The new Apple Watch lineup is really strong — you can recommend any model that Apple currently sells without a bad experience. Apple now sells the brand new Apple Watch Series 4 and last year’s Apple Watch Series 3 at a lower price. No hardware from two and three years ago to avoid when buying. So if you’re buying your first Apple Watch or upgrading from an older model, which Apple Watch should you buy now? We’ll break down the differences.
If you’re coming from the first generation Apple Watch, upgrading to either Series 3 or Series 4 will ensure you continue receiving software updates like watchOS 5 which includes a new Podcasts app, Walkie-Talkie, and much more. This update won’t be compatible with the original Apple Watch. You’ll also gain elevated heart rate alerts which work on Series 1 and later.
And if you’re coming from the original Apple Watch or Apple Watch Series 1, both current models include GPS and much faster performance. The built-in GPS can be used for mapped outdoor workout tracking without carrying an iPhone. Series 3 and Series 4 are also both much more water-resistant than the original Apple Watch and Apple Watch Series 1 — swim tracking is actually a supported workout — and the display is much brighter.
Apple Watch Series 2 has GPS, swim tracking, and the brighter display, but there are still plenty of improvements on Series 3 and Series 4. Both watches are faster, Siri actually has a voice, both models have an option for LTE, and Series 3 with LTE and all Series 4 models have more storage.
Series 3
Apple Watch Series 3 has all of the benefits of Apple Watch Series 2 (reviewed) plus the perks of Siri gaining a voice, the option for LTE and more storage, and a speed boost. The external design is generally unchanged from the original Apple Watch.
Apple Watch Series 3 is offered in both silver and space gray aluminum finishes. Apple Watch Nike+ — which pre-installs Nike Run Club and includes unique Nike faces — is also available in Series 3, but only in space gray with no silver option.
Apple Watch Series 3 is available in either 38mm or 42mm sizes. 38mm and 40mm bands are compatible, and 42mm and 44mm bands are compatible.
GPS-only lacks the option to pay monthly for access to LTE which keeps you connected to the Internet without Wi-Fi or your iPhone. This model has 8GB of storage like previous models. Apple Watch Series 3 without LTE costs $279 for the smaller 38mm and $309 for the larger 42mm — this is the model to pick if you want the best value.
GPS+LTE includes the option to pay monthly for access to LTE without your iPhone. This lets you use Siri, stream Apple Music and podcasts, make phone calls and send messages, location sharing, and much more without Wi-Fi or a nearby iPhone. Series 3 with LTE also includes 16GB of storage over 8GB and the Explorer watch face with red hands and four green LTE indicators.
Series 3 with LTE costs $379 for 38mm and $409 for 42mm — the cheapest way to add LTE.
Series 4
Apple Watch Series 4 builds on the work of Apple Watch Series 3 (reviewed) and introduces the first design change, new health and safety features, and more. Design-wise, Series 4 has a larger display with slimmer bezels which accommodates corner complications and two new watch faces: Infograph and Infograph Module.
Series 4 also has a much louder speaker, Apple says, and there are new features like haptic feedback in the Digital Crown, longer battery life for outdoor workouts, and built-in fall detection that can call emergency services if you pass out. Series 4 also includes a built-in ECG that uses the heart rate sensor and Digital Crown to record and save a shareable ECG readout on the iPhone.
Series 4 also upgrades Bluetooth from version 4.2 to version 5.0, and doubles the accelerometer performance which improves activity tracking.
Apple Watch Series 4 also has many more physical appearances. Aluminum finishes are available in silver, space gray, and gold; and stainless steel finishes are available in silver, space black, and gold (which is new this year). Series 4 is also available in Nike+ and Hermès collections.
GPS-only lacks the option to pay monthly for access to LTE which keeps you connected to the Internet without Wi-Fi or your iPhone. This model has 16GB — a new upgrade for GPS-only models. Apple Watch Series 4 without LTE costs $399 for the smaller 40mm and $429 for the larger 44mm.
GPS+LTE includes the option to pay monthly for access to LTE without your iPhone. This lets you use Siri, stream Apple Music and podcasts, make phone calls and send messages, location sharing, and much more without Wi-Fi or a nearby iPhone. Series 4 with LTE also includes the Explorer watch face with red hands and four green LTE indicators, and all stainless steel models include LTE.
Series 4 with LTE starts at $499 for 40mm and $529 for 44mm. Stainless steel models start at $699 for 40mm and $749 for 44mm — pricier options are available depending on the band and collection.
Ultimately, the decision may come down to price, design, and color and band options. Both Apple Watch Series 3 and Series 4 are equally easy to recommend in terms of speed, performance, and features — especially since both versions continue to offer the option of GPS-only or GPS+LTE.
Apple Watch Series 4 is the first big update to the Apple Watch since the original one. It comes with a new design, much bigger screen, new watch faces and impressive features like ECG and irregular heart rate tracking.
But the Apple Watch is much more than this. It’s filled with little useful features that you can customize to get the most out of the little computer on your wrist. Here are the best tips and tricks for Apple Watch Series 4.
Best Apple Watch Series 4 Tips and Tricks1. Update to watchOS 5.1.2 for ECG Feature
Apple has now released the software update that enables ECG feature in the Series 4 Apple Watch. Open the Watch app on your iPhone and update to the latest watchOS version.
After you’re done, go to the Health app on your iPhone to set it up. You have to be over the age of 22 to use this feature.
Once it’s set up on the iPhone, open the new ECG app on your Apple Watch. Rest your hand on a table and put your finger on the Digital Crown and wait for thirty seconds. Try not to move during that time.
