The Apple Watch Series 4 remains an excellent swimming device, but since I couldn’t go to the beach with it (there wasn’t time), I took it for a shower. Preparing the new watch for a dip is unchanged in watch OS 5. I swipe up from the bottom of the screen, select the water drop icon and I’m ready to flow…er…go. The only noticeable difference is when I used the sonic feature to expel any water that might be sitting in front of the speaker. Now, the newly haptic crown gives a little clicking feedback as I spin it and the audio output is, well, 50% louder as the watch expels the water.

Lookout

There is another new feature that I enabled but, fortunately did not have to use: Fall detection. As the name implies, the Apple Watch Series 4 can use its accelerometer and gyroscope to detect motion consistent with a fall. It’s not on by default, you have to enable it in the Apple Watch app on your iPhone.

If the feature is on and the Watch does detect a fall, it’ll tap your wrist with a notification. If you don’t respond by tapping the screen within a minute to indicate that you’re okay, the watch can automatically call emergency services and then move on to contacting your emergency contacts.

Sorry, but I did not force a fall to test this, but I’m certain we’ll soon be hearing stories of the Apple Watch Series 4 saving Grandpa Lou who fell and couldn’t get up.

Battery Life and Bottom line

I’ve always been pleased with Apple Watch battery life and I’m no less enthusiastic about the performance of the Apple Watch Series 4 which has a more power-sipping screen technology. I got a solid 24 hours of use on a single charge (with brightness set, by default, to low). Your mileage will vary depending on whether you use Wi-Fi and Cellular to make calls and stream music.

Obviously, I’ve reviewed my version of the Apple Watch Series 4, which may look quite unlike the one you’re eyeballing. It could be a more affordable and smaller model. Maybe it doesn’t have cell-service. It could be any number of colors or finishes and accompanied by a dizzying array of band choices. This is, after all, as much a fashion statement as it is a cutting-edge technology one. I’m still dreaming of the day Apple makes a $199 composite model, but for now, there is no better wearable melding of technology, innovation, design, and fashion sense than the Apple Watch Series 4.