When the first Apple Watch debuted in 2015, it changed the worlds of wearable tech and health and wellness forever. Now, the smartwatch lineup, which is on its third and fourth generations, includes the Apple Watch Series 3 and the Series 4, released in 2017, and 2018, respectively. If you’ve been eyeing the sleek and health-focused wearable for a while now, but aren’t sure which version to purchase, here’s how you can decide.
Apple Watch Series 3 & Series 4:
While the two generations of watches do differ slightly, here’s what you can expect from both currently available versions.
Both the Series 3 and the Series 4 watches are available in GPS-only or in GPS + Cellular models, and are packed with so many features that your workouts, connectivity, and regular routine will be transformed. You can answer calls, send iMessages, receive calendar alerts and notifications from countless compatible apps.
Take the three rings, one goal, functionality, for instance. Both watches feature the Stand, Move, and Exercise rings that will monitor and measure your movement throughout the day, giving you daily goals that track how often you stand and sit, how many calories you’ve burned, and how many minutes you’ve exercised during each 24-hour period. Compete with your friends and family, or set up alerts that’ll ping you when it’s time to stand or move.
Activity tracking, which lets you choose the workout you’re doing to properly measure the intensity of the movement includes yoga, cycling, swimming (the Watch is also water resistant up to 50 meters), running, and high-intensity interval training. You can pair the watch directly with headphones (like the wireless Apple Airpods), stream podcasts or music, and measure every step and rep for maximum training.
Both generations of the watch also include Apple’s built-in heart rate tracking, which monitors and alerts you when a low heart rate has been detected, all the while also scanning for any irregularities with your heart rhythm that might be a sign of possible atrial fibrillation. In cases of emergency, an in-unit “Emergency SOS” system allows you to directly call for help and assistance.
Apple Watch Series 3:
Along with all of the above-mentioned features, the Apple Watch Series 3 (in both GPS and GPS + Cellular models) boasts a S3 dual-core processor, and is available in both 38mm and 42mm sizes and silver and space grey faces.
Starting at , and up to , the Series 3 also comes with a magnetic charging cable and USB power adapter, and comes with a one-year warranty.
Apple Watch Series 4:
In a major upgrade from the previous version, the Apple Watch Series 4 was announced in September 2018, and includes a redesigned and re-engineered body that’s even more intuitive.
The larger, all-new display includes narrower borders that allow for a 30 percent larger viewing area. A new display technology (named LTPO) has boosted the watch’s battery, so a single charge can last you even longer than before — up to 18 hours on one charge.
The bigger size of the screen — which can fit up to eight complications at once — lets information reach the far corners and edges of the display, maximizing its size even further. The Digital Crown (the rotating wheel scroll on the right side of the watch’s face) has been upgraded, incorporating haptic feedback that gives you a far more precise scroll.
An upgraded speaker is 50 percent louder, giving you improved sound for phone calls and other voice interactions, including those with Siri. A changed microphone location cuts down on the echo effect and gives for clearer sound during calls.
A processor update (now to the S4) is nearly twice as fast as the S3 processor of the Series 3, which means your apps power up and receive information that much quicker.
As for the health features — the most talked-about upgrade — they’re staying focused on your heart. The Series 4 screens your heart rhythm continuously, checking for an irregular rhythm that could signal atrial fibrillation. It also monitors for a low heart rate, which could point to a more serious heart condition. It also works with the ECG app to spot your heart’s electrical signals — via the Digital Crown’s built-in electrodes — to complete an electrocardiogram, a first for customers.
The Series 4 also includes fall detection using an accelerometer and gyroscope that recognize hard falls, which can then prompt an immediate emergency call if it’s noticed no movement for one minute.
Starting at and up to , the Series 4 is available in 40mm or 44mm sizes, comes in GPS or GPS + Cellular, and is available in gold aluminum, gold stainless steel, silver aluminum, space black stainless steel, space gray aluminum, or stainless steel colors.
Choosing your watch:
Choose your size, functionality, band, and color, and stay active, healthy, and connected. Check out our entire collection of Series 3 and Series 4 Apple Watches, available now on Adorama.com.
