I sincerely believe that this is a game-changer for watches/fitness trackers.

Apple link: https://www.apple.com/apple-watch-series-4/

An early take on it: https://qz.com/1388329/apple-event-a...-game-changer/

“As my colleague Dave Gershgorn noted earlier, the new Apple Watch will know more about your heart health at any given moment than your doctor. The new sensing technology, paired with the existing heart-rate monitor, has the ability to detect if you have a too-fast or too-slow heart rate, and an irregular heartbeat like atrial fibrillation. The new device even has the ability to work out if you’ve fallen and need medical assistance, calling emergency services unless you tell it not to. (Companies like LifeAlert in the US have made this a business for years.)

Apple is positioning its Apple Watch not as a nice-to-have device, but one that could soon become a necessity for many across the world.

The Series 4 takes things a lot further, becoming the first product of its kind to include a built-in electrocardiogram (ECG) monitor. Apple worked with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to get the device approved for sale in the US, and is working to do so in other countries.”

Another link: https://www.zdnet.com/article/apple-...health-clouds/

Apple Watch is #1 watchmaker in the world...and it looks like it may match ALL of Swiss combined: https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/13/new-...ss-market.html

I have a pretty chill mechanical watch, but this is something I would consider buying... Never had any real interest in the previous generations.

I have an old Apple Watch from 3+ years ago. Battery life not the best due to age. And actually, i was not sure if i would get the new one because i had plan on buying a fancy Rolex from my brother (Sea Dweller).

But damn, the new Series 4 has a mother-f**king FDA-approved medical-grade single lead ECG!!!! Occasionally, i have skip beats on my heart, but when i do ECG at doctor’s office, i am fine then (no symptoms)! So, it is impossible to catch it. With this, i know that the Watch can screen for Atrial fibrillation in the background 24 hours / 7 days a week. And if i have symptoms, then voila! I can do instant ECG that is then recorded into Health app to show my doctor OR i can even read it myself!

Then you add in fall detection for elderly and other “regular” smartwatch stuff. It is a freaking game changer! I cannot say that enough.

Its the medical device capability that caught my attention as well... it's like Life Alert for the new age.

I for one, will be upgrading.

Which model?

I am still debating to get it tonight (pre-order) or wait later when it appears on eBay (to avoid tax).

I am thinking of this model: https://www.apple.com/shop/buy-watch...A&step=detail#

No LTE/cellular. Don’t want to $100 extra for that and then $10/mo extra with my carrier.

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BTW, i read that FALL DETECTION is only for older folks, age > 65 or something. Because Apple does not want it to turn on when you do sports or breakdancing etc..

That is the same one i was thinking of getting, but i went with the aluminum case on my series 2, and it did not have the saffire crystal, i have a few scatches in it. I have not seen what the glass or crystal is on the 4.

Crap, now that got me thinking!

Here is a good link to all the models and their prices: https://www.macrumors.com/2018/09/13...-4-collection/

Alum Series 4 has the Ion glass just like your Series 2...but i am not sure if Appl has improved it or not. But no sapphire. Sapphire ONLY on SS models.

It looks like the SS models are with gps & cell. And more $$$$

Jony Ive on Series 4: https://www.washingtonpost.com/techn...=.8e6d2fbe225d

Link: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/ap...ead-2018-09-13

IMPORTANT (if true):

Apple submitted to the FDA a study that included 588 individuals, according to an agency spokesperson. The ECG feature positively identified 98.3% of individuals with atrial fibrillation, and correctly identified 99.6% of the individuals that didn’t have atrial fibrillation, the spokesperson said; about nine out of 10 of the ECG recordings could be interpreted by a cardiologist.

Results for the other watch feature (using optical heart sensor, NOT ECG mode) found that of 226 participants for whom the watch indicated irregular rhythm, about 41.6% were determined, when tracked for an average of six days, to have atrial fibrillation as measured by an ambulatory cardiac monitor. When atrial-fibrillation notifications were seen on the watch during the monitoring period, the proportion of individuals who had the same reading on the cardiac monitor was 78.9%, according to the FDA.

@thai, what do you think of the new phone lineup? I'm currently on a 6s and was thinking of upgrading this year. Debating between the XS and the XR. On paper it looks like the XR is more than enough for what I'm looking for. Which is a phone that just works and synchs easily with my home computers. As well as having some waterproof capabilities. I'm not a phone gamer, nor do I watch much on it. As well as I have a multitude of other cameras at my disposal and don't feel I would need the twin camera feature.

Any reason to argue the XS? Sorry for the tangent to the actual topic.

*addition* one big plus of the XS is the size. I don't want a big phone and it being the smallest of the three is very appealing.

Good article from health professional on what Series 4 can offer: https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/13/opini...vox/index.html