Apple Watch Series 4 next year?

[HelixOmnimedia]

I'm at the point where I can 100% say that Santa Claus isn't bringing me a Apple Watch - so I will need to buy one myself - I have Series 0 and the battery isn't holding up now, its very slow. Yes its something I use everyday and want to utilise it more in the New Year with more focus on exercise, health and wellbeing.

After reading all the rumblings of Series 4, I'm usually put off getting the product, but an EKG and being slightly thinners - I think I'm still going to take the plunge and purchase one.

 

[Otflyer]

I'm at the point where I can 100% say that Santa Claus isn't bringing me a Apple Watch - so I will need to buy one myself - I have Series 0 and the battery isn't holding up now, its very slow. Yes its something I use everyday and want to utilise it more in the New Year with more focus on exercise, health and wellbeing.

After reading all the rumblings of Series 4, I'm usually put off getting the product, but an EKG and being slightly thinners - I think I'm still going to take the plunge and purchase one.

No guarantee of EKG next yr. or that watch form will change. If you want an Apple Watch, get it. Let next yr take care of itself. Life’s too short.

 

[JPack]

I thought so too but I'm not so sure. The Apple Watch is selling well and the shape is iconic. The band industry has exploded and many have invested quite a bit on bands. I think Apple will milk the basic design for several more years although I do feel they will continue to innovate on materials with new aluminum colors, changes to the Stainless cases perhaps and new Edition materials. I believe they will make the case thinner as soon as they can. I just don't think the Apple Watch is deviating from the basic rectangle that is their hallmark anytime soon.

The only iconic theme is the rectangle shape and digital crown. This is no different from the iPhone rectangle and home button. There are plenty of ways to make the Watch thinner, wider, or taller.

I don't see how band investment is going to stop Apple. Bands are cheap to produce and simply have a high markup.

 

[44267547]

The only iconic theme is the rectangle shape and Digital Crown.

Actually, I would say the most iconic feature (Or theme) about the Apple Watch is the band port. Given we are discussing the design, the band port is absolutely crucial to the Apple Watch experience with switching bands at ease. The problem with other smart watches, the band switching port is poorly executed.

Bands are cheap to produce and simply have a high markup.

Not all the bands are cheap to produce. Apple stainless steel link bands actually take over nine hours to cut the links from a machining process. Given that the Cost is a higher amount, they are an ingenious design.

https://amp.businessinsider.com/apple-watch-band-photos--2015-3

 

[Otflyer]

Im more concerned about the amount of money I have invested in Apple bands. It would piss me off and I would expect multitudes of other watch owners would be equally pissed if Apple rendered our bands obsolete. It could happen just as the audio jack and Touch ID were eliminated.

 

[44267547]

Im more concerned about the amount of money I have invested in Apple bands. It would piss me off and I would expect multitudes of other watch owners would be equally pissed if Apple rendered our bands obsolete. It could happen just as the audio jack and Touch ID were eliminated.

The 3.5 mm Jack and touch ID were heavily rumored to be deleted. There is nothing indicating that Apple will change The band port. I'm not saying it can't happen, but I would say by the next generation Apple Watch, that would be highly unlikely. I mentioned it before, Apple has an immense amount of money tied up into the bands and what they generate for profit.

 

[PatrickNSF]

I can't imagine any Apple Watch redesign not being compatible with existing watch bands. I'm not at all worried about my band "investment."

 

[MacGiver]

Im more concerned about the amount of money I have invested in Apple bands. It would piss me off and I would expect multitudes of other watch owners would be equally pissed if Apple rendered our bands obsolete. It could happen just as the audio jack and Touch ID were eliminated.

Agreed, my only wish whatever the improvements will be, is that they keep current bands compatible with the new watch...

 

[44267547]

Agreed, my only wish whatever the improvements will be, is that they keep current bands compatible with the new watch...

I see this a lot where other Apple Watch owners are concerned about the band port been changed. To me, that's the last concern I have and I don't believe Apple is changing the port in the next version of the generation Apple Watch. There is zero indication that this is even going to happen, let alone, Apples investment with the bands is into the millions and what they generate for profit.

 

[George Knighton]

The Series 3 selling point this year seemed to be LTE and independence from the iPhone....

Series 3 is the first Apple Watch purchase that I made, and it was witnessing how Watch 3 worked with Watch OS 4.2 that got me going.

In the end, however, I elected to get the cheapest version, just an aluminum non-cellular Watch 3 with regular sport band.

I don't think that the Watch's implementation of LTE, together with the limited battery life, makes it the nexus of development just yet. For a T-Mobile user, there's some kind of dogmatic, theoretical rejection of a device that does not have either Band 71 or Band 66, too.

I'm hoping the cheap Apple Watch 3 this year will give me the experience, and maybe I'll spring for a fancier Apple Watch 4 next year!

 

[BlankStar]

I read a lot of people saying they won't change the bands, but I remember people saying the same about the 30-pin connector ;-)

Anyway, I'm still on a Series 0 which I have to charge every night now when using raise to wake but I'm going to wait for the S4 in september (fingers crossed that prediction is correct).
And the only thing that I really want that the S3 doesn't have, is a MAJOR battery improvement. I'm jealous of the sleeptracking features my friends with a Sh¡tbit, I mean, FitSh¡t, I mean, Fitbit have.

