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Features of watchOS 6: Although the Apple Watch receives small updates throughout the year, it generally benefits from a significant drop in new features once a year. This year's big update will be announced to users following the big launch event on September 10, during which Apple will launch its new iPhone and its new Watch devices.
Here's what we know about the next watchOS 6 update:
- A choice of new dials, specially designed for the big screen of the Apple Watch 4, while new complications will give faster access to features such as voice memos directly from the dial.
- The Apple Watch will also be able to use the time of your wrist in passing, using its haptic feedback engine, and will speak very loudly when you press two fingers on the dial of the watch.
- Siri, Apple Watch and Shazam will be able to work together to recognize the tracks you want to know from your wrist.
- When you search for something with Siri, you will see the results on the watch for the first time.
- As early as September, for the first time in your life, you will also be able to browse the App Store and install applications directly from the watch itself.
- There is also a new audio book application, a new calculator application and the application of voice memos has also been redesigned.
- In terms of health and fitness, Activity Trends will help you keep track of what you have done each day, whether you do it more or less over time.
- For users, a new cycle and fertility tracking tool is designed to provide an overview of your menstrual cycle.
- Finally, a noise tracking feature monitors sound levels when you are in time, allowing you to touch the engine through the haptic feedback engine of Watch when sound levels reach an unhealthy level.
Our original opinion continues below
When Apple launched the Watch Series 4 (Watch 4), the company boasted that it had been "fundamentally redesigned and redesigned." While this is true on paper – the watch comes in two new sizes and has a 30% larger screen – when you see it in the flesh, the revision is less than what you expected. That is to say, even if it is totally new, Watch 4 is undeniably an evolution of its predecessors.
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However, as the saying goes, if it does not break, do not fix it The Watch 3 is still one of the best smart watches we have ever tested. Also, opt for the refinement of Apple is hardly surprising. And it is not this society that has not shown progress. The Watch 4 features a series of remarkable new features such as fall detection and the ability to perform an ECG wrist test, among other enhancements that make it the best smart watch the company has ever designed. .
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Apple Watch Series 4: What You Need to Know
Like all previous Apple smart watches, the Watch Series 4 must always be associated with an iPhone. This will disappoint anyone who owns an Android phone, especially those who have other Apple products such as an iPad or a MacBook.
Where the Watch 3 is available in 38mm and 42mm versions, the Watch 4 is available in larger sizes of 40mm and 44mm. For both models, you can choose between a GPS-only model, which connects to your phone via Bluetooth, and a GPS + cellular model (available on EE, Vodafone and, more recently, O2) that can be used to make calls, send messages and even stream music regardless of your phone.
Compared to its predecessor, the Watch 4 adds drop detection, alerts to atrial fibrillation and it can perform a complete ECG test. The GPS-only and GPS + Cellular models are also equipped with a 16GB storage, while the Watch 3, equipped with a GPS, only contained 8GB. And the new timepiece features a series new dials that allow you to add up to eight screen-based complications.
Apple Watch Series 4: Price and Competition
Prices for the Watch 4 start at £ 399 for the 40mm model, GPS only and at £ 499 for the 40mm GPS + Cellular model. For both, you will have to spend an extra £ 30 if you want the larger 44mm watch. If you opt for the GPS + Cellular model, you can also choose a steel case variant, but you will have to spend £ 699 to benefit from this privilege.
When the Watch 3 was launched, the original Apple Watch continued to be sold and the Watch 2 was discontinued. This time, Apple kept the Watch 3 on and its price was reduced by £ 50. This means that the 38mm GPS model only is available from £ 279, while the 38mm GPS + cell model costs £ 379. Again, you will need to separate an extra £ 30 to get your hands on the larger 42mm variants.
If you have an Android phone, our selection of the best WearOS smart watches remains the Huawei Watch 2 if you want something stylish, or the E + S Ticwatch Mobvoi for those who have a reduced budget. However, as Qualcomm recently announced the launch of its first new portable processor in over two years (the Snapdragon Wear 3100), I recommend that you wait for the next generation of WearOS devices to work with the fastest chip.
Similarly, Samsung has released its Galaxy Watch, which runs on the operating system of the company, Tizen, and can be associated with an iPhone and Android devices, which makes another to watch. We will publish a full notice in the coming weeks.
