The watch with health at its core
Apple’s device puts wellbeing first... for a price
When Apple launched their first Watch almost four years ago, it met with a dubious reaction from commentators and the buying public. However, Apple innovated with each version and the new Series 4, is a vastly different proposition to the original, or the even the last model.
The first noticeable feature when you take it out of the box is how much more screen there is. Apple have achieved this by removing the black bezel space around the display, similar to the edge-to-edge screen view on their iPhones. It’s now easy to fit additional useful ‘complications’ as they’re called on the home screen, like exercise progress or local weather info. The 30 per cent more screen space has made a significant difference.
To set up the watch you just need to sync it by holding it close to your iPhone, which must be running iOS 12. With that done, you can sign in with your Apple ID and your watch will start to sync your contacts.
The way the watch works has been optimised for the new display and is far easier to read, and messages and mail are easily read on the move. The new watch faces available are more customisable and informative and there are beautifully designed Liquid and Fire faces for the style conscious. Watch 4 has also added more features to Siri, the digital voice assistant. There is a clever feature called Raise-To-Talk that lets you elimi- nate the need to call out to Siri and you’ll find her listening as you raise your wrist.
The health features have been improved and there is now automatic workout detection.
The watch’s heart monitoring capability has also been improved. There are new atrial fibrillation detection and ECG functions that are revolutionary. While not available to use yet, they are expected to be activated next year in Europe.
Perhaps indicative of the broad appeal of this watch is the falldetection feature. This will detect if a wearer has fallen and appears incapacitated and the watch will make a call to a loved one or emergency service. I just wish the battery life could be improved. I would like a watch to run for almost a week without charge like my fitness tracker does. Also, while this is a superbly crafted piece of tech, it is still priced on the high side.
However, those niggles do not detract from the range of improvements Apple have made. The bigger screen, new haptic feedback and upcoming health features make this a device that could become embedded in your daily life.
IT WILL DETECT IF A WEARER HAS FALLEN AND CALL SOMEONE