Apple Watch Series 4 (GPS, 44mm) - Space Gray Aluminum with Black Sport Band (Renewed)

Product Information

Apple defines its restrictions on harmful substances, including definitions for what Apple considers to be “free of,” in the Apple Regulated Substances Specification. Every Apple product is free of PVC and phthalates with the exception of AC power cords in India, Thailand (for 2-prong AC power cords), and South Korea where we continue to seek government approval for our PVC and phthalates replacement. The Apple One free trial includes only services that you are not currently using through a free trial or a subscription. Plan automatically renews after trial until cancelled. Restrictions and other terms apply.

Perhaps the most important new feature here is the FDA-approved electrode-based heart rate monitoring. When the ECG app arrives later this year, you'll be able to put your finger on the digital crown for 30 seconds to receive an ECG reading that you can export to PDF to share with your doctor. Since this feature isn't yet available, we didn't test it, but we'll update this review with our findings as soon as it comes out. Flanking the improved screen are the usual selection of buttons: the Digital Crown for navigation and a secondary, side button. The Digital Crown now has haptic responses when you twist it, slightly bumping your finger with a subtle vibration. As with so many design tweaks here, it seems small at first but the result is terrific. The resistance offered when you’re scrolling through menus, or jumping between options in the Workout app, adds that tangible feeling so often missing from techy watches. Charge times are from 0–80% and 0–100% using the included Apple Watch Magnetic Fast Charging USB-C Cable. Testing conducted by Apple in August 2022 using preproduction Apple Watch Series 8 (GPS) and Apple Watch Series 8 (GPS + Cellular), each paired with an iPhone; all devices tested with prerelease software, Apple Watch Magnetic Fast Charging USB-C Cable (Model A2515), and Apple 20W USB-C Power Adapter (Model A2305). Charge time varies with region, settings, and environmental factors; actual results will vary. It is quite annoying having to always the remember the proprietary Apple Watch charger though and it feels like Apple should have, by now, come up with a simpler solution. AirPower – a charging mate that’d juice up AirPods, iPhones and Apple Watch simultaneously – seemed like the solution, but has yet to materialise. Why buy the Apple Watch 4?

Apple Watch Ultra 2 has a water resistance rating of 100 metres under ISO standard 22810. It may be used for recreational scuba diving (with compatible third-party app from the App Store) to 40 metres and high-speed water sports. Apple Watch Ultra 2 should not be used for diving below 40 metres. Water resistance is not a permanent condition and can diminish over time. For additional information, see support.apple.com/en‑gb/HT205000. Siri’s skills are also built into its own watch face. The Siri face debuted on WatchOS 4 and has received a boost this time around with some ‘machine learning’ skills. Supposedly it’s meant to throw things like music playlists and directions into the stream of cards, but i’ve found it’s still rather useless. Unless you like your watch being taken over by a random picture you took last year, that is. The improved performance also helps Siri react faster, and considering the slightly dodgy voice-assistant is still a big play here, that’s a bonus. Siri can be initiated by either holding down the Digital Crown or raising the watch and saying, “Ok, Siri.” It’s a masterful combination of design; genuinely useful features and an impressive ecosystem. Apple’s ability to push categories like phones and laptop forward has diminished over recent years, but this wearable is so far ahead of competitors such as the Samsung Galaxy Watch and Wear OS releases from Fossil that it almost seems unfair.

Apple Watch Ultra 2, Apple Watch Series 9, and Apple Watch SE require iPhone Xs or later with iOS 17 or later. Irregular rhythm notification requires the latest version of watchOS and iOS. It is not intended for use by people under 22 years old or those who have been previously diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AFib).

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Apple Watch Ultra 2, Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch SE require iPhone Xs or later with iOS 17 or later. Apple added music streaming earlier this year via Apple Music. It's limited to playlists you create on your phone beforehand, but watchOS 5 brings a Podcast app, for greater media options for anyone looking for a truly standalone wearable. Apple Goes All-In on Health Charge times are from 0–80% and 0–100% using the included Apple Watch Magnetic Fast Charging USB‑C Cable. Testing conducted by Apple in August 2023 using pre‑production Apple Watch Ultra 2 (GPS + Cellular) paired with iPhone; all devices tested with pre‑release software, Apple Watch Magnetic Fast Charging USB‑C Cable (Model A2515) and Apple 20W USB‑C Power Adapter (Model A2305). Charge time varies with region, settings and environmental factors; actual results will vary. Heart rate monitoring also proved accurate in testing, but this is somewhat misleading. During the controlled treadmill tests, the Apple Watch was always within five to 10 beats per minute of a Polar H10 chest strap, which is great. For resting heart rate, however, the watch's battery doesn't last long enough to wear it to sleep, which you need for an accurate assessment of your resting heart rate. Because of this, the Apple Watch reported my resting heart rate as 67bpm, compared with the 60bpm offered by the Fitbit Versa, which I was able to wear to sleep. More passively, you also get notifications if your heart rate is too low or too high while at rest. This is a more precautionary feature, and since I'm in relatively good health, I never received a warning.

Apple Watch Series 1 has a water resistance rating of IPX7 under IEC standard 60529. Apple Watch Series 1 is splash and water resistant, but submerging it is not recommended.Apple Watch SE has a water resistance rating of 50 meters under ISO standard 22810:2010. This means that it may be used for shallow-water activities like swimming in a pool or ocean. Apple Watch SE should not be used for scuba diving, waterskiing, or other activities involving high-velocity water or submersion below shallow depth. Water resistance is not a permanent condition and can diminish over time. For additional information see support.apple.com/en-us/HT205000. All models of the Apple Watch Series 4 remain water-resistant to 50m and will survive a dunk in sea water, too. These models use the same water-ejection method as the Series 2 and Series 3, where it will play a specific tone to eject water from the speaker. Screen and speaker The Watch 4 also comes with an alert system if your heart rate goes too low or high: should your heart rate spike or fall hard for no reason for a long enough period (around 10 minutes) you'll get an alert telling you all is not well, and maybe you should see a physician. Apple Watch Series 3 and Series 4 have a water resistance rating of 50 meters under ISO standard 22810:2010. This means that they may be used for shallow-water activities like swimming in a pool or ocean. However, they should not be used for scuba diving, waterskiing, or other activities involving high-velocity water or submersion below shallow depth. The basis of this Activity app is three rings, each of which you’re encouraged to fill up during the day. One is Movement, another Exercise and the final, Stand. When you first set-up the Apple Watch you’ll be prompted to enter some basic details – gender, height, weight etc – and then it’ll give you suggested targets for each, You can, of course, alter these manually afterwards. As an example, I selected 800 calories burned in movement, 30 minutes exercise and to stand at least once every hour throughout the day. There’s still no way to include flights of stairs climbed as part of your daily goal, something Richard Easton requested in his Apple Watch 3 review.