After the set time, your ECG report will be ready. You’ll be notified if Apple Watch suspected something wrong with your heart rate or if you show signs of atrial fibrillation.
2. Customize Infographic Watch Face
One of the best things about the new Apple Watch design is the bigger screens. And there’s a new watch face that will let you take advantage of all the new screen real estate.
Force Touch on the watch face, swipe to the end and add the Infographic watch face. This watch face allows you to add eight different complications on one screen! Plus a calendar appointment that shows up in the dial itself.
That’s a lot of complications! Instead of setting up 2-3 different modular watch faces, you can now have one watch face that shows all your stats, activity, shortcuts and more.
Apple Watch Series 4 Review3. Try New Visual Watch Faces
There are a couple of really nice watch faces that make use of the curved edges of the Apple Watch Series 4. Try the Fire, Water, and Vapor faces.
4. Mute Apple Watch
One of the first things I like to do after setting up an Apple Watch is to mute it. By default, it makes a sound every time you get a notification. And there’s no need for that. Apple Watch’s haptic feedback is really good by itself.
Swipe up to reveal the Control Center and tap on the Bell icon to enable Silent mode.
5. Raise to Speak to Siri
On the Series 4 Apple Watch you don’t need to press the Digital Crown or say Hey Siri to speak to Siri. Just lift your arm, bring it close to your face, and start speaking.
Siri will instantly recognize and start transcribing your commands. In my experience, I’ve found this way faster than other methods of talking to Siri on the Apple Watch. And it actually makes Siri useful on the wrist!
6. Try the Siri Watch Face
The Siri watch face in watchOS 5 has been improved and updated. You’ll now find intelligent Siri Suggestions right on the watch face.
7. Disable Notifications on Apple Watch
There’s now a quick way to disable notifications from an annoying app on the Apple Watch. When you get a notification from the app, swipe left on it and tap on the menu button. Then select Turn off on Apple Watch.
8. Deliver Notifications Quietly on Apple Watch
You can choose to deliver notifications directly to the Notification Center for certain apps. This won’t alert you when you get a new notification. This setting is synced with the iPhone as well.
Next time you get a notification from such an app, swipe left and tap on the menu button. Then select Deliver Quietly option. If you change your mind, you can go in later and switch to Delivery Prominently.
9. Use Digital Crown to Control Volume
When you’re in a Now Playing screen for any app, just use the Digital Crown to control the volume. You can do this without looking or activating the screen.
10. Use Apple Watch as Camera Remote
Open the Camera app on your Apple Watch and it will instantly fire up the Camera on your iPhone. You can then tap on the shutter button on Apple Watch to take a picture or use the timer.
11. Answer Calls on iPhone from Apple Watch
You can accept calls on the Apple Watch when your iPhone is nearby. But it’s not best to talk over for longer periods of time. When you get a call, scroll up and you’ll find an Answer on iPhone button. You can transfer an ongoing call to iPhone this way as well.
12. Reply to Texts from Apple Watch
Apple Watch doesn’t have a software keyboard and it probably never will. But there are two ways you can reply to a message and this works for any app that supports replying from the notification.
Tap on the notification and you’ll see buttons. Tap on the microphone icon to do speech to text transcription. But a more fun way is to draw letters on Apple Watch. Tap on theA icon to send a message by drawing letters on the screen.
13. Enable and Take Screenshots
You can take screenshots on Apple Watch by pressing the Digital Crown and Side button together. But the feature isn’t enabled by default. Open the Watch app, go to General -> Enable Screenshots to enable the feature.
14. Discreetly View the Time
If you just want to see the time without raising your hand, you can tap on the screen. But that can be too bright sometimes. Instead just gently turn the Digital Crown to slowly illuminate the screen. After you’ve seen the time, turn it back to make the screen black.
15. Use Cinema Mode
There are times when you don’t want your Apple Watch to light up every time you move your hand or when you get a call or notification. Swipe up to access Control Center and tap on the Cinema Mode (or Theater mode) icon to enable it.
16. Customize Control Center
In watchOS 5, you can now customize the Control Center layout to suit your needs. Scroll to the bottom of the Control Center and tap on the Edit button.
17. Access Control Center and Notifications From Anywhere
In previous versions of watchOS, you could only access Notifications or Control Center from the watch face. Now, you can do it from anywhere, just in a different way.
When you’re in an app, tap and hold a bit on the bottom or the top edge till you see a panel show up. Then drag it up or down to reveal Control Center or Notification Center respectively.
18. Use the Flashlight
Apple Watch has a very useful flashlight built-in. Swipe up to reveal Control Center and tap on the Flashlight icon. You can swipe between multiple modes: plain white, flashing white and emergency red.
19. Open Last Used App When You Raise Your Wrist
If you use your Apple Watch with one single app for a long stretch of time, it can get annoying to navigate to it as Apple Watch shows the watch face every time you bring up your wrist (after two minutes of inactivity).
There’s a setting where you can change this behavior. Go to Settings -> General -> Wake Screen and spot the On Screen Raise Show Last App section. Here switch to Always.
20. Check Your Heart Rate
Apple Watch has a heart rate monitor built in and it’s a good practice to keep checking your heart rate randomly or when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Open the Heart rate app on your Apple Watch to get started.
21. Ping Your iPhone
I always my iPhone in silent mode because Apple Watch does the heavy lifting of notifying me. But this means that I usually spend hours away from the iPhone, forgetting where it was. This is when I can open the Control Center and tap on the iPhone button to ping it. The iPhone makes a short sound that’s enough for me to find it.
