Our clearest look yet at the Apple Watch Series 4

With all of this information on our hands, we decided to take a closer look at the Apple Watch Series 4 and how it's going to differ from previous models. Will it be different enough? Will it be better and how? Let's have a look.

The Apple Watch Series 4 will have about 15 percent more screen real estate than previous models and boast thin bezels with rounded corners, in the style of the iPhone X. But aside from the increased display area, the resolution of the Apple Watch Series 4 is also expected to see a bump – from the current 312 x 390, up to 384 x 480. This is confirmed by recently uncovered code in the watchOS beta 5, which mentions a density of 345 pixels per inch (up from the current 303ppi).

This means higher resolution images on the slightly bigger display, but it also means that many apps may have to go through rather serious interface changes to accommodate for the change.

The recently-leaked press render of the Apple Watch Series 4 offers interesting insight about the device's hardware controls – the Digital Crown and the Side button. The crown seems to be more deeply embedded into the body of the watch and its opening seems to be of a different shape. Aside from this, the Side button looks quite a bit flatter and less clicky, if that makes any sense. This actually isn't a solely a design change, but rather the result of Apple moving onto solid-state controls for the Apple Watch Series 4.

Solid-state means that the button doesn't actually press in, but the feeling of pressing it is simulated by Apple's Taptic Engine, much like it is with the home buttons on iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 models. As for the Crown, it still physically rotates (thankfully), but the physical gap between it and the device's housing has been eliminated, thus allowing for better, more reliable waterproofing.

The lack of moving parts likely means more room inside the watch, which is needed to accommodate for the larger screen, and the bigger battery that will reportedly power the new Apple Watch.

All current Apple Watch bands and straps will be compatible with the new version. This likely means that the Apple Watch Series 4 will be available in two sizes — 38mm and 42mm — much like the older models. There were rumors earlier in the year claiming that Apple may introduce an even bigger timepiece in 2018, and though this isn't completely out of the question, it's pretty much certain at this point that it will also be available in 38mm and 42mm.

This is good news for everyone who's looking to upgrade to the Apple Watch Series 4, but wants to hold on to their current straps. That's especially important, considering Apple's official bands are not the cheapest around.

On the other hand, this also likely means no smart straps. Apple was rumored to be looking into smart bands for its future wearables, and was even granted a number of patents, but it seems like this idea won't materialize in 2018. Smart straps could, for example, be used to house different hardware components, such as a secondary battery or a camera, that would add new features to the Apple Watch, without increasing its size. Unfortunately, as this would require special connectors on the device itself, the Apple Watch Series 4 may miss out on this innovative feature. Next year, however, we may finally see the idea come to fruition.