What happened to the Apple Watch Series 4? The Series 3 can be found and purchased on the company's website, as well as the newest Apple Watch Series 5. The smartwatch that was released in the year between these two is difficult to find and no longer available for sale from Apple, though resellers may still have stock available.
Apple manufactured its first smartwatch in 2015, which was known simply as the Apple Watch. The company, best known for the iPod and the iPhone, has updated its smartwatch every year since to reach Watch Series 5 in 2019 and is expected to announce Apple Watch Series 6 within the next two months. With each new generation, the processor gets faster and the battery lasts longer, as has come to be expected with most mobile technology. Some years, however, bring something extra. Series 4 brought Apple's most important smartwatch feature to date, preempting every other competitor and establishing the Apple Watch as more than a smartwatch or fitness tracker. The Apple Watch Series 4 became the first health watch when it added the ability to record an electrocardiogram (ECG), something that was previously only possible with expensive, dedicated medical equipment.
When browsing Apple's website, the Watch tab shows details of the latest Apple Watch Series 5 first and Watch Series 3 further down the page. There is also a side by side list of specifications, if the shopper browses to the ‘Compare’ page. With sufficient perseverance, the Series 4 can be found by going one step further and tapping or clicking 'Compare all models.' Finally, the specs of the fourth generation Apple Watch can be seen. Here lies the clue about why the Series 3 and Series 5 can be purchased, but not the Series 4.
Why Apple Watch Series 4 Isn't For Sale
How could Apple improve upon the Series 4? Apple Watch Series 5 was mostly an incremental upgrade. It was faster and the battery lasted longer, as expected. There was one more notable update, incorporating technology that allows an always-on display. This brought to the Apple Watch a feature competing smartwatches had for several years before Apple. The always-on display is cleverly implemented, such that minimal battery life is lost and this is a well appreciated enhancement. Even so, would that be enough to encourage shoppers to spend more for the Series 5 over the Series 4? Rather than take that chance, it seems like Apple removed the Series 4 from purchase via its website to help ensure a clearer decision between the Series 3, lacking ECG and always-on display, and the Series 5, which includes all the latest features.
Of course, as the end of 2020 approaches, a new Apple Watch is on the horizon and leaks suggest Series 6 might boast a micro-LED display. This could deliver a significant boost to battery life as well as a better quality screen, though the Series 5 OLED is quite sharp and bright. Potentially more exciting, are leaks indicating that Apple will release a new, low cost Apple Watch SE. Note the similarity of this name to the iPhone SE. The Watch SE would represent a new design that makes use of some older components, to make a brand new Apple Watch more affordable. This has been a successful approach in bringing those new to Apple products to the iPhone. It seems the same strategy will repeat with the Apple Watch SE. Also, this would avoid the pricing challenge that required removal of the Series 4. A very smart approach by what is possibly the world's most marketing-savvy tech company.
Source: Apple