22. Cover Your Apple Watch to Mute
When your Apple Watch is vibrating or making a sound, or if it has lit up at a bad time, just cover your Apple Watch with your palm to mute the sound, haptic feedback and to turn off the screen.
23. Flip Apple Watch Orientation
If you’re left-handed, you’ll want to access the Digital Crown and the Side button on the other side. First, you’ll have to switch the bands to invert the Apple Watch. Then go to Settings -> General -> Orientation and switch to Right.
Like Oath, our partners may also show you ads that they think match your interests.Learn more about how and how our.Select 'OK' to allow Oath and our partners to use your data, or 'Manage options' to review our partners and your choices.Tip: to save these choices and avoid repeating this across devices.You can always update your preferences in the. Before you continue.HuffPost is now part of the.We (Oath) and our partners need your consent to access your device, set cookies, and use your data, including your location, to understand your interests, provide relevant ads and measure their effectiveness.Oath will also provide relevant ads to you on our partners' products.How Oath and our partners bring you better ad experiencesTo give you a better overall experience, we want to provide relevant ads that are more useful to you. For example, when you search for a film, we use your search information and location to show the most relevant cinemas near you. Funny thiings to call a emergency kit. We also use this information to show you ads for similar films you may like in the future.
24. Add Music to Apple Watch
Apple Watch usually has a couple of GBs free. You can load it up with your favorite music so it’s always there with you. Open the Watch app on your iPhone and go to the Music section. If you’ve enabled the feature, it will automatically add playlists like heavy rotation, favorites and more.
But you can add any album or playlist you want. Tap on the Add Music button and choose the album. The music is automatically downloaded to the Apple Watch when it’s charging and is near the iPhone.
If you have a cellular Apple Watch, you can stream any song from Apple Music no matter where you are.
25. Listen to Podcasts on Apple Watch
There’s a whole new Podcasts app that will let you stream and sync your latest podcasts from your iPhone so you can listen to them on your walk without the iPhone. We’ve covered the Podcasts app on the Apple Watch in detail here.
Bonus Tips:Disable Persistent Walkie-Talkie Icon
If you find that there’s a Walkie-Talkie icon at the top of the screen, it might be because you have marked yourself Available in the app. And it will keep running in the background until you turn it off. So open the app, scroll up and tap on the toggle next to the Available button.
Clear Browsing Data
Now that you can open websites on Apple Watch, there’s an option to get rid of the browsing data as well. Go to Settings > General > Website Data > Clear Website Data.
Force Quit Apps on Apple Watch
You can quit apps on Apple Watch using the Dock. But what if an app crashes and hangs up your entire Apple Watch. There’s a workaround for this. Press and hold the Side button until the Power menu shows up. Then just press the Digital Crown. You’ll go back to the watch face and the app will quit.
Put a Monogram on Your Watch Face
In some watch faces for Series 4, like the Infograph or the Color watch face, you can put up a custom monograph. Go to the watch face customization screen to find the option.
Your Favorite Tips and Tricks
Share your favorite Apple Watch tips and trick with us in the comments below.
Series 4 represents a fundamental redesign and re‑engineering of Apple Watch. From the curved corners of the larger display to the architecture of the S4 chip, every detail has been thoughtfully considered. Apple Watch has always been a uniquely personal product. And now it’s even more powerful.
![]() The largest Apple Watch display yet. This is huge.
The display is the defining feature of Apple Watch, and Series 4 pushes it further than ever. The challenge was to make it bigger without noticeably increasing the size of the case or compromising the battery life. Narrower borders enable a viewing area that’s over 30% larger, while display technology called LTPO improves power efficiency, helping you get through the day on a single charge.
A better experience all the way around.
Curved corners precisely match the radius of the case, creating a more pleasing, continuous appearance. This also allows imagery and the touch surface to extend to the farthest reaches of the screen.
More information in every millimeter.
To take full advantage of the display dimensions, the entire interface has been redesigned to provide more information with richer detail. The Infograph watch face can accommodate up to eight complications, so you can see more and do more at a glance.
Infograph watch face with: Air Quality Index, UV Index, Heart Rate, Activity, Music, Workout, Breathe, Weather
Infograph Modular watch face with: Date, Weather, Activity, Music, Breathe, Heart Rate
Infograph watch face with: Stop Watch, Alarm, World Clock, Timer, Sunrise/Sunset
Infograph Modular watch face with: Date, Weather, Heart Rate, Breathe, Air Quality Index, Workout
Infograph watch face with: UV Index, Air Quality Index, Weather, World Clock, Solar, Earth, Sunrise/Sunset, Moon
Digital Crown. A breakthrough reborn.
The Digital Crown was invented to provide an easy way to navigate on Apple Watch without obstructing the display. With Apple Watch Series 4, the mechanism has been totally re‑engineered. Haptic feedback now delivers a precise, click-like feel as you scroll. And a titanium electrode built into the top allows you to use the ECG app simply by touching the Digital Crown with your finger.1
A miracle of miniaturization.
Already one of the most intricate systems Apple has created, the Digital Crown on Apple Watch Series 4 adds even more capability into significantly less space. The entire assembly is 30 percent smaller, yet it includes 21 percent more components.
Two sensors. A pair of eyes on your heart.
The optical heart sensor has been part of Apple Watch from the beginning, allowing you to quickly check your heart rate. Thanks to an electrical heart sensor (made up of an electrode in the Digital Crown and electrodes on the back crystal), you can use the ECG app to generate an ECG, or electrocardiogram, at any time to share with your doctor.