Apple Watch Series 4 Review: Display and Design
The new larger sizes of the Watch 4 might not seem to be a huge difference from its predecessor, but coupled with a smaller bezel, its screen is over 30% larger than the previous model. Repeating the design benchmarks of recent generations of the iPhone, the screen also presents rounded angles that provide an even more successful experience.
Above all, this larger screen means that it's easier to display sophisticated watch dials on the home screen (I'll detail this later), but apps also benefit , as well as daily tasks such as selecting an icon in the grid view. the launcher is made easier thanks to extra pixels.
The pixel density, however, has not changed much. The 44 mm model has a pixel density of 341 ppi thanks to its 1.7-inch screen, 368 x 448, while the 42 mm watch, which has a resolution of 312 x 390 and 1.5 inches, is only slightly less clear at 332 ppi.
The other big change is that the Watch 4 Series is thinner than its predecessor, measuring only 10.7 mm while the Watch 3 was 11.4 mm thick. Again, this may seem insignificant, but the new 44mm model we received seems much less wrist-cumbersome than its 42mm predecessor.
Despite this, the two sizes of the Watch 4 are a bit heavier than the equivalent Watch 3 models, weighing 30.1g and 36.7g respectively without a strap. Interestingly, there is no difference in weight between GPS only and GPS + Cellular models this time around.
The other main design change is that the Watch 4's digital crown now offers haptic feedback, making Menu browsing and zooming in and out of the Maps application more accurate than before. As you can imagine, there is only one subtle vibration every time you move from one item or page to another, which makes all the difference if you only have visual cues on the screen. Another more subtle change is that the digital crown has only a red ring on its face, where it was filled with red on the Watch 3.
The side button is always located under the digital crown. The only difference is that it is now aligned with the rest of the case instead of slightly protruding as on the Watch 3. The mic has however been moved to the other side of the console. further away from the new loudspeaker of the Watch Series 4.
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Turn the watch over and you will see more evidence of change. The back of the case is now entirely made of black ceramic and sapphire crystal, materials used sparingly on the GPS + Cellular Watch 3. Although more aesthetically pleasing, this is a change that according to Apple , was mainly done with improved cell functions. the reception in mind.
Apple Watch Series 4 Review: ECG and Fall Detection
The main feature of the Apple Watch 4 watch has been captured: it allows to perform an ECG test from your wrist thanks to its new electric heart rate sensor. During the presentation, Tim Cook stated that Watch was the first consumer device ever designed with these features, which is not the case – KariveBand from AliveCor (for Apple Watch) and KardiaMobile (for iOS and Android) can claim as such but it is still impressive to see such advanced technology implemented in a classic smartwatch.
The ECG feature was not ready to launch the watch, but has since been extended to a large number of European countries, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, where it has been integrated into the watchOS 5.2 update.
The software, part of the watchOS 5.2 update, allows users to take an electrocardiogram directly on their wrist, which helps capture the heart rate when symptoms such as a fast heartbeat or jumped are feelings. Apple says this will "help provide crucial data to doctors". It certainly seems to work quite well, even if you have to stand still while taking your pulse, keeping your fingertip at the top of the Watch 4 digital crown for 30 seconds before the report is ready. You can then choose to view the report via the Apple Health app on your iPhone or prepare a PDF document to send to your doctor.
The irregular heartbeat notification will also periodically check the heart rhythms in the background and will send a notification to the user if atrial fibrillation (AFib) is identified.
Other noteworthy new features in the Watch 4 include fall detection, which is activated by the new improved accelerometer and gyro of the device. If you stumble or slip without being able to stand, the device will assess the severity of your fall and call the emergency services directly from your wrist. This only happens if it does not detect any movement on your part within a minute of the fall, so you will not have to worry about accidentally triggering it. It should also be noted that fall detection is not enabled by default for under 65s.
There is no doubt that this could have a significant impact on people's lives, especially among older users, where falls can have serious consequences. However, Apple warns that more physically active users are likely to mistakenly trigger the detection of falls during high-impact activities. If this is the case, you can simply disable the feature from the Apple Watch app for iPhone. That said, when I tried to simulate a fall several times – although with a soft mattress placed below me – the fall detection was not triggered once.
