Apple Watch Series 5 rumor review: price, release date, and new features

by Milen Yanachkov / Aug 19, 2019, 2:07 AM

Apple Watch Series 5 rumor review: price, release date, and new features

The Apple Watch Series 4 is one of the best smartwatches around, and for good reasons. Although it wasn't a radical departure from its predecessors in terms of design, it introduced a sleeker profile combined with a considerably larger display. But aside from this, its biggest stand-out feature is arguably the built-in ECG (electrocardiogram) monitor. Its been making headlines, and though its currently available only in the US, it is hands-down one of the most prospective new features that the Series 4 introduced. It is important not only for Apple, but for the wearables industry as a whole, as personal health monitoring devices prove time and time again to be literal life-savers.

That said, the Apple Watch is still not a perfect. For the handful of innovative features that it introduced, it still lacks in some areas where the competition does better. One of those is sleep tracking, and if recent rumors are to be believed, Apple has been working on it for quite some time now to get it ready in time for the Apple Watch Series 5. But it's not the only new thing coming to the Series 5. Here's a breakdown of what we know about Apple's 2019 smartwatch.

Apple Watch Series 5 design

A new leak suggests that the Apple Watch Series 5 will be available in ceramic and titanium versions

image source: iHelp BR

While the first three generations of Apple Watches had virtually identical designs, the Series 4 changed things up a bit with its bigger, flatter display. Now, if you haven't actually owned one of the previous models and then switched to the Series 4, we wouldn't blame you for not noticing the change. Series 5 won't be a radical design transformation, either. In fact, according to reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the Apple Watch Series 5 will be pretty much identical to its predecessor in terms of design, and instead focus on internal changes and improvements.

With every release of a new Apple Watch model, there's a bunch of people asking, "will there be a version with a round display?" This year is no exception. The answer is, "no, the Apple Watch Series 5 won't have a round display." Apple firmly believes in the rectangular shape of its smartwatch and won't deviate from it in the near future. Not to spite those who want round smartwatches, but because the user interface has been designed to work on a rectangular display. We wouldn't rule out the possibility of this happening in the future, just not this year.

A new way to interact with the Apple Watch

image source: Inverse

Apple's watchOS is intuitive and relatively hassle-free to interact with, so far as swiping at a 1.7-inch screen with your finger goes. The digital crown and button will likely remain on the Apple Watch Series 5, further helping with the small screen. However, Apple is heavily rumored to be working on motion gestures for the Series 5 to complement and improve the user experience.

Recently published Apple patent filings reveal that the company may be working on a gesture interface that harnesses the motion-sensing technology inside the Apple Watch to allow users to more easily interact with the interface. Some of the use case scenarios outlined in the patent include flicking your wrist to scroll through messages (or other on-screen items) and clenching your fist for a few seconds to answer an incoming call.

Ironically, smartwatches are at their best when there's as little direct interaction between them and the user. Apple seems to be realizing this, and with Google also reportedly working on a simplified motion-control gesture interface for Wear OS, this only makes sense.

Sleep tracking and new health features

The Apple Watch Series 4 may have blazed some trails (in the smartwatch space, at least) with its ECG monitor and fall detection features, but in some areas, it's been lagging behind the competition. We're talking about sleep monitoring – a feature that has been available even on low-cost activity trackers for years and is one of the most widely used functions of such devices. Most recent smartwatches, including the Samsung Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Watch Active, offer some sort of sleep tracking, so it's rather strange to not have it on the world's best-selling line of wearable gadgets. Yes, there are third-party sleep monitoring apps for the Apple Watch, but it's time for Apple to just build it into watchOS.

Fortunately, the Watch Series 5 may come with this functionality built-in. According to a recent Bloomberg report, Apple will be ready to implement sleep monitoring "by 2020," which turns this and next year's Watch models into likely candidates for the debut. We've got our fingers crossed for the feature to launch alongside the Series 5, though, as it would really help it be an all-around great personal health monitoring device.

Apple Watch Series 5 price and release date

The Wi-Fi-only version of the Apple Watch Series 4 (40mm) is priced at $399, while the 44mm model goes for $429. The Wi-Fi + cellular versions, on the other hand, are sold for $499 and $529 for the 40mm and 44mm variants, respectively. The Apple Watch Series 5 could be priced similarly, although if many of the rumored hardware improvements come to fruition, we may be looking at slightly higher price tag for this years' models.

Choosing the larger version, or one of the different combinations of straps and materials available, would increase the price. In fact, some of the Series 4 "Editions" are currently going for $1299.

As to when the Series 5 is expected to be unveiled, well, judging by the release dates for previous generations of the Apple Watch, we're likely looking mid-September reveal.

Apple Watch: 24 Apr. 2015
Apple Watch Series 1 and Series 2: 16 Sept. 2016
Apple Watch Series 3: 22 Sept. 2017
Apple Watch Series 4: 12 Sept. 2018
Apple Watch Series 5: 10 Sept. 2019

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12 Comments

1. Mike88

Posts: 438; Member since: Mar 05, 2019

I love my apple watch series 4,, the only missing feature which I already had in Gear S2 is always on display...just bring it

posted on Mar 22, 2019, 5:54 AM 1

8. Foxgabanna unregistered

Why would you need always on when it wakes up the instant you flick your wrist to look at it?

posted on Mar 23, 2019, 11:45 AM 1

9. Cat97

Posts: 1981; Member since: Mar 02, 2017

Because it eliminates the need to flick your wrist, and thus it works like a watch is supposed to work.

posted on Mar 24, 2019, 4:40 PM 4

2. drunkenjay

Posts: 1702; Member since: Feb 11, 2013

apple watch is the best watch out there but the only downside is the battery.

posted on Mar 22, 2019, 6:00 AM 0

3. adecvat

Posts: 658; Member since: Nov 15, 2013

September reveal. Yeah, let's write about it on march.

posted on Mar 22, 2019, 6:10 AM 0

4. iloveapps

Posts: 909; Member since: Mar 21, 2019

I love my series 4 and it needs sleep tracking for the next iteration

posted on Mar 22, 2019, 7:10 AM 0

6. slashas

Posts: 146; Member since: Jul 17, 2017

If it will be as good as AutoSleep then yes, but at the moment this one app is deal breaker, works like charm and worth every dollar ;)

posted on Mar 22, 2019, 9:35 AM 0

5. darkkjedii

Posts: 31623; Member since: Feb 05, 2011

Probably won't be a design change. Just put in more good features, the series 4 is a homerun.

posted on Mar 22, 2019, 7:29 AM 0

7. watersforfishes

Posts: 4; Member since: Jan 09, 2019

hmmmmmm

posted on Mar 22, 2019, 2:23 PM 0

10. Cat97

Hey, why have sleep monitoring during the period in which you can't interact with your beautiful gadget and admire it ? :) I suppose the Series 5 will still have "the same great 18-hour battery life" while Samsung's watches will just pass a week without needing a charge.

posted on Mar 24, 2019, 4:45 PM 0

13. surethom

Posts: 1730; Member since: Mar 04, 2009

Sleep tracking is what i have been waiting for, miss that from the samsung fit.

posted on Aug 19, 2019, 5:25 AM 0

15. thxultra

Posts: 473; Member since: Oct 16, 2014

Wish they would make it work with Android phones. The Samsung gear isn't even close to the apple watch. Would love to get rid of my gear and have a apple watch work with my Android phone.