The biggest thinking happens in the smallest spaces.
Optimized in every way, Apple Watch Series 4 is more powerful, yet even thinner than before. And it delivers up to 18 hours of battery life on a single charge.2
Mic
Speaker
S4 chip. The S4 is more than just a processor. It’s a complete System in Package (SiP), with the entire system fabricated onto a single component. This architecture allows Apple Watch to pack amazing capabilities into a tiny space. In fact, Apple Watch is the only product in the world that runs completely on a SiP.
Up to 2x faster. This fourth-generation CPU is faster than ever.3 Apps open more quickly and performance is boosted across the entire system.
50 percent louder speaker. Larger and even more powerful, the Apple Watch Series 4 speaker provides dramatically bigger sound for Siri and Walkie‑Talkie. In addition, the microphone has been relocated to the opposite side to reduce echoes for clearer phone calls. A keyline points to the microphone inside Apple Watch. A keyline points to the speaker inside Apple Watch.
S4 chip. The S4 is more than just a processor. It’s a complete System in Package (SiP), with the entire system fabricated onto a single component. This architecture allows Apple Watch to pack amazing capabilities into a tiny space. In fact, Apple Watch is the only product in the world that runs completely on a SiP.
Up to 2x faster. This fourth-generation CPU is faster than ever.3 Apps open more quickly and performance is boosted across the entire system.
50 percent louder speaker. Larger and even more powerful, the Apple Watch Series 4 speaker provides dramatically bigger sound for Siri and Walkie‑Talkie. In addition, the microphone has been relocated to the opposite side to reduce echoes for clearer phone calls.
Mic
Speaker
There’s an Apple Watch for everyone.
I am of two minds on the Apple Watch. On one hand, I think that it's the best overall smartwatch you can currently buy. And to that end, the Series 4 is the best Apple Watch to date.
After wearing one for months, it's worked really well. And yes, it's still my favorite smartwatch to use, because its smooth-running interface and tight iPhone-to-watch integration is better than what other smartwatches offer. But while this new model has a lot of refinement over previous versions, and a pretty great leap forward from older models such as the Apple Watch Series 1, it's not as tremendous a leap forward from last year's Apple Watch Series 3 as you might think.
Read more:All of the WatchOS 6 updates | Complete guide to Apple's Health app | 18 devices that sync with Health App
And the Apple Watch is no closer to being a clear must-have device than it was before, unless you value the possible benefits of new health features. For those looking for a fitness tracker, however, the S4 hasn't changed much over the S3 at all.
The 2018 model adds a nice slate of upgrades:
On the other hand, there are still a number of downsides.
To be clear, none of these missing pieces are futurist fantasies. Rival products from Fitbit, Samsung and others are starting to last for days -- with promises of weeks between charges (in more pared-down watch modes) made by Qualcomm's new chip that's powering upcoming Google Wear OS watches. And those same products mostly offer sleep tracking, dozens or hundreds of watch face options, and always-on timekeeping, too.
Update, Dec. 21: Added testing of the now available ECG app. The score has not changed. Otherwise the rest of this review, first published on Oct. 19, is unchanged.
Get this model, stick with what you have, or look elsewhere?
New features like automatic workout tracking, walkie-talkie communications between watches, raise to talk (no more 'hey Siri') and better support for music and podcasts are all welcome additions to the Apple Watch. But those are part of the 2018 WatchOS 5 upgrade, so they're also available on older Series 1, Series 2 and Series 3 models.
To that end, if you're not a workout junkie, or someone who's particularly interested in the safety aspects of fall detection or EKG-level heart monitoring, the Apple Watch Series 3 -- available starting at $279 (£279, AU$399) -- is still a worthy option. That model retains the standalone cellular option, too, if you want to occasionally go phone-free.
The Apple Watch Series 4 starts at $399 (£399, AU$599) for the standard model and $499 (£499, AU$749) for the LTE model. Models climb up from there depending on size, material (stainless steel versus aluminum), band choices and additional styles (Nike+, Hermes).
Existing Series 3 owners shouldn't feel a rush to upgrade. And Series 1 and Series 2 owners should start with that free update to WatchOS 5, of course. But if you're looking for considerably faster speed, a bigger and more information-rich watch face, and better health and workout features, the Apple Watch Series 4 is a worthy upgrade.
However, iPhone owners looking for a smartwatch with longer battery life or sleep tracking should check out alternatives like the Fitbit Versa.
Apple and ECG: Do you need it?
The most interesting new feature on the Series 4 watch, by far, is an FDA-cleared ECG app that can do more medically accurate on-the-spot heart rate checks. The Apple Watch is now an over-the-counter health device. But what that means for you may not be as sweeping as you'd think, even if it could help more people be aware of medical conditions they didn't know they have.
ECG is short for electrocardiogram, which US doctors usually abbreviate to EKG. The one-lead ECG in the Apple Watch works much like a third-party band I tested last year made by Kardia. It takes a stationary 30-second heart-rate recording by completing an electrical circuit between the back of the watch and your finger on the digital crown. The heart reading can see the sort of peaks and valleys you'd see on a heart rate readout at a hospital, albeit less accurate than you'd get there (see below). But it can check for heart-rate rhythm abnormalities, which you'll be notified of.
But the ECG app has its limits. It's a key step up, but it's unlikely to be anyone's comprehensive heart monitor -- it isn't even claiming that it can be.
