Apple Watch series 4 speculation. What’s next?

[eVolcre]

I posted this in another thread about the watch reaching “good enough not to upgrade every year” status much sooner than the iPhone. Right now unless you really need the best you could really stick with a 7 plus and be good for a while. Maybe even a 6s.

The watch has seen crazy improvements in just three generations. Battery life , speed, waterproofing , Lte but these were all predicted really. We knew they’d put these features in eventually.

Any speculation on what could be next ? I can’t really think of anything besides even more battery life and perhaps a slimmer form factor. Maybe FaceTime on the watch but it doesn’t seem that useful to me. Awkward to hold your wrist up to the face. More finishes , design etc fall under cosmetic improvements.

I’ve got a series 2 aluminum and have been eyeing a white ceramic now that I’m sold on the wearable concept. I think the next generation would be the one to go for. At that point an upgrade becomes optional , if it has a slightly thinner build I could see the device being “good enough for my needs” for quite a while. Heck people who don’t need the latest and greatest in tech can actually stay with the SE which is what? A 4 year old case with 3 year old internals ?

Any guesses ?

 

[the future]

Longer usage while on LTE and always-on display seem to be the most important missing features, both need better battery life. Only after this is achieved I see the Watch getting any thinner (which I would love to see).

 

[eVolcre]

Not sure if always on is actually useful though. It would LOOK better. I choose faces to match whatever band I’m wearing when I go out and it adds a design element.

In actual usage, (I switch between the Siri and modular faces for day to day use ) if I lift my wrist to see a notification or bring up information it turns on without fail. Am I missing something ? Why would it be better?

 

[the future]

I personally would much rather have a thinner Watch than the size we have now with always-on display, but I have read many times that this is a feature people miss because it would make the time etc. more „glanceable“ without having to move/raise the wrist so I guess this is a design goal that Apple will try to achieve first before the Watch can/will get thinner.

Thinking about it, I actually prefer the watch face to be dark when not actively looked at because information like the next appointment (calender complication) etc. are of a rather private nature. Maybe only the time could/should be always-on and the rest of the watch face info only lights up when the wrist is raised/turned.

 

[Rmpaul211]

What else does it need!!! Only thing I would hope for is better customizable faces and the ability for ringtones for your watch.

Better battery life would be cool but not a necessity. Outside of wanting a sleep tracker why would you sleep with your watch on?

 

[eVolcre]

I personally would much rather have a thinner Watch than the size we have now with always-on display, but I have read many times that this is a feature people miss because it would make the time etc. more „glanceable“ without having to move/raise the wrist so I guess this is a design goal that Apple will try to achieve first before the Watch can/will get thinner.

Thinking about it, I actually prefer the watch face to be dark when not actively looked at because information like the next appointment (calender complication) etc. are of a rather private nature. Maybe only the time could/should be always-on and the rest of the watch face info only lights up when the wrist is raised/turned.

If I’m glancing at the time I usually move my wrist to see the watch and that automatically switches it on. If my wrist is on the table for example I tap the screen. Dunno. I don’t see the point and like you said, some of the info is private.

Maybe if they move to a new screen tech they could have just the time and date kept on. My Nokia n9 from way back had this feature. Sometimes useful. I’d rather have a thinner watch too.

I can’t remember where I read this and google doesn’t bring up a link somewhere I saw that they were thinking of a new form factor with battery tech shifted to the bands. That would make the watch thinner. Sounds uniquely Apple. Forces us to junk our band collection when we upgrade the watch.

Series 4 is what I’m waiting for. I really want a white ceramic but at the moment lte doesn’t help me outside the states I can wait a year. If there’s a new form factor I’ll splurge for the ceramic. If not, perhaps pick up a used series 3 aluminum and make do with that until the watch loses some weight.

 

[edhchoe]

Integration of car key.

 

[hipnetic]

1) I'd like to see them go with a round edge-to-edge screen.

Other things I'd love to see, but don't expect to:

2) Drastic decrease in price of a stainless steel offering. Difference in cost to them is probably just a few bucks and I can go buy a cheap stainless steel watch, but somehow their tiny amount of stainless steel costs a fortune? I think this is one where even they probably regret it. They could offer stainless for $50 more and get most of that in profit, but because of their initial gamble of wanting to treat their watches like luxury items, they're too stubborn to admit that they could actually sell it for cheaper.

3) Allow 3rd party developers to create watch faces. Apple's control-freak nature combined with them wanting to monetize access to this (e.g., allowing Nike or Hermes to offer custom faces which require buying their version of the Apple Watch) make this unlikely.

