IT Burewala

Apple is all set to release the latest watchOS 5 update to Apple Watch users in India. Apple had announced the latest watchOS 5 operating system for Apple Watch wearables at its developer conference � WWDC 2018 in June. Note that the new watchOS 5 requires Apple iPhone 5s or later on the latest iOS 12 to function smoothly.

Apple has also confirmed that the watchOS 5 will not be available on the original Apple Watch that was launched three years ago in September 2015. So, while the original Apple Watch is expected to receive security updates from Apple going forward, it will no longer receive any OS-level updates and no new feature will be rolled out for it.

The new watchOS 5 brings a range of new features including Walkie-Talkie app, Apple Podcasts and support third-party apps on the Siri watch face. The watchOS 5 will be available as a free update for all Apple Watch wearables starting with the Apple Watch Series 1. So, here are the new features that watchOS 5 will offer. Starting September 17, Apple Watch users can update to watchOS 5 to get them.

*Activity sharing: With watchOS 5, user can invite another Apple Watch user to compete in a seven-day Activity competition.

*Auto-Workout detection: Auto-workout detection provides an alert to start the correct workout and gives retroactive credit. This feature also offers a reminder to end workout sessions after a period of inactivity if the user forgets.

*Yoga and hiking activities added: Apple Watch will track yoga and hiking sessions accurately.

*Walkie-talkie: The new watchOS 5 comes with a "Walkie-Talkie" app through which you can send short voice messages. The Watch-to-Watch connection works with both GPS and Cellular version of Watch 3.

*Podcasts: Users will now be able to stream Apple Podcasts by using Siri.

*Siri on watchOS 5: The Siri watch face will now show actionable content from third-party apps such as Nike+ Run Club, Glow Baby and others.

*Actionable notifications: Notifications from third-party apps can now have interactive controls and be used without needing to open the app.

Qualcomm on Monday launched the Snapdragon Wear 3100 platform for Wear OS smartwatches, based on an ultra-low power system architecture designed to deliver more battery life, new personalised experiences, and more interactions. Qualcomm claims that it is working closely with Google to make its chip work seamlessly with its Wear OS based smartwatches. It has also confirmed integration in smartwatches from companies like Fossil Group, Louis Vuitton, and Montblanc.

The Snapdragon Wear 3100 mobile platform consists of quad-core A7 processors, integrated DSP, and an ultra-low power co-processor QCC1110. This co-processor is very tiny, is optimised for ultra-low power operation, and also integrates a deep learning engine for custom workloads, such as keyword detection, and is extensible over time. Snapdragon Wear 3100 platform brings in a new DSP framework to support next generation sensor processing in an open execution environment, includes a new wearable power management sub-system (PMW3100) to support lower power and higher integration, and implements a new dual display architecture to support the hierarchical approach. The fifth-generation 4G LTE modem is paired with new Gallium Arsenide power amplifiers, which is touted to increase power efficiency in smartwatches.

Qualcomm's Snapdragon Wear 3100 SoC enables smartwatches to do a lot more, offering new experiences like an enhanced ambient mode, dedicated sports experiences, and traditional watch mode, the company claimed. The enhanced ambient mode brings support for a smooth second hand, up to 16 colors, live complications and improved brightness. The dedicated sports experiences enables users to go for an ultra-marathon, swim long distances, bike for miles, or hike the mountains with GPS and heart rate turned on for the duration. The traditional watch mode, as the name suggests, brings the old-school watchface to save battery. Qualcomm claims that these personalised experiences are supported by offloading the display and sensor processing from the A7 processors to the ultra-low power co-processor.

The new platforms claims to bring improvements in battery life ranging from 4 to 12 hours compared to the previous Snapdragon Wear 2100 platform - launched back in Q1 2016 - depending on display type, battery capacity, and device configurations. This is achieved by reducing power usage in areas like low power modes, GPS/location batching, per minute/second clock updates, sensors processing, MP3 playback, and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth voice queries. In the traditional watch mode, an Android smartwatch can even achieve a week-long battery life, Qualcomm claims.

The Snapdragon Wear 3100 platform comes in three variants - Bluetooth and Wi-Fi tethered smartwatches, GPS-based tethered smartwatches, and 4G LTE connected smartwatches. Qualcomm claims that the chip is already in mass production and is ready for shipping, and the first smartwatches integrated with the new Snapdragon Wear 3100 should arrive in Q4 2018.

In June this year, Qualcomm unveiled the Snapdragon Wear 2500, a mobile platform meant to power smartwatches for kids.

