Being the spoiled Apple fanboy that I am, I decided that I definitely needed a new Apple Watch just so I could write this article. I opted for the Nike+ Series 4 Apple Watch and got it this week. I set it up and it was pretty easy to move my cellular number from my old Apple Watch and get working. One of the new features that I will talk about a bit is the fall detection. I figured “why not” and set it up but soon discovered that whenever Jezebel would come over to ask for a treat she would “slap” my on my arm and it would trigger the fall detection and ask me whether I needed to call 911. I guess that feature will have to wait for me!
Now, I am not a runner, but I like the looks of the new reflective sports loop so I got the Nike+. I also want to support Nike because they supported Colin Kaepernick and his non-violent social protest. If you ARE a runner, the Apple Watch Nike+ is the ultimate companion —from novice to marathoner. With the larger display on the Series 4, it’s easier than ever to view your stats on the go. Apple Watch Nike+ lets you sync and listen to your favorites on Apple Music and Apple Podcasts, challenge friends to head-to-head competitions, and train with advanced running features like cadence. With water resistance to 50 meters, a barometric altimeter, and watchOS 5 features like automatic workout detection, the perfect running partner just got better.
The Series 4 Apple Watch is available in either 40 or 44mm size and requires an iPhone 5s or later. The display is over 30 percent larger, but the case is thinner and smaller in volume than Apple Watch Series 3. To take advantage of the new display, the entire interface has been redesigned to provide more information with richer detail, and new watch faces allow you to see and do more at a glance. At first, it seemed to me that the watch was a bit bigger but after wearing it for a week I am totally used to the size and the larger display.
The digital crown does seem to have a more mechanical feel and does provide haptic feedback. Also the little red ring that indicates my watch is a cellular version is a much more subtle shade of red.
Using the Dick Tracy feature – I mean, using your Apple Watch to make a phone call has improved, too! there is a 50 percent louder speaker for phone calls, Siri, and other voice interactions and a new mic location that reduces echo for even clearer phone calls. I have found this to be the case when using the watch by itself and taking calls.
Is it faster? Yes, the 64-bit dual-core CPU and new GPU are up to twice as fast as the Series 3, so apps launch and react much faster.
I haven’t been able to test the new ECG function that is truly ground breaking technology because it is not available yet, even with my developer version of WatchOS 5. Electrodes built into the Digital Crown and the back crystal will work together with the ECG app to read your heart’s electrical signals and generate the first electrocardiogram on your wrist. Coming to a wrist near you this year! FDA-cleared irregular rhythm notifications screen your heart rhythm in the background and alert you to irregular rhythms that appear to be atrial fibrillation. New notifications will also alert you to a low heart rate, which could be a sign of something more serious.
The improved accelerometer and gyroscope enable the Apple Watch to detect hard falls. Hard fall alerts can initiate a call to emergency services and send a message with your location to emergency contacts if you’re immobile for one minute or longer. The first time Jezebel slapped my on my wrist I felt the haptic feedback of the fall detection but I was on the phone and ignored it. But this feedback kept on and when I looked my Watch was about to call 911! I stopped it in enough time, but it was a learning experience. I recall when my mom had issues with falling and we got her a subscription to “Lifeline”. She wore a necklace that could to alert someone at the company if she could not get up. The Apple Watch now can replace that expensive device and make that emergency call for you. But if you have a persistent dog trying to get your attention you might want to turn it off.
WatchOS 5 adds a number of new features. You can use Activity Sharing with friends to challenge each other to seven-day competitions, and see who can close their rings most often. Automatic workout detection will alert you to start or stop a workout, so you get credit for all your exercise. The new yoga and hiking workouts have specialized metrics, too.
With WatchOS 5 you can automatically sync curated Apple Music playlists when you have signal. Walkie-Talkie is a new, simple way to communicate one-on-one with anyone who has Apple Watch Series 1 or later. I found that really handy when I was doing the thermostat project with Grace. She was upstairs and I was in the cellar and we could communicate clearly and easily using walkie-talkie. Joanne down in Key West also uses Walkie-Talkie to communicate with me in Vermont.
The Siri watch face now proactively suggests content and shortcuts from built-in and third-party apps at the right time and place throughout the day. The new Breathe watch face guides you through a series of deep breaths, and the Fire and Water, Vapor, and Liquid Metal faces react uniquely with the edges of the new display.
The Nike + sports loop band has special reflective thread designed to illuminate when light strikes it. All previous watch bands will fit the new Series 4 Apple Watches. So, what else makes the Nike + Apple Watch different?
Nike watch faces are bold, custom faces that take advantage of the larger display, extending all the way to the rounded corners and edges. You can launch the Nike Run Club app directly by tapping its watch face complication. The Nike Run Club app has improved, too with a new Audio Guided Run every week with a guest coach and curated soundtrack and new custom cheers keep you motivated. (No, I have not tried this!)
The new Nike Training Club app has over 180 free workouts, from strength and endurance to mobility and yoga, featuring world-class Nike Master Trainers and elite Nike athletes. After you start a NTC workout on your iPhone, you can check your Apple Watch to easily see the time or reps remaining on a drill, monitor your heart rate, calories, and other exercise statistics and even get haptic prompts that signal the beginning of the next drill. You can set notifications for how many minutes you need to close your Exercise ring and
new badges mark your achievements.
Whether you are an athlete or not there are plenty of extras for the Nike + Apple Watch to give it some consideration, especially since it is the same price as the regular Series 4 Apple Watch. I love it and can’t wait to try out the ECG function when that is available.