CNET's Vanessa Hand Orellana consulted with a doctor and compared Apple Watch's ECG app to a hospital EKG. I've been using it for several weeks, and it's been an extra feature I haven't needed to dip into much. But I've taken a number of ECGs just because, and odds are you'll do the same when you buy one.
That check for possible a-fib using the regular heart rate reader also works on Apple Watches going back to Apple Watch Series 1 when updated to WatchOS 5, but the deeper ECG analysis only comes with the Series 4.
ECG readers are also available separately, like Kardia's little mobile-connected ECG device you could buy separately, or Kardia's separately-sold watch band for older watch models that I tried last year. So you don't need an Apple Watch S4 for ECG. But it's a nice extra to have integrated into the Series 4 watch if you were already considering buying something like it, and it could be a key reason to upgrade for anyone concerned about heart health.
How key? That's hard for anyone like me to say. My fellow editor Vanessa spotted a possible heart arrhythmia when using hers. I haven't spotted anything yet as I've tried it. I have high blood pressure, and ECG does nothing to help me on that front. It will undoubtedly help people spot possible heart conditions, and it already has after just a few weeks of activation.
Other health features: Fall detection, low heart rate
The Apple Watch S4 can also detect falls, via its improved accelerometer, gyroscope and optical heart rate sensors.
Fall detection works via a combination of G-force impact and detection of arm and hand placement when falling, using the watch's updated accelerometer and gyroscope. Apple's testing and algorithms look for indicators that apparently only happen in 'real' falls. After falling and detecting a fall, as long as the fall detection has been turned on in Apple Watch settings, the watch will call 911 via your phone or via its own cellular connection, and will then contact a designated friend or loved one to notify, along with your location.
The new watch can also detect abnormally low sedentary heart rate, in much the same way that current Apple Watches can detect high sedentary heart rate. Either can possibly be a flag for medical problems, but not a guarantee that anything's wrong.
While it's great that Apple is pursuing new ways to explore health, these features come with caveats. Apple won't guarantee successful fall detection, meaning that the app specifically warns that the watch's fall-sensing may not work in every instance. I took a light, simple spill (as if I had collapsed, versus taken a sharp fall), and it didn't detect. Unfortunately, the slight uncertainty factor means it can't be a guaranteed monitor for a loved one that needs extra care.
And the heart rate monitoring may not necessarily spot all problems. Apple's heart rate doesn't scan constantly, like Fitbit's trackers do, but it does check in every few minutes.
My favorite thing: Speed
The first Apple Watch in 2015 was slow. Loading apps was its limiting factor. The lightning-quick, smooth feel of the Apple Watch Series 4 almost feels like a given, since it's how Apple products tend to feel out of the box. It's as fast, now, as an iPhone or iPad. It feels automatic. Last year's Series 3 was also fast, and it's still fine. The Series 4 does it one better, so that loading times no longer seem to exist much at all.
Speed is probably more key on a watch than on a phone, if you're counting on quick glances and instant info, I can't think of a better wearable.
Verdict
The Apple Watch 4 is the best smartwatch I have ever used with a seriously rich feature list
Pros
Cons
Key Specifications
What is the Apple Watch 4?
It has been a few months since the Apple Watch 4 was launched alongside the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max and it remains the finest smartwatch I have ever used and reviewed. You also now benefit from the ECG app now being available in the UK.
With its slick design, vast amount of strap options and an utter boatload of features it’s no surprise the Apple Watch Series 4 remains our smartwatch of choice.
Apple Watch Series 4 – Price
Here’s full pricing for the Apple Watch Series 4:
Related: Best smartwatch
Apple Watch 4 – Design and straps
There’s been little change in the design of the Apple Watch since its introduction – until now. The Series 4 is the first real reinvention of the wearable. I say reinvention, but if you’re familiar with previous Apple Watches then you’ll instantly feel at home with the Apple Watch Series 4.
Unlike the majority of Wear OS wearables, the Apple Watch 4 retains the square display, having decided against making it circular. Personally, I prefer this – I often find circular smartwatches try too hard to mimic ‘proper’ mechanical watches and end up looking like cheap knock-offs. Then again, by keeping the squared-off look there is still a hint of ‘computer on your wrist’ about the Apple Watch that some might not like.
Instead of offering a radical redesign, Apple has tweaked everything that was there before. The screen now stretches almost to the edge of the face, reducing the bezel that flows around the sides. Imagine the difference between the iPhone 8 and iPhone X, and you’ll understand what Apple has done here. Pair this updated screen with the steeper, curvier corners and you’ve got a watch that really feels all-screen. I switched back to an Apple Watch Series 3 midway through this review and the difference is really remarkable. The older wearable feels noticeably cramped and old-fashioned in comparison.
This is also the first Apple Watch to play about with the sizing, replacing the 38mm and 42mm sizes with 40mm and 44mm. I was initially sceptical about the 44mm size (this is one I have been using during the review period) as there were times when I felt the 42mm size was a little on the large side for my wrists, but really the difference is negligible and just leads to bigger displays.
The new 40mm version has a screen size comparable to the older 42mm watch, but with a display that’s more akin to the 42mm one. The 44mm, on the other hand, is only slightly larger than the 42mm model. If you have larger wrists then the 44mm is the way to go – the larger screen is great for cramming more information and making it easier to see. However, if your wrists are on the smaller side then you’re not losing too much by plumping for the smaller size.
A subtler design change is that the sensor array that sits on the bottom of the watch has been shrunken down, resulting in a less bulbous look. This means the Apple Watch 4 sits closer to the wrist than before. It’s a small design tweak – one you’ll only notice if you’re upgrading from a previous model – yet it’s something I have constantly been impressed with.
