Apple Unveils Apple Watch Series 4 With 30 Percent Larger Display, Thinner Body, ECG Reader, Fall Detection, and More

[Gix1k]

$399 for 40mm

Damn that sucks...that means like $429 for the 44mm. $279 for the S3 is suddenly more interesting.

 

[harriska2]

Hmm, didn't really expect a near 20% increase in pricing. Is that based on expected Tariffs from China?

That’s my guess. I’ll wait till the tariffs go away.

 

[Bin Cook]

was the increase really necessary tho? LTE is going from $429 to $499 for the 42mm

Tim’s only wiping his ass on two $100 dollar bills at the moment. The poor fella needs a least three, hence the totally unnecessary price increase.

 

[RogerWilco]

Thanks. Yes, all absolutely fair comments. If I had atrial fibrillation, I think the breathlessness and racing heartbeat would give it away, before my watch told me about it. And yes, false +ves are the curse of many tech medical solutions.
I guess I'm just enthusiastic about the potential and direction. So much in medicine is in dire need of tech solutions, and whilst it won't happen overnight, and may take several iterations/generations of a device to achieve the required sensitivity and specificity we need in medical practice, I remain positive, enthusiastic and hopeful that tech companies like Apple will aid this momentum and direction.

And what will the ECG function accomplish for the average consumer? If it sends them to an ER or clinic, no one there will believe the readings and they will run a battery of expensive tests, at a cost that will dwarf the price of the watch. It also opens Apple to medical liability lawsuits, something no shareholder wants to see.

 

[dazz87]

Omg just tell us how much it cost............ZzzzzzZzzzzz

 

[dgdosen]

I like my Apple Watch (like - not love it). I think some features are fantastic (mac unlock, heart rate monitor) and have worn them since the S0 - but 499+ (say 540 for the larger) for a non-sapphire watch that will also be obsolete in a year or two - is too high an opportunity cost - too steep to justify the price IMO.

Apple needs some better competition in this space for their own good.

 

[arggg14]

developer demo time=bathroom break.

 

[jonnysods]

Not looking forward to the Canadian price tag for the 44mm GPS version.

 

[bodonnell202]

And a $100 price increase versus Series 3. Why am I not surprised.

 

[dazz87]

Next person they are going to intro will show us how to make a call and send a text

 

[timborama]

Wake me up when they get BP. ECG noting new or unique.

 

[testcard]

Beautiful! Where do I sign?

 

[Neepman]

Good features for unknown WPW or people > 65. Otherwise this is going to create hypochondriacs by the thousands.

Sure. As apple continues to make their products more impossible to use for seniors with more oblique and constant changes to interfaces.

 

[PTVMan]

Because every other major iOS app bailed on the AW

What an overstatement.

 

[SystemHasFailed]

I was hoping for better sleep tracking

What do you feel like is missing? AutoSleep and the Watch Series 2 seem to work pretty well for me and I have Sleep Apnea..

 

[IJ Reilly]

When they say the current bands will work with Series 4, does that mean the old 38MM bands will fit the new 40MM watch, and the current 42MM bands will fit the new 44MM watch?

 

[outskirtsofinfinity]

Impressive.

 

[BMcCoy]

And what will the ECG function accomplish for the average consumer? If it sends them to an ER or clinic, no one there will believe the readings and they will run a battery of expensive tests, at a cost that will dwarf the price of the watch. It also opens Apple to medical liability lawsuits, something no shareholder wants to see.

You're right.
There's no need for any innovation in home medical device monitoring.
Medical practice is perfect, and we don't need anything new.


..
Sorry for my sarcasm.
I totally get your point.
I guess it's like many tech advances in science, it's all about iteration and evolution.
I get your reservations, but for me, that shouldn't inhibit development, trial and change.

Pros and cons. And change management.
But I am generally pro ideas, innovation and challenging the status quo.

 

[euvnairb]

I wonder if the price increase has anything to do with the China tariffs? Didn't Apple warn that the prices of watches were going to increase?

 

[Neepman]

Hmm, didn't really expect a near 20% increase in pricing. Is that based on expected Tariffs from China?

No. It just offers up the opportunity for it.

 

[satchmo]

Any mention of custom watch faces?

 

[Bin Cook]

And a $100 price increase versus Series 3. Why am I not surprised.

It’s to pay for all these talking heads on stage to have a free S4. But suspicious every single guest on stage has a series 4 on wrist already.

You are paying for these *******s to have a free Apple products. Every single time you comply with Timmy’s latest gouge.

 

[calstanford]

So the fall detection does what?

Tell you later that you fell?

 

[Heineken]

Most boring keynote ever in my opinion, at least so far.

 

[Mac 128]

Looks like 5 is available on all but the original watch. But i'm wondering what faces, etc are limited to the new watches. I have a series 2 and I imagine a few of the newer features and faces won't be compatible.

I would expect the apps and watch faces optimized for the new display with the rounded corners will not be available on the old watches. I doubt Apple would want the new apps and faces scaled down to fit. In many cases, like the new 8 complication watch face, it's been designed to fill the extra space. That said, the 40mm will be scaled down version of the 44mm display, so it's up to Apple if they would want to scale it down as much as the old watches would require. In the updated graphic below, the orange area is the new 44mm display area, and the dark green is the new 40mm area (both 2mm taller). The light green is the old 42mm and the white is the old 38mm.