Apple Watch Series 4 (2018)

[44267547]

Thinner
similar case with larger screen, less bezels
independence from iPhone or at least option to attach to iPad instead

Thinner I don't necessarily see happening, unless there is a reduction in the nanometer process. But I would like to see a larger Display, additional stainless Watch casing options (A space gray stainless would nice.)

A Watch face store would be a monumental move for the Watch experience.

 

[squirrrl]

60-80mm?

Geez. Why not just wear a Wonder Woman cuff with a screen?

I think the watch would look nice If the screen went all the way to the aluminum so when it turned on, the background would not be bordered by black. For instance you could have a pearl background to your watch bordered by the aluminum/steel/ceramic and not a black border.

 

[fischersd]

Why not just wear a Wonder Woman cuff with a screen?

Actually, that was an idea I had about 7 years ago. There were talks about flexible PCB's and flexible screen material.

Remember those steel coil rulers that you could snap around your wrist? Same premise. You'd just snap your smartphone around your wrist, where it would be in watch mode.

We need something clear, flexible yet very scratch resistant for the exterior if we're ever going to be able to make that a reality.

 

[DeepIn2U]

60-80mm?

Geez. Why not just wear a Wonder Woman cuff with a screen?

(Edited for isolation)

Wha? I tend to think along the ones of Anime Sci-Fi like Robotech connected watches and the like, not Womder Woman. When I think of Wonder Woman well, I’d have my meme bee shop suspecnded for objectifying woman in a primal state of mind. Power, beauty, intelligence and with sex appeal.

 

[Leica Dad]

Thinner will be nice, I hope the case curves or the HR sensor doesn’t stick out as far.

I like the current design but always prefer a round watch case instead. If that means less screen real estate then maybe the brilliant UI designer can redesign the interface a little.

 

[squirrrl]

Actually, that was an idea I had about 7 years ago. There were talks about flexible PCB's and flexible screen material.

Somebody beat you to it buddy

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/portal-by-arubixs-flexible-wearable-smartphone#/

 

[fischersd]

Somebody beat you to it buddy

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/portal-by-arubixs-flexible-wearable-smartphone#/

Heh...par for the course. I had more than two dozen patent applications that were turned down by our review committee at BlackBerry - which then in turn became products by others.

But, that link you posted - I don't like their implementation - my idea, the phone would snap around your wrist...those dual straps just look fugly....an after-thought.

 

[HeathH]

Have to agree with a few others. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was no new model in ‘18. They aren’t really committed to a yearly cycle on the watch.

I would expect the same design with improved health features if anything (blood O2 maybe).

 

[brian3uk]

Thinner, and hopefully Bluetooth 5.0 since they seemingly skipped that this year.

 

[BeefCake 15]

That makes little sense for something strapped to a warm wrist, often under a sleeve etc..

Yeah G-Shock is struggling with this, they have one on their watch but accuracy is problematic unless you take it off for a while to calibrate.

A James Bond Edition series with garrotte, laser, spy cam and self destruct.

James Bond's last couple of movies barely had any cool gadgets...We should venture into a Jason Bourne Edition!

 

[Dennis052]

Huh? Where on earth did you read that? A few anecdotal stories on the Internets?

Please check the YouTube from JerryRigeverything. He has done a detail scratch test for a $1300 ceramic series 3 watch. The conclusion is the sapphire on the series 3 iwatch is not as strong as normal sapphire.

 

[WilliamG]

Please check the YouTube from JerryRigeverything. He has done a detail scratch test for a $1300 ceramic series 3 watch. The conclusion is the sapphire on the series 3 iwatch is not as strong as normal sapphire.

Where did I say the Apple Watch Series 3 sapphire is as strong as "normal" sapphire? Go read my post again: I was responding to the post that the Series 3 sapphire isn't as strong as the Series 0 sapphire.

 

[Ghost31]

It’s going to probably be round.

Round makes so much sense dude. I wish my tv was round. Like watching my shows in a big fish bowl

 

[44267547]

Please check the YouTube from JerryRigeverything. He has done a detail scratch test for a $1300 ceramic series 3 watch. The conclusion is the sapphire on the series 3 iwatch is not as strong as normal sapphire.

For the record, those types of test are deliberately exposing the Apple Watch to raw elements to scratch it with a razor blade for example, those tests are not always real world based on what somebody will experience with their Apple Watch and how it will scratch. The Sapphire coating holds well on the stainless model and I have no scratches on my Stainless Models. I would not base my purchases off a YouTube video on the scratch resistance.

 

[DeepIn2U]

Yeah G-Shock is struggling with this, they have one on their watch but accuracy is problematic unless you take it off for a while to calibrate.



James Bond's last couple of movies barely had any cool gadgets...We should venture into a Jason Bourne Edition!

Sony produces those movies over the last 12yrs. You can see why the phones have been lacking in tech. Ragrding Watch yeah that would be cool.

 

[jwlyons]

Okay, I know that the Series 3 just came out. And we’re still enjoying our new watches

But I cannot but help wonder what changes Series 4 will bring.

Are there any rumours circulating? I couldn’t find any (although not entirely surprised).

I seem to recall an Apple patent application a couple years ago that called out a wireless charging technology that could charge an iPhone if it was in the same room as the charger. That type of charging would be ideal for the Apple watch as it would allow you to charge it in bed without removing it, or in your car or office... in effect providing non-stop usage without removing it to be charged at all, eliminating all of the "battery-life" objections.