Flanking the improved screen are the usual selection of buttons: the Digital Crown for navigation and a secondary, side button. The Digital Crown now has haptic responses when you twist it, slightly bumping your finger with a subtle vibration. As with so many design tweaks here, it seems small at first but the result is terrific. The resistance offered when you’re scrolling through menus, or jumping between options in the Workout app, adds that tangible feeling so often missing from techy watches.
Below the Digital Crown is the side button that’s been re-appropriated in use over the years. It can now either bring up your dock of favourite apps or your most recently used apps. I mainly use it for bringing up Apple Pay.
Inbetween the Digital Crown and side button is the microphone, while the speaker has been shunted to the other side. This is to try and avoid any interference between the two.
Even though Apple has altered the sizing, older straps and bands (Apple’s own or third-party) will still work just fine. This is massive news and very un-Apple. I’ve picked up loads of straps both from Apple and from the large selection on Amazon over the past few years and it’s nice to know the investment is still valid.
Throughout the majority of the review I have been switching between the Sport Loop and the Sport Strap, with the Leather Loop thrown in for the classier occasion. The ease of the Sport Loop, with its velcro band, is my favourite of the bunch – it’s just the easiest and the comfiest. It’s made from a slightly elastic fabric and uses a hook and loop fixing, similar to the premium Milanese Loop, to secure around your wrist. Since it uses this strap, it’ll fit pretty much any sized wrist and allow you to alter the fit depending on what you’re doing.
All models of the Apple Watch Series 4 remain water-resistant to 50m and will survive a dunk in sea water, too. These models use the same water-ejection method as the Series 2 and Series 3, where it will play a specific tone to eject water from the speaker.
Apple Watch 4 – Screen and speaker
The display is real the star of the show here, and for some it might be reason enough to upgrade. If you plump for the 44mm model there’s a 368 x 448 display, with the 40mm packing 324 x 394 pixels. This is the only difference between the two.
Both use OLED display types, offer Force Touch and 1000 nits of brightness. Other watches, notably the Fitbit Versa and its cheaper sibling the Fitbit Versa Lite, match this peak brightness and it’s vital for ensuring you can comfortably read whatever’s on the watch even if you’re running in intense sunlight. The touchscreen remains incredibly vibrant and sharp, whether displaying one of the new Apple Watch 4 exclusive watch faces or your fitness stats for the day. The font is readable and icons are easy to see and interact with.
Having a larger panel means Apple can cram more information into the watch faces it includes. There are two headline faces exclusive to the Series 4 and they both let you add many more complications than were previously available. I’ve mainly been sticking with the Infograph option, which allows for an impressive eight complications, but there’s a digital-focused Infograph modular option too.
Related: Best smartphones
Infograph watch face allows for eight complications
Having so many nuggets of information available at a glance could have been overwhelming, however the bright and varied use of colour helps each stand out. If you’re a previous Apple Watch user then you’ll notice only updated complications work with these new faces and even Apple hasn’t altered many of its old ones. This means you might be switching back to some of the old ones if you’ve got a particular set-up you favour.
If you really want to show off the new display then there’s the Vapor and Fire/Water watch faces that highlight the edge-to-edge nature of the panel. The highlight of these is the fire option, which sees a roaring flame explode out of the dial. The functionality of these is limited though, as you can’t add any complications without sacrificing the full-screen look.
I still have a big complaint, though, and it’s the same complaint Richard Easton levelled at the Series 3 – why is there no always-on display option so I can constantly see the time? This is something just about every other high-end smartwatch we’ve reviewed this year has implemented and it’s sorely missing here. I understand this would heavily impact battery life and Apple wants to ensure everyone’s watch makes it through the day, but there’s nothing wrong with giving consumers the choice.
A quick rising of your wrist brings the screen to life and this ensures every time you look at the watch the time is visible. I’d even say the Apple Watch Series 4 jumps into life faster than its predecessor. You can also more discreetly view the time by rotating the digital crown when the display is off. This turns the display on gradually, upping the brightness little by little.
The speaker now resides on the left-hand side of the watch, moved away from the microphone to ensure there’s no interference between the two. The speaker itself is loud, ridiculously so for something this small. It’s a shame, then, that you can’t really use it for much. It’s main function is to relay Siri answer and queries back to you – something it handles well – but I’d like to always use it for, say, listening to a podcast while i’m home.
Apple Watch 4 – WatchOS 5 and performance
Released alongside the Apple Watch 4, watchOS 5 brings a handful of software updates and tweaks to all the previous Apple Watch models (aside from the very first version, often dubbed Series 0).
There’s no headline-grabbing feature in watchOS 5; instead it’s a mixture of bug fixes and smaller features. There’s now a Podcast app, for example, which is ideal if you want to leave your phone at home while you go to the gym, and a new Walkie-Talkie feature that sends short audio messages to friends. You can also track your Yoga workouts.
You can play podcasts from the Apple Watch
WatchOS includes a number of typical smartwatch features, too. Notifications pop up from a linked iPhone (Apple Watch supports any iPhone from the 5S) and can be acted upon either with canned responses or something more personal if it’s an app like iMessage. There are also apps for Maps, Email, Alarms and plenty more.
Powering the Apple Watch Series 4 is the S4 chip; the first Watch 64-bit SoC (system on a chip) used by Apple. It claims it’s 2x faster than the S3, however testing these claims on a device like this is tricky.
