GADGET OF THE YEAR

Apple Watch Series 4

There’s so much excellent tech on these pages that could have been crowned Gadget of the Year, but when we thought about something that not only nailed exactly what it’s aiming to achieve, but that’s also groundbreaking in a way that will influence the world of tech for years to come, it had to be the Apple Watch Series 4. The inclusion of an ECG and fall detection are two features that you hope you’ll never have cause to use, but that could literally save your life… and suddenly you wonder why every bit of personal tech isn’t looking out for you in this way. It’s important that the rest of the device is fantastic too – from its new thinner design and large screen, to a more accurate second-gen optical heart-rate sensor – but it’s this template for technology as a personal health good that won us over. Because the Apple Watch isn’t a health product: it’s a great activity tracker and communication device, and that’s how you think of it day-to-day. But the fact that it can also call the emergency services on your behalf after an accident, or warn you of an irregular heartbeat

long before its ill effects might be otherwise noticed, is gamechanging. And it’s all included so slickly and invisibly – it’s something you can trust is happening in the background. It’s a template we’re already seeing other devices following, and that kind of impact for the good of our health truly deserves this award.

From $599, apple.com/au