Apple Watch 4 Review: Look at OS5
Other highlights of the Watch 4 include the ability to warn you if your heart rate is falling too much, as well as the detection of atrial fibrillation. Unfortunately, the latter is still only available in the United States and, as the detection of low heart rate has been added to Watch OS 5, it is not a Watch 4 exclusivity. will get when updating their observation system.
In short, this means that all the new health features announced in the Watch 4 speech, with the exception of fall detection, are not available in the UK, or are also on Watch 3. This does not mean that there is nothing It is worth being excited about the new operating system.
Apple has added activity competitions, where you can challenge a friend in a one-week contest to determine who can close the largest number of activity rings. Automatic Exercise Detection detects when you started exercising and opens the Workout app for you, so you can record your exercise in its entirety.
This is the first time I did a brisk walk in London and when I forgot to end the workout, it automatically prompted me to do it after a few minutes of rest. Unfortunately, it was not so proactive that I used a Boris bike for about half an hour and never asked me if I wanted to record the ride as a workout.
There are also more advanced workout features. Yoga and hiking have been added to existing training modes and, during a race, you can set pace goals and also track your pace (not per minute) for the very first time. I have not had the opportunity to put these new features to the test, but I will update this review in more detail in the coming weeks.
For the first time, podcasts are also available on Apple Watch and sync automatically with your phone. Thus, the last episodes of all your subscriptions will be available, even if you left your phone at home. Then there is the brand new Walkie Talkie app, which shows one of your regular contacts who has an Apple Watch and lets you make a voice call with them instantly with a single touch.
An exclusive feature for owners of Watch 4 in Watch OS5 is its new customizable dials. The Infograph watch face, for example, allows you to add up to eight complications. The maximum you can have on any Watch 3 dial is five. This may sound pretty trivial in the grand scheme of things, but the problem with most wrist wearables, is that anything that is hidden further than the home screen is very fast forget it.
The opposite is true with the Watch 4, however. Its new dials display all kinds of information, including global clocks, weather, calendar, activities and heart rate, as well as shortcuts to useful apps such as Music and Walkie Talkie. 39, a way I've never seen on another smartwatch. . With the ability to customize any possible complications, you can also make the watch 4 the watch of your choice.
Apple Watch 4 review: Performance
The Watch 4 uses a brand new 64-bit dual-core S4 processor which, according to Apple, is up to twice as fast as the S3 chip of the Watch 3. There is no reason to doubt the truthfulness of this statement because everything concerning the user interface feels as fast and smooth as you could hope. That said, if you're happy with the speed of your Watch 3, I do not see the need to switch to Watch 4 from a performance point of view.
Elsewhere, performance improvements are much more marginal. The speaker volume of the Watch 4 has been increased by 50% and the unit also supports the new Bluetooth 5 standard, which offers longer range and higher energy efficiency than Bluetooth 4.2.
There is no drastic change in the battery life, however, with Apple claiming that the Watch 4 lasts the same 18 hours between refills as the Watch 3. In actual use, I found that it generally exceeds this figure. last at least 36 hours and sometimes up to 48 hours. Of course, it depends a lot on how you use the watch, but it's good that you can count on her to spend a day and a night before going out.
In fact, the only thing that worries me about the performance that I have after a few days with the watch is that the touch screen buttons for space and backtracking into the screen. Telegram application did not work properly. However, I imagine that this is a bug restricted to the Telegram application rather than a symptom of a wider flaw, and I would be surprised if this is not resolved quickly by an update software.
Apple Watch Series 4: Verdict
It is disappointing that the revolutionary new features of the Apple Watch 4 will not soon appear in the UK.
Despite this and the fact that we have had only a short time with this new timepiece, the Watch 4 looks better than its predecessor and even rivals in any way imaginable.
By far, the change of size does not seem very important, but the larger screen makes the latest Apple timepiece more enjoyable to use and makes it easier to display more sophisticated faces that offer more information and shortcuts. useful than ever.
Consider that it is also twice as fast as its predecessor and thinner, and that the only reason to postpone the purchase of the Apple Watch 4 is its predictable price.
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