third-party watch faces.
Still no native sleep tracking.
Siri has trouble completing Shortcuts.
The Ugly
More expensive than any other Apple Watch, and all future models will
likely follow that trend.
Original Article at:
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/09/apple-watch-series-4-review-a-bigger
-better-watchos-experience/
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