Technologies

Apple’s new iPhone 13 lineup and everything else announced today

At Tuesday’s Apple’s event, we got a new iPhone 13 with more storage and a new Cinematic mode. Plus, we saw major iPad Mini changes and the new Apple Watch Series 7.

This story is part of Apple Event, our full coverage of the latest news from Apple.

Apple’s iPhone 13 event has been put to bed, and in it we got the expected iPhone 13 announcement, as well as a refreshed 10.2-inch iPad, a big upgrade for the iPad Mini and a new Apple Watch Series 7. There were a few small announcements, too. We saw some upcoming show previews for Apple TV Plus, including the new season of The Morning Show and fresh titles like Foundation, and a comedy series, The Problem With Jon Stewart. (Stewart joked they may need to add a comma to that title.)

We also got an announcement date for the release of the new mobile operating systems, iOS 15 and iPadOS 15: Sept. 20. Get ready to download and install them on your iPhone and iPad.

iPhone 13, Mini, Pro and Pro Max

Apple showed off a complete new line of iPhones. They all get updated to a new A15 Bionic chip, a six-core CPU with two high-performance cores, four high-efficiency cores and a quad-core GPU.

All the back cameras have been significantly upgraded with wider apertures and new video features. The buzziest is Cinematic mode, which will allow phones to have professional-level «rack focus» where you can slide between focus subjects gracefully in a video. You can also choose where to focus by tapping on the screen, or even holding down to lock focus on a subject.

The camera now has a macro lens, able to shoot a subject from less than an inch away. Apple says it’s also made improvements to the software that recognizes people’s skin tones, and you can now apply tone and warmth filters that the camera will remember.

Apple says that despite the faster chip, 5G, better cameras and other features, the iPhone 13 has longer battery life than its predecessor. One way it does this is by shifting to LTE «when 5G speeds aren’t needed.»

Apple is also getting its device to rely on the internet less. Many Siri requests for example will stay on the device, a first in the 10 years since the voice assistant was first introduced.

The iPhone 13 Pro has a bigger battery, a new Super Retina XDR display with 1,000 nits of peak outdoor brightness, 25% higher than last year. And it can change frame rate on the fly, increasing frame rate to 120Hz when you need to match games and some video, but ramping it down to 10Hz when you don’t.

Prices remain the same as the last generation. The iPhone 13 starts at $799 ( 779, AU$1,349). The iPhone 13 Mini starts with double the capacity, 128GB, at $699 ( 679, AU$1,199). You can also get a 512GB version now, which used to only be available on the Pro models. The iPhone 13 Pro will keep its $999 ( 949, AU$1,699) starting price and the iPhone 13 Pro Max will start at $1,099 ( 1,049, AU$1,849). Preorders open this Friday, Sept. 17, and the phone will appear in stores on Sept. 24.

Apple Watch Series 7

The new watch has a larger display, with 20% more screen area than the Series 6 and 50% more than Series 3. But the dimensions of the watch have barely changed, Apple says. And it has «softer, more rounded corners» with a «wraparound» feel on the sides.

Apple says it redesigned buttons in the software to make them easier to tap as well, and it can fit 50% more text on screen than last year’s watch.

The newest Apple Watches now have a «crack-resistant front crystal,» with a «more robust geometry» and IP6X certification for additional dust resistance over the earlier model.

It has a bunch of new colors, bands and even a new charger that’s faster. Like the iPad, Apple says it’s 100% recycled aluminum.

The Apple Watch Series 7 will be $399, with international prices yet to be announced. It’s not coming until later this fall, though. Apple will also keep selling the Apple Watch Series 3 for $199 and last year’s Apple Watch SE for $279.

Since launching last year, Apple’s focused its $10 per month Fitness Plus service on getting you to sweat. But this year, it’s adding a meditation option, which will include all sorts of different calmness, kindness and gratitude meditations. Just like Apple’s other classes, it’ll be updated weekly on your phone and watch.

