Apple Watch Series 5: Wear your personal doctor 24/7

If you are already wearing Apple Watch Series 4, it is time to move to Series 5 for three key reasons: Always-on retina display, built-in compass and international emergency calling (even without an iPhone nearby).

Above all, the Watch Series 5 is loaded with health features that will make you serious about your personal goals amid the mad rush to meet deadlines and fulfil home commitments.

Apple Watch Series 5 (GPS) starts at Rs 40,900 and Apple Watch Series 5 (GPS+Cellular) costs Rs 49,900. It comes in 40mm and 44mm variants with narrower bezels -- also slimmer this time at 10.7mm.

Apple Watch Series 5 is available in a wider range of materials, including aluminium, stainless steel, ceramic and an all-new titanium variant.

Let us see what the space gray aluminium 44mm (GPS+Cellular) Watch Series 5 has to offer.

For added personal safety while travelling, users with cellular models of Apple Watch Series 5 can now complete international calls to emergency services, regardless of where the device was originally purchased or if the cellular plan has been activated.

The international emergency calling allows users to call emergency services directly from Apple Watch in over 150 countries, even without an iPhone nearby.

International emergency calling also works with fall detection, if enabled, to automatically place an emergency call if Apple Watch senses you have taken a hard fall and remain motionless for about a minute.

New location features, from a built-in compass to current elevation, will help you better navigate your day, as we did.

Combined with the power of watchOS 6, you get features like menstrual cycle tracking, the noise app and activity trends.

Back to personal health.

The medical fraternity has already welcomed the arrival of the ECG app and irregular rhythm notification feature on Apple Watch (Series 4 and 5) in India.

To take an ECG recording at any time or following an irregular rhythm notification, hold the finger on the Digital Crown. As you touch the Digital Crown, the circuit is completed and electrical signals across heart are measured.

After 30 seconds, the heart rhythm is classified as either AFib, sinus rhythm (which means all is well) or inconclusive.

With watchOS 6, the irregular rhythm notification feature on Series 5 will use the optical heart sensor to occasionally check heart rhythm in the background for signals of an irregular heart rhythm that appears to be AFib.

If irregular heart rhythm such as AFib is identified on five rhythm checks over a minimum of 65 minutes, a notification is generated to alert the user.

The Cycle Tracking app will let you log important information related to menstrual cycles, and see predicted timing for their next period and fertile windows.

The Noise app helps understand the ambient sound levels in environments such as concerts and sporting events that could negatively impact hearing.

Design-wise, Apple Watch Series 5 features an innovative new display that allows the time and key information to remain visible at all times.

Several advanced technologies work together to deliver this, including the industry's only low-temperature polysilicone and oxide display (LTPO), ultra-low power display driver, efficient power management integrated circuit and new ambient light sensor.

Apple has introduced a new titanium variant, a prized material in watchmaking that has superb strength-to-weight ratio and is lighter than stainless steel.

The aluminum case in silver, gold and space gray is now made for the first time from 100 per cent recycled "7,000 series aluminum.

Apple Watch Series 5 offers nearly 18-hour battery life.

With Apple Watch Series 5, you can use the new Compass app to see heading, incline, latitude, longitude and current elevation.

Conclusion: The ECG app and irregular rhythm notification feature can help in the early identification of heart disease. You can also run this amazing health tool on family members.

Wear Series 5 for your own sake. Its health alerts and notification will not only make you more responsible towards your health but also for your near and dear ones.

The Watch Series 5 is available in India from September 27.