Here is the new Apple Watch Series 4: Larger display and electrocardiogram
The fourth generation of Apple’s smartwatch arrives on the market next week: among the novelties, the larger display and the possibility to record cardiac activity.
It is at Apple Watch that it is the honor of opening the dances on the stage of the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, during the ” Gather Round ” event that Apple organized tonight for the usual presentation of the novelties of everything that ” is not Mac “. Apple Watch, as Tim Cook points out, is the number 1 smartwatch in the world – sales figures in hand.
There are three main areas for which Apple Watch has been successful, according to Cook: connectivity, physical activity monitoring and health monitoring. And it is precisely in these areas that has focused the development of the new Apple Watch Series 4, which in addition to the innovations present under the body also presents a complete aesthetic redesign.
The case now has a smaller thickness, the rounding of the corners is more harmonized and, above all, we find a new display of larger dimensions (35% more for the 40mm version and 32% more for the 44mm version) : the new display offers a greater useful area to show more information and more details.
This allowed Apple to rethink the watchface that can now support up to 8 customizable complications. In the standard watchface you can add photos of loved ones, which act as a shortcut if you want to call them on the phone or send them a message. Or you can show multiple time zones or still enter the complications for monitoring physical activity and health.
Also new for the modular watchface, which can also be integrated with third-party apps and show more detailed information. Still keeping in mind of watchface, now also the ” breath ” mode for breathing exercises gains its own watchface with three graphic variations and, finally, there are new dynamic watchface (Fire, Water, Vapor) that interact with the edges of the display.
Small news also for the digital crown, which now offers haptic feedback to have a tactile response when used, for example: when scrolling through lists or feeds. Increase the speaker volume, up to 50%, to optimize listening to calls or Siri’s answers.
Present the new Walkie-Talkie feature that allows you to communicate vocally via WiFi or cellular network by a simple touch on the display. The back of the case is made of black ceramic and sapphire crystal, for better transmission of radio waves to the advantage of the cellular version.
Under the shell is the new chip Apple S4, consisting of a dual-core 64-bit CPU and a new GPU – both developed by Apple – which promise twice the performance compared to the previous model. Accelerometers and gyroscopes have also been renewed, and now offer twice the dynamic range. They can detect forces up to 32g and are eight times faster in surveys.
This allowed us to introduce a new interesting feature in Apple Watch Series 4, fall detection. Thanks to the power of big data and artificial intelligence, Apple engineers have discovered that there are recurring patterns of movement that can be found in various types of falls: Apple Watch Series 4 is able to recognize them and identify if the user is ruined to the ground.
In this case, a warning will be shown on the display asking if it is appropriate to send an emergency call: the user can then decide whether or not to make the call, but if no order is given within 1 minute, it will start automatically.
The part concerning cardiac detection is completely new. There is a new optical sensor that in addition to the functions already known (heart rate detection, with calorie calculation, monitoring of the resting frequency and alert in case of unusually high heart rate) today is able to detect even a heart rate too low and to monitor the heart rhythm: an alteration of the rhythm could be a signal of atrial fibrillation, that otherwise could go unnoticed.
But in addition to the optical sensor, there is also a new electric sensor consisting of two semicircular electrodes: thanks to this innovation Apple Watch Series 4 is the first smartwatch (but the first consumer product) to be able to perform the electrocardiogram. Just put your finger on the digital crown and in 30 seconds you can have the cardiac activity that can be saved on the iPhone, exported to PDF and shared with the doctor.
Apple claims that the operating autonomy of the new Apple Watch Series 4 is comparable to that of previous models (we speak of a generic all-day battery life), while for physical activity monitoring, it has been extended up to 6 hours.
The new Apple Watch Series 4 will be available with an aluminum case in the finishes silver, gold and space gray, while the new straps include the golden Milanese one. All straps are absolutely inter compatible between the various series of Apple Watch. The Nike version will also be available with watch faces and dedicated straps (one of this with reflective fibers for night runners).
We come to prices: the version without connectivity will start from $399, while the cellular version from $499.