This is a snappy watch, though, and one that jumps between faces, open apps and workout options quickly. You’ll still have to wait an age to open an app that isn’t stored in memory, but with the dwindling reliance on actual apps in the watchOS ecosystem it’s a problem I have rarely struggled with.
The improved performance also helps Siri react faster, and considering the slightly dodgy voice-assistant is still a big play here, that’s a bonus. Siri can be initiated by either holding down the Digital Crown or raising the watch and saying, “Ok, Siri.”
Siri is far from perfect and a feature I rarely use on my iPhone, yet on the watch it’s arguably more useful. Asking it to start a timer when my hands are sticky with bread dough is ridiculously useful, and it’s good to know I’ll always be reminded when the timer hits zero even if I leave my phone in another room. Siri is also great for quick measurement calculations and weather checks.
Siri’s skills are also built into its own watch face. The Siri face debuted on WatchOS 4 and has received a boost this time around with some ‘machine learning’ skills. Supposedly it’s meant to throw things like music playlists and directions into the stream of cards, but i’ve found it’s still rather useless. Unless you like your watch being taken over by a random picture you took last year, that is.
Apple Watch Series 4 comes in two variations: one with GPS, and another with GPS and LTE. I’ve been using the LTE model for this review and picking this connected option will add an extra £/$100 to the price if you plump for the aluminium watch. It comes as standard on the stainless steel versions.
Honestly, if I was buying this watch for myself I wouldn’t pay the extra for LTE. That comes down in part to the poor support it has received from UK carriers – it’s currently only supported by EE and Vodafone – and the fact it’ll add an extra £5 to your monthly bill. It’s also fairly limited and is mainly used only for taking/giving calls and replying to iMessages.
Still, the actual way the LTE/4G functionality works is slick. Signal strength is reliable and those who I rang on the watch couldn’t notice any difference between it and a phone call.
You can play Apple Music directly from the watch
Another benefit of having an LTE/4G connection is music streaming directly to the watch. This is limited to Apple Music (sorry Spotify users) and is a fantastic gym addition – letting you leave your phone in the locker and remain connected to an entire music library. Tunes can also be directly stored on the device and there’s 16GB available space to play with here. Syncing songs across, however, can be a fiddly and ridiculously time-consuming process, and it’s something best left to work overnight.
Apple Watch 4 – Health and fitness tracking
After the disappointing original Apple Watch, Apple focused more with the successor, positioning it as an accessory for tracking runs, gym sessions and swims.
![]()
The Apple Watch 4 keeps all the fitness-tracking features, but diversifies slightly to add a more health-tracking aspect too. This is where the device moves from expensive gadget to potential lifesaver.
However, it’s hard to test out these new health-focused features. Fall detection is one of the big new additions here and it works thanks to the new, more accurate accelerometer sensors inside the body. In theory, fall detection will alert you when you fall, slip or trip over; sending out an alert to emergency services and a selection of pre-selected contacts if you don’t move for a certain period of time after the fall.
Related: Best running watches
It’s a tremendous idea and one that could save someone’s life. It’s not, however, something that can be triggered by pretending to fall or even being pushed over. Trust me, I’ve tried.
This feature isn’t being aimed at me though; that’s made clear by the fact it’s turned off by default for anyone under 65. As someone who knows the problems accidental falls can cause, this feature alone would instantly make me want to recommend this to older relatives. That’s not something I would have said about a mass-market smartwatch before.
![]()
Another huge health benefit of the Apple Watch Series 4 is the electrocardiogram sensor. This sensor will be able to take an ECG, feed you back the results and allow them to be shared with your doctor. The ECG app can tell you if your heart shows signs of atrial fibrillation, a serious form of irregular heartbeat rhythm, or sinus rhythm – a normal beating. This ECG app will only work in the UK and US for now. Hopefully we’ll see it in other territories in the future.
Health might be the focus here, but the Apple Watch Series 4 remains an excellent wearable for both keeping an eye on your daily movements and deeper tracking of gym-focused workouts, swimming and yoga. The watch is packed with pretty much every sensor you’ll need: GPS, altimeter, improved accelerometer, optical/electric heart rate monitor and an ambient light sensor.
The first of the two fitness-focused apps on the Apple Watch Series 4 is Activity. This is, in my opinion, the finest and most encouraging step-tracking app on any wearable you can buy today. If you’re coming from an older Apple Watch though, you won’t notice anything different here.
The basis of this Activity app is three rings, each of which you’re encouraged to fill up during the day. One is Movement, another Exercise and the final, Stand. When you first set-up the Apple Watch you’ll be prompted to enter some basic details – gender, height, weight etc – and then it’ll give you suggested targets for each, You can, of course, alter these manually afterwards. As an example, I selected 800 calories burned in movement, 30 minutes exercise and to stand at least once every hour throughout the day. There’s still no way to include flights of stairs climbed as part of your daily goal, something Richard Easton requested in his Apple Watch 3 review.
The ring-based visual is a great way to ensure you’re always looking at your activity, helping to motivate you to fill the rings. For instance, you’ll get a buzz on the wrist if you haven’t stood up for a while, or a quick suggestion that a ‘brisk 15-minute walk’ would fill up your movement ring for the day. It’s encouraging, without being patronising or simply asking you to take 10,000 steps.
Achievements are available if you hit certain targets and you can share and compete with others if you need to add some extra spice.
The workout app is the place to go for more specific tracking, particular if you want to track a run, swim, cycle or round of HIIT training.
