It's time to give one to grandmother

The new Apple Watch presents the latest iPhones.

September is usually the time for Apple fans to talk about the latest smartphones – and the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max are worth updating. But the real benefit of this year is the smartwatch: it's faster, more functional and could literally save your life.

The Apple Watch Series 4, launched on Friday, represents the first major redesign of the watch since its debut in 2015. Stuck in a more attractive design – with slightly rounded corners, a thinner body and 30% more space at the same time. screen for typing tiny icons and text – this new Apple Watch is also a health tracking engine.

The laptop comes with a handful of features aimed at a whole new demographics: the elderly. A new tool, for example, recognizes when a user drops and automatically sends a notification to his emergency contact. It is also the first notebook with an ECG monitor approved by the FDA integrated – a feature that qualifies the Apple Watch medical device. The ECG software will be activated in the United States later this year. Apple did not say if that was going to happen on the world market.

The watch starts at $ 399 for a 40mm model and at $ 429 for the slightly larger version of 44mm. This starting price climbs to $ 499 for cellular connectivity. (Series 3 started at $ 329).

While the price of Series 4 is higher, experts say that Apple's features could modernize hospital and geriatric care, and even help service agents in the field in dangerous environments. The company has put the smartwatch to the test through a series of intensive tests, one of which is designed to train it to distinguish between a delicate plop on the bed and a sudden drop on the floor.

"By making this feature available on the latest watch, Apple should replace existing fall detection equipment in many markets," said Jitesh Ubrani, a market analysis company, recognizing brands such as Life Alert. "I have no doubt that the new Apple Watch will make patient monitoring much easier and much more regular."

This is because people will be more inclined to show (and continue) an Apple Watch rather than a traditional medical device.

Weston Henderek, director of the NPD group, said the ECG feature might one day help diagnose conditions such as atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat. Users can create long-term ECG run logs that can be shared with their doctors over time.

The new features are remarkable, but Henderek warns against the role of the Apple Watch as a true medical device that is not yet complete.

"The space will not really be revolutionized as additional medical monitoring features, such as blood glucose and blood pressure monitoring, will not be added to devices such as the Apple Watch," said Mr. Weston.

Meanwhile, Fitbit – Apple's biggest competitor of mobile devices – is also thinking of the future. In August, Fitbit unveiled its Charge 3 tracker with a Sp02 sensor, an abbreviation for peripheral oxygen capillary saturation, which measures oxygen levels in the blood. Combined with Fitbit's heart rate monitoring and sleep monitoring system, this trifecta provides a solid snapshot of overall health. Although the Fitbit is not equipped with Fall Detection and ECG Monitoring Series 4, this is also a fraction of the cost of $ 149.

Apple Watch continues to lag behind its competitors in sleep tracking, a feature that Apple has omitted. The 4 Series can not afford to reduce its battery life, which is about 18 hours of charging. Meanwhile, Fitbit Charge 3 lasts for days.

As laptops become smarter, businesses face a major challenge in educating the public on how to properly use their products as medical devices.

"Consumers do not really know the difference between FDA approval and approval," Ubrani, the IDC analyst, said. In addition, "some of the features are designed for healthy consumers rather than those who already have medical problems.It is easy for consumers to gather the problems and think that the Apple Watch will replace a traditional medical visit.

For the moment, experts believe that users will prefer to stay connected via notifications such as texts, alerts and e-mails on health monitoring. After all, users can now summon Siri with a single wrist, access applications at faster speeds and enjoy more powerful and immersive sound, making calls from the device easier.

The Series 4 also comes with new interactive watch faces. But the lack of downloadable custom options is a missed opportunity for developers, Apple and users alike.

In the end, however, Apple's biggest push for health is its biggest growth opportunity. It will likely attract a new demographic group, partner with health and life insurance companies to offer the device to employees and deploy internationally.

IDC predicts that Apple Watch sales will increase by more than 38% year-over-year and that this rate is expected to continue over the next five years, primarily due to the focus on health.

"Apple is already the leading player in the smartwatch market and is showing strong growth," Henderek said. "But continuing this momentum and finding new ways to grow will become even more difficult."

For the moment, the company hopes that you will be partying with Apple Watch this holiday season, not only for kids and for yourself, but also for grandma.

CNNMoney (New York) First published on September 26, 2018: 9:56 ET