Alongside the 2018 iPhone models, Apple is also expected to launch the Apple Watch Series 4 on September 12 at the Steve Jobs Theatre. The smartwatch is now said to come with a larger edge-to-edge display and thin bezels, apart from new watch faces. Recently, a circular dial design was also leaked, along with a few key specifications as well. Now, 9to5Mac has dug a little deep into the latest watchOS beta to find the resolution of the upcoming Apple Watch, and estimate how much of an upgrade it gets in that department, and the additional screen space. Furthermore, the publication has shared images of how different apps and watch faces will look on the Apple Watch Series 4, compared to how it currently looks on the Apple Watch Series 3.

The 42mm Apple Watch Series 4 is tipped to sport a resolution of 384x480 pixels, a significant increase from 312x390 pixels from previous 42mm Apple Watch models, including last year's Series 3, reports 9to5Mac. This hints at a larger edge-to-edge display as a result of thinning of bezels around the display. Upon testing a modified Apple Watch Simulator on the latest Xcode beta, 9to5Mac guesses a PPI of 345. The report states that Apple is going to introduce a significantly larger bezel on the upcoming Apple Watch, and will have new watch faces specifically designed for the new screen. More screen space also means more room for new complications for Apple's built-in apps as well as third party apps as well. No resolution changes for the 38mm Apple Watch Series 4 variant were tipped - the previous models had a resolution of 272x340 pixels.

The new large screen means third-party app makers will have to do some tinkering to get their apps structured right on to the new display. The publication did do some testing of how apps look on the new expected large display, as compared to the current generation Apple Watch Series 3 display screen, and has shared comparison images as well. You can see them below.

To recall, even analyst Ming-Chi Kuo had earlier reported that the Apple Watch Series 4 will come with 15 percent larger display options and a longer battery life than its predecessor. It didn't reveal whether the size of the overall chassis will grow to fit the larger displays or there will be thinner bezels to make room for the more screen area. All of these speculations will be put to rest at the event next week, and we will give the entire low down in full detail. Stay tuned.

Huawei sub-brand Honor has launched the Honor Band 4 fitness wearables lineup in China. Alongside the Honor 8X and Honor 8X smartphones, the Honor Band 4 and Honor Band 4 Running Edition fitness trackers made their way into the market this week. While the Honor Band 4 is a water-resistant fitness wearable that comes with heart rate sensor, the Running Edition is a toned down variant of the device. The Honor Band 4 succeeds the Honor Band 3 that was launched in India last year. Both the new fitness wearables will go on sale in China on September 20.

The Honor Band 4 sports a 0.95-inch AMOLED display with 2.5D curved glass. The wearable comes with a circular Home button at the front, tracks user's heart rate, is water resistant up to 50 metres. Honor claims that the Band 4's 100mAh battery can offer a 6-day battery life with continuous heart rate measurement. It is also the company's first wearable to come with a colour display.

In terms of connectivity, the Honor Band 4 comes with Bluetooth 4.2 and the wearable can be paired with smartphones using Huawei Health app. It also comes with NFC support for payments. It is water resistant up to 5ATM. Sensors on board include a 6-axis gyroscope, PPG heart rate sensor, and an infrared sensor. In terms of dimensions, the Honor Band 4 measures 43x17.2x11.5mm and weighs 23 grams.

Additionally, the Honor Band 4 is equipped with Huawei TruSleep 2.0 that uses cardiopulmonary coupled dynamics spectrum (CPC) to monitor complete sleep structure including deep sleep (REM) to analyse sleep and offer personalised sleep recommendations. With the Huawei TruSeen 2.0 heart rate technology, the wearable can is capable of 24-hour continuous heart monitoring when running, walking, cycling and more.

Coming to the Honor Band 4 Running Edition, the company has incorporated fewer features than the Band 4 to bring down the price tag. The Honor Band 4 Running Edition sports a PMOLED display and it does not have a coloured display like the standard variant. It also does not house a heart rate sensor and NFC support. It is fuelled by a smaller 77mAh battery with up to 12 days of working time.

The Honor Band 4 Running Edition comes with a 6-axis sensor that offers improved running detection by measuring cadence, step length, ground contact time, foot strike pattern, landing impact, eversion excursion and swing angle. However, the Honor Band 4 Running Edition is water resistant up to 50 meters. In terms of dimensions, it measures 40.5x14.8x11.2mm and weighs 6 grams.

In terms of pricing, the Honor Band 4 has been priced at CNY 199 (roughly Rs. 2,100). It comes in Black, Blue, and Pink colours variants. Meanwhile, the Honor Band 4 Running Edition comes with a price tag of CNY 99 yuan (roughly Rs. 1,000). This one comes in Black, Blue, Green, Pink, Red, and Yellow colours. Both the devices will go on sale in China from September 20. You can currently pre-book the Honor Band 4 and Honor Band 4 Running Edition via Vmall.