Apple’s always had hidden features to compete with friends in its motion and activity app, and now the company’s adding group workouts too. In this case, you can start a workout with (or against) your friends from an iMessage chat conversation. Apple says up to 32 people can participate and you’ll even know when friends are ahead of you in a bike class, for example.

iPad and iPad Mini

The new 10.2-inch iPad incorporates the A13 Bionic chip, Apple says, which is 20% faster than the A12 «in every aspect of the chip from the CPU and GPU to the neural engine.» (The iPhone 13 has the new A15 Bionic chip.) It has a larger display, with 20% more screen area than the Series 6 and 50% more than Series 3. The dimensions of the watch have barely changed, Apple says. And it has «softer, more rounded corners» with a «wraparound» feel on the sides.

But the Mini is the bigger upgrade.

It ditches the home button, and has thinner screen bezels to fit the larger 8.3-inch True Tone screen, which has an antireflective coating and a brightness of 500 nits. It also comes in an array of colors, including purple, pink, «starlight» (a light gray) and space gray.

It also has Touch ID built into the power button, just like last year’s iPad Air.

Apple says that the iPad Mini upgrade means that all the company’s iPads are now made from 100% recycled aluminum, as well as 100% recycled tin (for the solder). Apple says it uses 100% recycled rare earth elements in the enclosure magnets (though not everywhere).

Apple’s iPads have always been portrait-oriented devices. The front-facing camera’s always been at the top of the device when held vertically, and its speakers have always been at the bottom. With the iPad Mini, Apple’s moved the selfie camera to the top of the landscape orientation, and added stereo speakers meant to be heard in landscape as well.

Last year, Apple introduced 5G super fast wireless to the iPhone. This year, it’s adding the technology to all its iPads, starting with the iPad Pro in April. Now, the iPad Mini gets 5G, which Apple said can pull down 3.5 gigabits per second. It also gets USB like its iPad Pro big brothers.

The iPad starts at $329 ( 319, AU$499) and the iPad Mini starts at $499 ( 479, AU$749).

Our liveblog archive follows.

And that’s it

11:31 a.m. PT

Apple closes with another tour through California landmarks. Like in its previous videos, it includes production health and safety info, including daily health screenings, face coverings «worn by everyone.»

So when can you get it?

11:18 a.m. PT

The iPhone 13 Pro will keep its $999 starting price, and the iPhone 13 Pro Max will start at $1,099.

Preorders start Sept. 17 and ship Sept. 24.

iPhone 13 Pro as a video camera

11:12 a.m. PT

Apple pushed hard on the idea of using the iPhone 13 Pro as a professional-level video camera. It hired Oscar-winning film director Kathryn Bigelow to try it out, showing how well it handles low-light imagery.

iPhone 13 Pro camera upgrades

11:09 a.m. PT

Apple’s updates for its wide and ultrawide allow for better low light performance, Apple says, and can also do macro photography — shooting a subject as close as 2 centimeters away.

Apple says it’s also made improvements to the software that recognizes people’s skin tones, and you can now apply tone and warmth filters that the camera will remember.

iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max

11:05 a.m. PT

Apple says it’s the «most pro design,» which is probably the most Apple thing I’ve heard the company say in a while.

It comes in four colors: silver, graphite, gold and «sierra blue.»

The iPhone 13 Pro has a bigger battery, Apple added. And it includes a better GPU than the iPhone 13.

Apple said it’s announcing a new «Super Retina XDR display» which has 1000 nits of peak outdoor brightness, 25% higher than last year. And it can change frame rate on the fly, increasing frame rate to 120Hz when you need, but ramping it down when you don’t. In its demo, Apple showed it going down to 10Hz.

Better battery life

10:58 a.m. PT

Apple is also getting its device to rely on the internet less. Many Siri requests for example will stay on the device, a first in the 10 years since the voice assistant was first introduced.

Apple said it’s keeping prices the same this year. iPhone 13 Mini starts at $699, with double the starting capacity to 128GB. (You can also get a 512GB version now, which used to only be available on the Pro models.)