Rest of the stuff I want are softwarethingies, like being able to disable raise to wake during sleep and stuff.

 

[Mammut]

...like being able to disable raise to wake during sleep and stuff.

You just need to turn on theatre mode before going to bed.

 

[Dave245]

I read a lot of people saying they won't change the bands, but I remember people saying the same about the 30-pin connector ;-)

Anyway, I'm still on a Series 0 which I have to charge every night now when using raise to wake but I'm going to wait for the S4 in september (fingers crossed that prediction is correct).
And the only thing that I really want that the S3 doesn't have, is a MAJOR battery improvement. I'm jealous of the sleeptracking features my friends with a Sh¡tbit, I mean, FitSh¡t, I mean, Fitbit have.

Rest of the stuff I want are softwarethingies, like being able to disable raise to wake during sleep and stuff.

That's what i hope they don't do, i have a collection of Apple Watch bands that i keep adding to every time i go to the Apple store. I'm not sure what they will add to the Series 4, i'm hoping battery improvements as well but there will probably be stand out feature that sells it, Series 3 has LTE.

 

[BlankStar]

You just need to turn on theatre mode before going to bed.

manually changing settings is so 2017... Quit living in the past! ;-) My DND-stuff is going automatically, why not the theater mode?

 

[bland1]

One change that would make me upgrade to a series 4 would be if they made it thinner (less height) Keep everything else the same, just slim it down.

 

[44267547]

I read a lot of people saying they won't change the bands, but I remember people saying the same about the 30-pin connector ;-)

Those are two different comparisons. You’re comparing a change how the iPhone was converting to lighting versus a band port for switching bands. I have said it before, Apple has a small monopoly in the band market and what they generate for revenue is likely a very substantial margin (Especially with the Sport, nylon and Velcro bands). They are not going to change the Band-port anytime soon, but it could happen.

 

[Nebrie]

I read a lot of people saying they won't change the bands, but I remember people saying the same about the 30-pin connector ;-)

There were substantial technological and user experience advantages to lightning as well as the fact that Apple's product pipeline required a connector that took up as little space as possible. iPhone shells change frequently but each iteration brings about meaningful improvements in water resistance, structural rigidity, reception, etc. No product designer at Apple is going to change band form factors just for the hell of it. Figure out what meaningful advantages a new band form factor could have that the current one can't adapt to first, then figure out when the technology for that is most likely to be ready, then you'll figure out when Apple will change watch band form factors.

 

[BlankStar]

When they decide the small data-connector on the side of the Apple Watch isn't good enough for stuff they want to do? Maybe bands with build-in sensors and stuff?

Don't get me wrong, I don't see them changing the bands any time soon, but it wouldn't surprise me that much if they did though. Just saying nobody should be too certain that they won't change it ;-)

 

[BigMcGuire]

And the only thing that I really want that the S3 doesn't have, is a MAJOR battery improvement. I'm jealous of the sleeptracking features my friends with a Sh¡tbit, I mean, FitSh¡t, I mean, Fitbit have.

Rest of the stuff I want are softwarethingies, like being able to disable raise to wake during sleep and stuff.

Coming from a Fitbit HR Charge 2 - the sleep monitoring quality is easily 2-3x better and more informative on my AW3 GPS. I'll never go back. FYI, it's pronounced Fatbit.

What pissed me off most about the fatbit was the band broke within 3 months of ownership. My wife went through 4-5 bands in a year. Then the screen cracked. The 3-5 day battery life was nice but it didn't have GPS and it could NEVER get an accurate heart rate reading.

I'll be watching the AW4 with interest with the full intention of keeping my AW3 for at least 2 years - I'm very very ... very happy with it. It has changed my life (I'm running almost every day) and I use it all the time - raise to wake and everything - ending the day at 73-80% charging during my quick showers to 100% in the morning.

 

[BlankStar]

Fatbit

Didn't know it sucked so much, some friends their wives have Fatbits and they're always bragging about it... Now I know it's 'cause they don't know any better...

 

[The Game 161]

Be interesting if we see a complete redesign this year

 

[Dave245]

Be interesting if we see a complete redesign this year

I just hope if they do that they keep the same band attachment as I and many other people have a collection of bands.

 

[The Game 161]

I just hope if they do that they keep the same band attachment as I and many other people have a collection of bands.

Yeah I would hope so.

Apple make a lot of money with the straps so I think from a business point of view would be a mistake to not make the, work with the new model.

 

[BlankStar]

Because noone would ever buy a new band if they'd change it... They'd force people with loads of bands to restart buying bands for a new collection...

I do hope they don't, because I also have a nice collection of bands, but it would absolutely not surprise me if they would change the bands... But the most obvious reason would be because the new bands have some special features that could not be implemented with the old standard. Examples: built-in body temp sensor or something like that.

 

[Dave245]

Because noone would ever buy a new band if they'd change it... They'd force people with loads of bands to restart buying bands for a new collection...

I do hope they don't, because I also have a nice collection of bands, but it would absolutely not surprise me if they would change the bands... But the most obvious reason would be because the new bands have some special features that could not be implemented with the old standard. Examples: built-in body temp sensor or something like that.

I would be able to get behind that if they did it in order to add a glucose or blood pressure monitor function, it would still annoy me a little bit but for health features I’d be willing to, rather than just for changing the design sake.