Soldato
The series 4 was the big watch update, can’t see this year being much more than an incremental update.
*** The official Apple September Event Thread - Tuesday 10th September 2019 ***
- Thread starter b0rn2sk8
- Start date
Soldato
What I fear also. It was great that the health features (ECG) that were banned in Europe worked if you bought a US version. If there are some more features that will need to wait for approval in Europe I may pick one up in the US in November. However I have not seen any notable rumours for this yet so it does seem there won’t be any major updates.
Commissario
I thought the ECG works in the UK now?
Soldato
It does. If you had a watch from the US it started working in the UK when it updated to work in the US (before the UK was activated). It is likely this will occur again if there is another medical feature that needs approval here.
Soldato
About time ECG was enabled, a great deal of amazing work was done by some very smart people on that feature.
It does
It has been enabled in the EU since March 27th on all EU S4 watches.
https://www.apple.com/uk/newsroom/2...-available-today-across-europe-and-hong-kong/
Soldato
Surely they'll just use a 5G modem and that's that? Doesn't seem like they need to have a separate iPhone for it etc
Soldato
That depends if they can integrate the antennae for the new microwave bands used for 5G into the existing radio architecture or if they have to start over. The detune/desense issues are going to be fun to overcome, especially since the head radio boy left earlier in the year.
Soldato
But my point is, seems strange that Apple would dedicate a single model to 5G; it's generally not their style
I think it's less of a case of having a 5G iPhone, and more "will the 2019 iPhones support 5G", and I would be quite surprised if they don't 
2020 model may also have 120hz display.
https://www.macrumors.com/2019/07/22/2020-iphones-could-feature-fast-120hz-pro-motion-displays/
https://www.macrumors.com/2019/07/22/2020-iphones-could-feature-fast-120hz-pro-motion-displays/
Soldato
But my point is, seems strange that Apple would dedicate a single model to 5G; it's generally not their style
Not really. They still have regional variants supporting different technologies and frequency bands as you can’t fit ‘em all in phone.
No idea whose 5G chipset Apple will use unless they’ve kissed and made up with Qualcomm. The RFFE of the Intel chipsets left a lot to be desired for 3 and 4G, let alone 5G.
Don’t forget that there were US versions of the iPhone were CDMA + GSM only devices whilst the Rest of World versions were WCDMA + GSM.
They kissed paid and made up with Qualcom a few months ago but 5G was never on the cards for this round of iPhones.
5G isn't really a thing in Apples biggest markets (America and Europe) and won't be for at least a year. Aside from the fact there are limited masts right now, it will take years to get the same kind of coverage 4G currently has. You are unlikely to see the benefit of 5G as an individual unless you attach your phone to an outdoor antenna because it doesn't go through walls due to the high frequencies that are being utilised in the initial launch.
I go get that people will want the tech in their phones for when 5G is a thing but do you really want a Gen1 5G hardware in an Apple device? There currently isn't a combined 2/3/4G and 5G modem chips, 5G needs additional chips and antenna to work. 5G also needs more power to receive a signal from the network. Phones are either bigger or have less battery, I don't think Apple could get Gen1 5G in their current form factor without making major sacrifices.
The hype around 5G is huge but there are lots of reasons why 5G in 2019 will be nothing to get excited about:
https://www.trustedreviews.com/news/dont-buy-5g-phone-yet-3764526
https://www.forbes.com/sites/annato...hand-set-and-why-its-not-worth-upgrading-yet/
https://www.androidauthority.com/dont-fall-5g-hype-896610/
https://www.wired.co.uk/article/5g-phones-uk
I'm not against 5G, its an amazing technology but there is absolutely nothing to get excited about in 2019 in the UK.
5G isn't really a thing in Apples biggest markets (America and Europe) and won't be for at least a year. Aside from the fact there are limited masts right now, it will take years to get the same kind of coverage 4G currently has. You are unlikely to see the benefit of 5G as an individual unless you attach your phone to an outdoor antenna because it doesn't go through walls due to the high frequencies that are being utilised in the initial launch.
I go get that people will want the tech in their phones for when 5G is a thing but do you really want a Gen1 5G hardware in an Apple device? There currently isn't a combined 2/3/4G and 5G modem chips, 5G needs additional chips and antenna to work. 5G also needs more power to receive a signal from the network. Phones are either bigger or have less battery, I don't think Apple could get Gen1 5G in their current form factor without making major sacrifices.
The hype around 5G is huge but there are lots of reasons why 5G in 2019 will be nothing to get excited about:
https://www.trustedreviews.com/news/dont-buy-5g-phone-yet-3764526
https://www.forbes.com/sites/annato...hand-set-and-why-its-not-worth-upgrading-yet/
https://www.androidauthority.com/dont-fall-5g-hype-896610/
https://www.wired.co.uk/article/5g-phones-uk
I'm not against 5G, its an amazing technology but there is absolutely nothing to get excited about in 2019 in the UK.
Caporegime
Seems likely with the new Asus phone having a 120hz OLED panel. Hard on the battery though.
Soldato
That is correct. The point was those that bought watches in the US and used them in the UK got access to the feature earlier as it was locked to the location the watch was bought and not the location you set in the watch. New medical features could have the same issue and a US watch will give you earlier access again.
Not surprising given it’s not even a year old?
I’m on a 7 and it still feels more than fast enough for my usage.
I might even skip this year again if there is nothing ground breaking
Caporegime
I recently got an 8 because my phone usage isn't that demanding. I'm sat at my desk all day so everything is routed via my MBP, I barely pick up my phone. The only usage is to play music in the gym during the week.
Soldato
Ah, the last inside info I had was that 2020 was all Intel, but I’ve been out of the loop for almost a year now.
No-one has the money to roll out 4G equivalent coverage with 5G thanks to having a maximum propagation range under 1km.
Are networks going to rollout LAA and call it 5G? I wouldn’t put it past them...
If that is the case I am even closer to skipping the XI.
I'm sure they'll announce the phone and I'll get sucked into the hype but the XS Max is still working perfectly.
Soldato
Absolutely nothing so far has got me wanting to upgrade this year, it seems more incremental than ever... I'll just get a new battery for my XS Max if the capacity drops past a certain amount then get on the upgrade program next September.