 

[dotnet]

Sadly, the flux capacitor won't make it to Series 4, too many power draw issues to work through still. In order to supply the necessary 1.21 jiggawatts they'd have to drop the display brightness below 500 nits, and we all know that's never gonna happen...

 

[44267547]

I seem to recall an Apple patent application a couple years ago that called out a wireless charging technology that could charge an iPhone if it was in the same room as the charger. That type of charging would be ideal for the Apple watch as it would allow you to charge it in bed without removing it, or in your car or office... in effect providing non-stop usage without removing it to be charged at all, eliminating all of the "battery-life" objections.

Apple files patents every single year, which can be more than 100 at times. But those patents don't usually always become a reality. Long range wireless charging for the Apple Watch is nowhere near ready and may never happen for that specific device. If it does happen, it will come to the iPhone first in all likeliness.

 

[Sean006]

hopefully bigger. 38 and 42mm are so 1980

 

[Benz63amg]

I doubt that we will see a s4 Apple Watch in 2018. s3 really fixed all of the remaining issues with the watch. It now has cellular support and is very responsive. People may argue that battery life could be improved, but I have been a user since s0, and don’t have a problem with the current battery life. I can’t think of anything that would persuade me to upgrade.

More advanced health sensors or perhaps a new generation of the Heart Rate sensor that is far more accurate wont make you want to update?

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

Yeah, I think the jump to Series 4 will be an interesting one. It will give Apple to opportunity to focus on what they WANT to rather than what they NEED to. The low hanging fruit (GPS, LTE, and much quicker processor) are out of the way.

Some of the possibilities include:
1) Redesigned watch: Not really sure what this would entail because I don't see it going round, but Apple has had several years to think of how to enhance the design. I don't really imagine Apple's ready to make it thinner yet.
2) Low power processor: I know the processor is already pretty low power, but series 3 seems to be quick enough for the moment, so I think the primary focus of the next processor will be on reducing power consumption. Which would allow...
3) Always on screen: This will likely be some combination of optional, select watch faces, and/or select complications. I would love to be able to set (say) time and weather as "always on" complications and have the others appear on wrist raise
4) Improved sensors: HR sensor needs an update, in particular for always recording HR (A la fitbit). Possibly GPS/LTE can be improved/reduce power consumption. Perhaps more accurate movement sensors to help with sleep monitoring/stand/activity
5) Go larger: There's no way apple is going to 60mm-80mm I saw discussed, but I could definitely see Apple add a 48-50mm option. Or perhaps instead of adding a 3rd size switch from 38/42mm to 40mm/46mm, especially if Apple is able to reduce bezel size
6) Add a camera: Oh please God no
7) Updated wireless standards: possible improvements to wifi/bluetooth protocols
8) True wireless charging: if you could be ~8ft away from a charger (look at WiTricity), then it could be charging while tracking your sleep in bed

Sounds like a pretty good update to me

 

[44267547]

hopefully bigger. 38 and 42mm are so 1980

I agree. I would like to see at least a 44 or 46 mm casing with a larger display. I think this will happen at minimum offering an additional size in the Apple Watch line up.

 

[disbthai]

Sadly, the flux capacitor won't make it to Series 4, too many power draw issues to work through still. In order to supply the necessary 1.21 jiggawatts they'd have to drop the display brightness below 500 nits, and we all know that's never gonna happen...

1.21 jiawatts, “What the hell is a jigawatt?!” growing up watching the trilogy religiously!

 

[fischersd]

I seem to recall an Apple patent application a couple years ago that called out a wireless charging technology that could charge an iPhone if it was in the same room as the charger. That type of charging would be ideal for the Apple watch as it would allow you to charge it in bed without removing it, or in your car or office... in effect providing non-stop usage without removing it to be charged at all, eliminating all of the "battery-life" objections.

You sure you're not thinking of Energous? (https://www.macrumors.com/2016/12/14/energous-apple-supplier-dialog-partnership/)

We keep hearing of research papers coming out of the universities suggesting similar possibilities. I think it's pretty much a given that at least one of these will make it to market in the next several years.
[doublepost=1512140597][/doublepost]

I agree. I would like to see at least a 44 or 46 mm casing with a larger display. I think this will happen at minimum offering an additional size in the Apple Watch line up.

I think we'll see bigger/thinner at the same time - knowing Apple, they'll maximize the space for the battery. I think a microLED display isn't far off either.

 

[AttilaTheHun]

Few idea 1- charge by the heat of my wrist. 2- hybrid watch so the time can be on full time. 3-add sensors on the band.
4- I like the round idea with the rotating ring.
that good for now. more will come
[doublepost=1512163535][/doublepost]

You sure you're not thinking of Energous? (https://www.macrumors.com/2016/12/14/energous-apple-supplier-dialog-partnership/)

We keep hearing of research papers coming out of the universities suggesting similar possibilities. I think it's pretty much a given that at least one of these will make it to market in the next several years.
[doublepost=1512140597][/doublepost]
I think we'll see bigger/thinner at the same time - knowing Apple, they'll maximize the space for the battery. I think a microLED display isn't far off either.

OLED screen will save battery life because they dont need background light