 

[eVolcre]

1) I'd like to see them go with a round edge-to-edge screen.

Other things I'd love to see, but don't expect to:

2) Drastic decrease in price of a stainless steel offering. Difference in cost to them is probably just a few bucks and I can go buy a cheap stainless steel watch, but somehow their tiny amount of stainless steel costs a fortune? I think this is one where even they probably regret it. They could offer stainless for $50 more and get most of that in profit, but because of their initial gamble of wanting to treat their watches like luxury items, they're too stubborn to admit that they could actually sell it for cheaper.

3) Allow 3rd party developers to create watch faces. Apple's control-freak nature combined with them wanting to monetize access to this (e.g., allowing Nike or Hermes to offer custom faces which require buying their version of the Apple Watch) make this unlikely.

2 probably isn’t likely though it sounds reasonable. Look at the other threads where people put down the aluminum and buy stainless thinking it’s a luxury item or better suited for business (hint most people don’t notice or don’t really give a **** )

3 is software so who knows.

1. That’s a new one. Why? Just so it looks like a normal watch? Could be interesting but for reading information the rectangle gives the most surface area. Somehow I don’t see them doing that. The current look defines Apple Watch. Maybe make it skinnier but a completely different shape might effect the branding strategy.

 

[Rmpaul211]

1) I'd like to see them go with a round edge-to-edge screen.

Other things I'd love to see, but don't expect to:

2) Drastic decrease in price of a stainless steel offering. Difference in cost to them is probably just a few bucks and I can go buy a cheap stainless steel watch, but somehow their tiny amount of stainless steel costs a fortune? I think this is one where even they probably regret it. They could offer stainless for $50 more and get most of that in profit, but because of their initial gamble of wanting to treat their watches like luxury items, they're too stubborn to admit that they could actually sell it for cheaper.

3) Allow 3rd party developers to create watch faces. Apple's control-freak nature combined with them wanting to monetize access to this (e.g., allowing Nike or Hermes to offer custom faces which require buying their version of the Apple Watch) make this unlikely.

2 probably isn’t likely though it sounds reasonable. Look at the other threads where people put down the aluminum and buy stainless thinking it’s a luxury item or better suited for business (hint most people don’t notice or don’t really give a **** )

3 is software so who knows.

1. That’s a new one. Why? Just so it looks like a normal watch? Could be interesting but for reading information the rectangle gives the most surface area. Somehow I don’t see them doing that. The current look defines Apple Watch. Maybe make it skinnier but a completely different shape might effect the branding strategy.

You’re not lying!!! But there’s one glaring issue that I want rectified !! Put the sapphire glass on the aluminum watches!!

 

[squirrrl]

Edge to edge screen definitely

 

[eVolcre]

Edge to edge screen definitely

With a notch?

Not sure if this is sarcasm or if you're serious. How much more edge to edge can it go? I mean it's a little watch on your wrist.

 

[Leica Dad]

With a notch?

Not sure if this is sarcasm or if you're serious. How much more edge to edge can it go? I mean it's a little watch on your wrist.

If edge to edge can be done, you can either have more screen real estate, smaller watch case, or somewhere in the middle.

The battery life is actually decent on the S3 42mm, so I will wish they greatly improve the battery life on 38mm. So I can switch to 38mm which looks better on my skinny wrist.

 

[9646829]

With a notch?

Not sure if this is sarcasm or if you're serious. How much more edge to edge can it go? I mean it's a little watch on your wrist.

Moto 360 smart watch was almost edge to edge and that had a "flat tire" on the bottom.

I'm not that fussed about going to a round face I just want the current watch bands to still fit, always on screen would be nice. Android wear watches with always on screen have a dimmed version when you aren't using it so you can see the time but the brightness is lower, maybe it could also hide calendar stuff etc.

 

[hipnetic]

I think they could introduce a round watch in parallel with a new square one. Then they could gauge interest apples-to-apples.

Personally, I think the round watches just look a lot nicer. The square screen looks like a Casio watch from the 80's. Yes, you'll lose some information real estate, but I don't think that's a deal-killer.

Yes, the Moto 360's (Android Wear) had a flat tire. But Huawai and a couple of others have since released round Android Wear watches that are truly edge-to-edge with no "flat tire", so it can be done. Android Wear isn't an option for me, though, because I have an iPhone and Android Wear doesn't work well with iPhones. Plus, it's starting to look like Google might be abandoning Android Wear.

 

[Senfinger]

Front facing camera hidden in screen for pics and facetime/video chat, slightly better battery or lower energy chips.