One of the most exciting announcements on the calendar for any technology lover is Apple’s conference. There really is nothing more exciting than seeing what’s up next on the list of Apple releases! Whether you love or loathe Apple’s products, there’s no doubt that there’s always going to be something exciting to look forward to.
If you’re an Apple fan you’ll have been keeping right up to date with all of the rumours leaking out before the announcement. It’s always interesting to look and see which rumours were 100% made up and which were 100% fact!
The new Apple Watch Series 4 has been announced this week alongside the companies new series of iPhones. While many of the pre-announcement rumours didn’t quite make it into the final device, it’s good to see that there are a lot of exciting new features to look forward to. Lets find out all about the new Apple Watch Series 4.
Can The Apple Watch Series 4 Save Lives?
One of the main lines in Apple’s marketing is that the device is “All new. For a better you.” Which indicates that the device aims to help improve you – and it certainly seems as though it will improve your health. There are the usual big improvements to the health apps on the device, but the biggest change is that the rumoured ECG heart monitoring has made it into the watch.
The new ECG heart monitoring feature in the Apple Watch Series 4 uses an ECG app to monitor your heart rate. This app has been granted De Novo classification by the FDA which provides pre-clearance for the technology in the device to be used. This feature is used to detect whether your heart is beating in a normal pattern. This device can also detect and notify you of signs of a potential life threatening condition called Atrial Fibrillation.
While this feature is being touted as a potential life saver, there have been concerns raised about the negative implications of people using this feature. While it is certainly going to be useful to help people who already have heart conditions monitor their heart rate – it may be problematic for those who currently show no signs of heart problems.
Adam Cifu, professor of medicine at the University of Chicago has aired his concerns that the device has a high likelihood of causing “false positives.” This means users may get notifications that they have an arrhythmia when they do not have one. While many people may think they would want to know of any potential heart problems, this could cause a lot of unnecessary stress for healthy people.
Keeping You Connected
The new Apple Watch Series 4 has many new ways to keep you connected with people without needing to be connected to a phone. The cellular version of the watch allows the watch to have its own phone connection which can be used to make calls and texts. You can also use many third-party applications to connect with family and friends directly from the watch. This is a real step forward compared to communication features from the likes of Sony and Samsung.
The most exciting new communication feature is the Walkie-Talkie feature which allows you to keep in touch with other Apple Watch users. While this feature is probably not one you’ll be using when you desperately need to get in touch with someone, it’s a really fun new feature. You simply press on the button to speak and let go of it to listen. You can use it to speak to anyone else who has an Apple Watch whether you’re on a cellular or WiFi connection. It is that Bond-gadget like feature that everyone has wanted to use their smartwatch for!
Incredibly Beautiful Design
The new Apple Watch Series 4 is – as you’d always expect from Apple – a beautiful device. While the rumoured circular watch face has not appeared on this iteration of the device, the design is still a real step forward for Apple. The new series comes in 40mm and 44mm sizes and is built using ultra durable sapphire crystal technology. The built-in speaker is much louder, ready for users to make great use of the new Walkie-Talkie feature!
The larger screen is perfect for the growing number of apps coming to the device. The Apple Watch Series 4 is not going to suffer the same fate as previous smart phone editions which sported screen sizes suitable for only the most basic of apps. The screen is also ready for a complete redesign of the user interface which is going to allow for much more customization and exciting new watch faces.
Conclusion
It’s unlikely to take much to convince most Apple lovers to pick up the latest edition of the Apple Watch. Most of them have been on board since day one, even before the device really brought anything game-changing to the table.
The Apple Watch series has been fairly successful, despite it taking a while for Apple to really hit their stride with their own take on the smartwatch. And, although it seems as though Apple’s plans of destroying the Swiss watch industry seem fanciful today, it really is starting to redefine the wearable tech industry.
The Apple Watch Series 4 is certainly the most exciting smartwatch to hit the market so far. This might just be the smartwatch to convince the doubters that it is about time to take the leap and get a smartwatch of their own!
