“We today saw a not-unexpected sign that we’re getting closer to some new Apple Watch models: new model numbers have been registered in a Eurasian database,” Ben Lovejoy writes for 9to5Mac. “In all likelihood, the new Watches will be announced in September, alongside this year’s iPhones.”
“We first heard what we might expect from the Series 4 last month, when Ming-Chi Kuo suggested that this year’s models will have larger screens,” Lovejoy writes. “Specifically, he suggests that the 42mm model I own would see its display size increase from 1.5-inches to 1.78-inches – and we’re guessing that means smaller bezels, and thus no increase in the external dimensions of the watch.”
“A 15% increase in screen size is pretty significant,” Lovejoy writes. “The other virtually guaranteed thing about the Series 4 is that it will offer improved performance over the Series 3. How much of a difference this will make remains to be seen, but for me it’s all about Siri. I don’t often get that I’ll tap you when I’m ready message, but it does still happen occasionally. And there is usually a significant delay after giving a command for something like starting a timer or switching on a light. If the performance increase is enough to be notable, that could be the other thing that may sell it to me.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: A larger display in the same physical size and better performance? Just tell us when and where to order!
SEE ALSO:
Apple registers six new Apple Watch Series 4 models in Eurasian database – August 20, 2018
A *continuous* heartrate monitor would be nice. I had no idea it only polled every few minutes.
Fitbit has no problem with continuous polling using green LEDs and still last 4-7 days depending on device, but if I use Cardiogram on my AW3 to switch on continuous monitoring, the battery is drained within hours, so it has nothing to do with the AW handling more complex operations, it’s just not optimized for continuous monitoring.
In my opinion, more detailed information is needed before comparing with Fitbit and jumping to the conclusion that the Apple Watch is “…just not optimized for continuous monitoring.”
First, what it your Fitbit *actually* doing when you turn on continuous heart rate polling? Is it truly continuous…what is the actual polling rate in Hz? What methodology is used by Fitbit to measure/estimate heart rate? It there a display function that is active? What is stored and how can you parse it? How accurate is it?
Before declaring Fitbit the victor, obtain answers to the same questions for AW. Then you can make an informed comparison and develop informed conclusions.
“Stores heart rate data at 1 second intervals during exercise tracking and at 5 second intervals all other times”
https://www.fitbit.com/shop/charge3#specs
Charge 3 battery lasts up to 7 days, presumably at the non-exercising monitoring frequency of checking every 5 seconds.
Accuracy of all devices suffers during intense exercise (my skin-tight AW3 kept dropping my pulse to 1/3 of the real value during several super-intense workouts, reading 58 when it was obviously closer to 175 bpm), but monitoring while not exercising is what I’m more interested in. Heck I’m not that hung up on accuracy (+/- 10bpm is fine) so much as trends when I do or transition between non-exercise actions (sitting, standing, short walk, eating/drinking, etc).
So: Don’t take my criticism of the AW’s heartrate frequency as saying Fitbit is some victor, merely that AW is simply not meeting an expectation of continuous monitoring without draining the battery, an expectation set by Fitbit.
Continuous heart rate readings hit the battery hard.
Apple even has a setting to allow for battery savings during workouts for that reason.
Now, could Watch4 have new tech to overcome this? Bigger battery? Sure, and I would be happy for that too, but really, I’m not staring at my heart rate all day and when I need an update, I tap it. And I get alarms if something is over/under my settings.
Think I’ll stick with my Series 3. I figured it would be a long time before Apple could make a Watch much better than this and it looks like I may be right.
Looks like i may be right ”
But you have not seen anything yet.. how can you know ?
Apple has to make a contoured, streamline, unbulky, unboxy device before any teenager is
gonna buy it!!! Apple won on design over specs with the original iMac. Current Apple watch is designed by 40yr olds for 40yr olds. The name “watch” also needs the go away. Cook is great at alot of things, but he is no inventor! Jobs saw things from the consumers perspective, not his own!
So, what do you think AppleWatch should be called? I’m just curious about your comment because I can’t think of a better name for it.
As for lots of teenagers buying AppleWatches, they sure must have a lot of money to burn regardless of what they consider fashionable. I would think Apple’s main target audience for AppleWatch is 30 to 50-year-old consumers but there must be some site that has an age breakdown for AppleWatch sales numbers. I don’t think teenagers would mind wearing clunky things on their wrists as long as their idol celebrities are wearing the same things.
Pretty much i whole heartedly disagree with everything you wrote!
LOL – bulky? You don’t know bulky, ‘child. And Watch. What would you like? Clock? The success of the Watch – as seen on tons of teens and 20’s and 30’s and up to 80’s, shows it has massive appeal. It’s an appliance. If you want to find a sexy watch, let me point you to 1000’s of them that you will likely never be able to afford, let alone figure out how to use. But they look awesome.
1.78” versus 1.5” would actually be an 18.6% increase in diagonal size. More importantly, this is a 40% increase in screen area. Such a big increase in screen real estate is significant in terms of usability and functionality.
Going from 1.5″ to 1.78″ is an 18.7% increase in linear display dimensions.
That change provides a 40.8% increase in display area. That is significant.
Hats off to Patrick. I could have saved some typing.
I get the “I’ll tap you when I’m ready” response from Siri regularly. Actually I get it every single time I walk away from my phone far enough. And, waiting five or 10 minutes for it to do it’s thing.
The screen size increases relative to the current screen size means it ain’t going to make a hill of beans difference. The watch is not useful for apps.