The Apple Watch Series 4 boasts a faster pace, a louder speaker, and a bigger, sharper display that shows more with less bezel. It also has fall detection with SOS trigger, high and low heart-rate detection, and an FDA-approved ECG app for more thorough cardiac measurements.

The design alone is a significant improvement, and the screen provides far greater visibility, but the health advantages will only benefit a portion of consumers. Better battery life and sleep tracking are the only things that are lacking.

Better Design

The Apple Watch 4’s key feature is its thinner design with bigger, almost no-bezel watch faces.

Health Monitoring

One significant improvement in the S4 is the electro-cardiogram feature (ECG), which is now only available in a few nations, including the US and the UK. With a comprehensive, FDA-cleared, on-demand ECG app that will check for heart arrhythmia using 30-second heart rate samples, this feature enhances the Watch’s already remarkable heart-rate monitoring capabilities.

With the help of its upgraded accelerometer, gyroscope, and optical heart rate sensors, the Apple Watch S4 can also detect falls. The watch may also identify sedentary heart rates that are unusually low. Despite the fact that it could be a warning sign for health issues, nothing is necessarily incorrect.

Automatic Exercise Tracking

The Apple Watch 4 also has automated exercise monitoring and may be used for a variety of exercises.

Lightning-fast speed

Series 4 is quick. Nearly everything that doesn’t require an online ping responds practically instantly.

Fall detection

When you experience a major fall, the Watch will notify family members and EMS (though Apple does not guarantee it, and it is not turned on by default unless you are 65 or older). Utilizing the watch’s upgraded accelerometer and gyroscope, fall detection utilizes a combination of G-force impact and recognition of arm and hand positioning when falling.

Apple’s algorithms and testing hunt for signs that reportedly only occur in “real” falls. If the fall detection feature is enabled in the Apple Watch settings, the watch will call 911 using your phone or its own cellular connection after detecting a fall and will subsequently tell a chosen friend or loved one of your position.

Louder and Clearer Audio

With the improved onboard speaker, Siri and phone calls are much more useful (especially in emergencies).

Poor Battery Life

The battery life is still locked at between a day and a half and two days on a charge, or less if you constantly use GPS, cellular, or other electronic devices. Still, the battery won’t last more than two days.

More Expensive than Predecessors

The Series 4 is more costly, with a $399 (£399, AU$599) starting price. Even more expensive options include larger sizes, adding cellular connectivity, upgrading to a steel case or fancier straps.

No sleep tracking

The fact that the watch requires daily charging essentially reduces the alternatives for tracking sleep. There are independent applications, but Apple doesn’t provide any as a part of the essential health experience.

No always-on watch face

The watch face is typically dark in order to conserve battery life.