The onboard GPS (a feature included on the LTE and non-LTE models) means you don’t have to rely on a connected phone – like you’d have to do with the Fitbit Versa or Withings Sport HR – and the results were very accurate during my testing. As not much of a runner, I tended to stick to shorter runs during the review process but the data it captured matched the distances I was travelling.
Being able to stream music directly to the watch and take any incoming calls means you can head out for a 10km run with just your watch and some AirPods. When you’re running you’ll also get heart rate data – again this data was comparable to both the older Apple Watch 3 and a Fitbit Charge 2 I was using as a comparison.
If your heart rate rises above a certain level (120bpm) a warning will be triggered on the watch. The same will happen if your heart rate drops below a certain level or becomes irregular. Like the ECG, you’ll have to wait until an update later in the year to make use of low heart rate warnings.
I’m more at home in the pool, and the Apple Watch 4 is great for swimmers. You choose from either a pool or open water swim and after selecting the length it’ll keep you updated on lengths swam and calories burned. Once you’re finished, it’ll combine everything into an easy-to-digest overview of your swim. WatchOS 5 also includes automatic activity tracking, so if you forget to initiate a workout the likelihood is that the watch will know.
Another appreciated trick, and something Fitbit is enabling for the Charge 3, is being able to set targets for your workouts. You can set it so your swim lasts until you’ve burned through a certain amount of calories, or have run for a certain distance.
There’s still no native sleep tracking on the Apple Watch 4, so you’ll be once again using a third-party alternative to monitor your slumber. I’d guess Apple keeps leaving this out because of the ‘all-day’ battery claim and the fact it assumes you’ll be charging the watch at night. When we get a device Apple can comfortably say will last multiple days, that is when I think sleep tracking will be introduced.
Related: Best fitness trackers
As someone who would never wear a full-on running and rarely tracks runs or swims, having the Apple Watch 4 on is a constant stream of encouragement and actively makes me want to keep an eye on how much exercise I do. Workouts are easy to start and the information churned out is genuinely useful, which makes me want to keep on filling my rings each and every day.
Apple Watch 4 – Battery life
Battery life is one of the few areas of the Apple Watch Series 4 that hasn’t received a huge update. Apple makes the same ‘all-day, 18 hours of usage’ claim it made for the Series 3 and during my time with the watch it has met, and often exceeded, that.
Apple’s vision of this watch is clearly something you wear during the day and plonk on the magnetic charger at night. That’s fine by me, even though I would appreciate it eventually becoming a multi-day wearable.
How long the Apple Watch Series 4 lasts hangs significantly on your usage. On the days that it was purely tracking my movement, telling me the time, playing podcasts and alerting me to notifications, it would end the day at 35-40%, leaving enough spare juice had I forgot to charge it. There were even a few occasions where I would make it through two days without having to enable the power-saving mode. When it does drop below a certain percentage of remaining juice, the watch switches to a much simpler mode where the time is only displayed when you press one of the buttons.
The days when I was utilising the GPS for workout tracking or LTE for phone-calling had a much more obvious effect on the battery. This is to be expected, of course. Still, the results I achieved were good.
The charger plus onto the back of the Apple Watch 4
Running for an hour – with GPS, LTE and AirPods connected via Bluetooth – the Apple Watch Series 4 lost between 17-23%. Disconnect the AirPods and remove the LTE functionality and you’ll save about 6-8%. Obviously these times vary depending on how often you check the watch and if you receive/take calls during that period.
LTE calling depletes the battery faster than hammering the GPS. This reaffirms the point that this is purely meant as an addition to your phone, rather than a futuristic wrist-based replacement for it.
Charging is reasonably quick and requires about 45 minutes to reach 50% and marginally less than two hours to get all the way to 100%, The charger itself remains a small magnetic puck, which clips onto the bottom of the watch. The magnets are strong and it’s not easy to accidentally knock the watch off once it’s in place.
It is quite annoying having to always the remember the proprietary Apple Watch charger though and it feels like Apple should have, by now, come up with a simpler solution. AirPower – a charging mate that’d juice up AirPods, iPhones and Apple Watch simultaneously – seemed like the solution, but has yet to materialise.
Why buy the Apple Watch 4?
Apple Watch Series 4 is not only the most impressive Apple Watch yet, but is comfortably the most fully featured smartwatch I have ever tested. It’s Apple’s best, most thought-out release in years.
It’s a masterful combination of design; genuinely useful features and an impressive ecosystem. Apple’s ability to push categories like phones and laptop forward has diminished over recent years, but this wearable is so far ahead of competitors such as the Samsung Galaxy Watch and Wear OS releases from Fossil that it almost seems unfair.
Pair the updated design featuring that gorgeous screen with the vast array of (potentially) life-saving features and you’ve finally got a smartwatch that feels like something other than a luxury device missing a point.
Nothing is perfect though, and I would still like to see an Apple Watch that tracks my sleep natively and doesn’t require plugging in at least every other night. But they’re just minor quibbles in the grand scheme of things.
Best John Lewis MacBook Deal2017 Apple MacBook 12', Intel Core m3, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, Intel HD Graphics 615
Get the top spec MacBook with a huge discount on this smart, sleek device. Just 12-inches in size, this is one of Apple's most portable takes on on-the-go laptops. Enjoy Force Touch as well as its fastest processor yet.
|
|
View Deal
|
|
Verdict
The Apple Watch 4 is the best smartwatch I have ever used.
Trusted Reviews Score
Unlike other sites, we thoroughly test every product we review. We use industry standard tests in order to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find. We never, ever accept money to review a product. Tell us what you think - send your emails to the Editor.
Comments are closed.
|
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |