[ad_1]
The new Apple smartwatch is bigger and better than before–but it's still a delicate flower compared to some of its competitors. The Apple Watch Series 4 of $ 399 ($ 479 with cell) is a major upgrade of the wearable technology: it is thinner, lighter and faster. I had a brief stir at the launch of Apple, where he also announced the iPhone XS / XS Max and the iPhone XR.
At first, the first thing I noticed about the new watch is that the sizes of 38 mm and 42 mm were raised up to 40 and 44 mm, using the same bands. This makes it possible to have a 32 to 35% larger screen, which makes the applications of the watch significantly less narrow–you get more text and more cards on the screen.
But the watch still does not seem big, like the gigantic Samsung Gear S3 or different Google Wear watches. The aluminum model, which is the basic unit, gives the impression of being made from a very soft and light material. It's effortless on the wrist, although I'm a little concerned about sustainability. (Apple says that's sustainable, of course.) It's not complicated at all. There are also stainless steel models that feel stronger.
The digital crown, the button on the side of the watch, now has a kind of haptic feedback. I say a kind of because the crown does not give back itself; the feedback seems to come from the bottom of the watch, which is simply confusing. The idea is to turn the crown as if you were turning a knob with physical stops. It comes about half way.
The back of the watch now has a sensor that works like an electrocardiogram. Apple did a demonstration of the ECG function, claiming that it had been approved by the FDA. It generates a PDF of your heart rate that you can share with your doctor. But the watches on the demonstration tables were not working yet.
The watch also has a fall sensor that even makes an emergency phone call if it tells you that you are not recovering from a fall, such as a medical alert device. Between the ECG, the detection of atrial fibrillation and the fall sensor, I can see that this is becoming a very popular device in the elderly.–except that it still requires an iPhone 6 or later. Apple is lowering the price of the iPhone 7 to $ 449, which could be a solution for seniors who are not loaded.
Apple says that the back is now transparent to radio waves, which means that cell reception will be better; it also features a 50% more powerful speaker and a better positioned microphone, for better call quality. This will coincide well with Apple's new high-profile walkie-talkie application, which allows Apple Watch users to talk to each other.
The battery life remains disappointing at 6 pm, but Apple says the outdoor training time has gone to 6 hours.
The Watch 4 series looks like a no-brainer for anyone using an Apple Watch Series 2 or earlier, but it's also very interesting. The ECG and the fall detection features turn it into a global health device rather than into a fitness machine, and the larger screen makes the applications less tight. It will be released on September 21st. Then come back for a review.
Source link
