Dieter Bohn voor The VergeWhat I can tell you is this: the Apple Watch has earned its place as the best-selling watch. It’s at least an order of magnitude better than other smartwatches and fitness trackers. Nearly everything it is designed to do, it does very well. It’s not yet a general purpose computer for your wrist, but, thankfully, Apple isn’t aiming for that anymore. The Watch is for doing little bite-sized versions of phone things like texting and listening to music, it’s for fitness, and it’s for health monitoring.
Vanessa Hand Orellana voor CnetIt's not often that the announcement of a new iPhone -- let alone three of them -- is overshadowed. But by the end of Apple's big fall hardware event on Sept. 12, it seemed like the new Apple Watch Series 4 had stolen the show.Four years and five versions since its September 2014 unveiling, the Apple Watch isn't just among the best-selling smartwatches, it's said to be the top-selling watch brand, period. And for 2018, the company is leaning in to that success with its first big redesign to date. The Series 4 boasts a thinner body, a bigger screen, a faster processor and -- on the high-end model -- a stronger LTE signal, so you can leave the iPhone at home on those early-morning runs.
Scott Rosenfield voor WiredIf you're coming from a Series 3, the choice is more difficult. The Series 4 is undoubtedly the better device. And if you care about fall detection, the ECG app, or a larger screen then upgrading makes sense. But I think most people will remain satisfied with their Series 3s. That’s not a knock on what Apple has achieved here—it’s a testament to how good the Apple Watch has become.
Edward C. Baig voor USA TodayThose of you who buy Series 4 will appreciate its larger display, louder speaker and such. But Apple has been pushing the new watch as a guardian for your health and that is arguably the most important reason to buy it. Even if your goal is never to have to use those features.
Todd Haselton voor CNBCIf you own an Apple Watch Series 1 or Series 2 and like it and wear it daily, then go for the Apple Watch Series 4. It's a good upgrade, you'll love the bigger screen and newer health tracking features. It'll feel a lot faster, too, since the processor has been upgraded significantly. If you don't care about bells and whistles at all, and just want to track steps, then get something more affordable.
Brian Heater voor TechCrunchThe Series 4 isn’t the kind of refresh that justifies upgrading from the last generation, especially given the $399 and $499 starting prices for the standard and LTE models, respectively. But there’s certainly enough here to keep the Apple Watch at the top of the smartwatch heap. The addition of serious health features like ECG and fall detection further lay the groundwork for a what the device — and category — will become, going forward.
Gareth Beavis voor TechRadarIf you don’t have an Apple Music subscription or loads of downloaded MP3s, we’d suggest you think long and hard about buying this Watch if you’re considering using it as an exercise tool. If you’re just going to be streaming Spotify off your phone, then it’s fine, but the Apple Watch series is working better and better without a phone connection, and Apple Music is a big bonus in that, as it syncs across so well. As a gift for a loved one though, it’s excellent - and the larger size, snappier performance and health pushes are nice upgrades to an already decent smartwatch.
Brian X. Chen voor The New York TimesWhile the Apple Watch Series 4 is a solid piece of technology and another step toward the maturity of wearable computers, I wouldn’t recommend it for people who are considering a smart watch for the first time. Here’s why: $399 is a stiff price to pay for a gadget with lightweight utility. Fortunately, Apple is selling its older Series 3 watch, which I rated as a great product last year, for $279.
Stephen Pulvirent voor HodinkeeFor now though, the Apple Watch Series 4 truly is, as Apple is fond of saying, the best Apple Watch yet. It's a mature expression of what the Apple Watch can be, taking the next steps on the path set out by Apple over the last four years and showing us early glimpses of where it might go in the future. So whether you're someone still wandering around with a naked wrist, checking the time by pulling out your phones like it's a new-age pocket watch, or a die-hard watch collector who can't imagine giving up their mechanical marvels, I think it's high time you give the Apple Watch a shot.
John Gruber voor Daring FireballI would argue that the landmark iPhone models were the original, the iPhone 4, the iPhone 6, and the iPhone X. It’s kind of interesting to me how the Apple Watch’s evolution has paralleled the iPhone’s. A first-generation model like nothing seen before, good enough to change an entire industry but deeply flawed in certain obvious ways. Second and third generation models that simply address those obvious flaws. And then a fourth generation model that takes things to an altogether new level, particularly pertaining to the display and the physical case of the device.
Laten we de platformenkwestie even buiten beschouwing, dan is de grootste concurrent van de nieuwe Apple Watch Series 4 wellicht nog de nieuwe Samsung Galaxy Watch, die enerzijds een langere accuduur, slaaptracking en een rond design biedt, maar anderzijds in vergelijk nogal log overkomt, waarbij de app-selectie op Tizen tegenvalt en het geheugen met 4 GB uiterst beperkt is.Daarmee heeft Apple op dit moment misschien een van de prijzigste, maar ook een van de beste smartwatches op de markt - zo niet de beste, mits je het niet erg vindt hem wat vaker aan de lader te leggen. We belonen hem derhalve met een Hardware.Info Ultimate Award.