A new automatic focus

10:52 a.m. PT

Apple said Cinematic Mode follows where the subject of a video looks, changing focus when they look away, and again when they look back.

Apple said you can also choose where to focus by tapping on the screen, or even holding down to lock focus on a subject. It’s all shot in Dolby Vision HDR, Apple says, which is fancy talk for high end video formats.

Camera upgrades and Cinematic Mode

10:50 a.m. PT

Apple says its back cameras have gotten serious upgrades with the iPhone 13. The 12 megapixel camera can take in 47% more light, Apple says, with an F1.6 aperture.

The ultrawide camera has an F 2.4 aperture.

When it comes to video, Apple says it’s adding «cinematic mode,» which will allow phones to have professional-level «rack focus» where you can slide between focus subjects gracefully in a video. Apple of course created a demo «movie» to show it off.

iPhones get new A15 Bionic chip

10:45 a.m. PT

«Frankly, the competition is still playing catchup to our chips,» Apple says. This year, the iPhone 13 gets A15 Bionic.

It has a 6-core CPU, with 2 high-performance cores and 4 high-efficiency cores. Apple says it’s up to 50% faster than the leading competition. It also has a 4-core GPU, Apple says. It has 30% faster graphics than the competition.

iPhone 13 is here

10:40 a.m. PT

The new device has two rear lenses, arranged diagonally. It also comes in pink now, along with blue, «midnight,» «starlight,» and product red.

The antennas are made with recycled plastic water bottles, Apple says. And they have a sensor notch that’s 20% smaller.

Apple Fitness Plus gets into group workouts

10:36 a.m. PT

Apple’s always had hidden features to compete with friends in its motion and activity app, and now Apple’s adding group workouts too. In this case, you can start a workout with (or against) your friends from an iMessage chat conversation.

Apple says up to 32 people can participate and you’ll even know when friends are ahead of you in a bike class, for example.

Apple Fitness Plus adds meditation

10:35 a.m. PT

Apple Watch gets more durable

10:30 a.m. PT

Apple said its newest Apple Watches now have a «crack resistant front crystal,» with a «more robust geometry.»

It also has IP6X certification, which means it’s duster resistant.

Of course, it has a bunch of new colors, bands and even a new charger that’s faster.

Like the iPad, Apple says it’s 100% recycled aluminum.

The Apple Watch Series 7 will be $399. Apple will also keep selling the Apple Watch Series 3 for $199, last year’s Apple Watch SE for $279.

It’s not coming until later this fall, though.

Apple Watch Series 7 is real

10:27 a.m. PT

It has a larger display, with 20% more screen area than the Series 6 and 50% more than Series 3.

The dimensions of the watch have barely changed, Apple says. And it has «softer, more rounded corners» with a «wraparound» feel on the sides.

Apple says it redesigned buttons in the software to make them easier to tap as well, and it can fit 50% more text on screen than last year’s watch.

100% Recycled Aluminum

10:23 a.m. PT

Apple said the iPad Mini upgrade means that all the company’s iPads are now made from 100% recycled aluminum, as well as 100% recycled tin (for the solder). Apple says it uses 100% recycled rare earth elements in the enclosure magnets (not everywhere).

Apple finds landscape

10:19 a.m. PT

Apple’s iPads have always been portrait-oriented devices. The front-facing camera’s always been at the top of the portrait-oriented device. And its speakers have always been at the bottom.

With the iPad Mini, Apple’s moved the selfie camera to the top of the landscape orientation, and adding stereo speakers meant to be heard in landscape as well.

It’ll start at $499, more expensive than the $399 starting price for the previous generation

iPad Mini gets USB-C, 5G

10:18 a.m. PT

Last year, Apple introduced 5G superfast wireless to the iPhone. This year, it’s adding the technology to its iPads. First, with the iPad Mini, which Apple said can pull down 3.5 gigabits per second. It also gets USB like its iPad Pro big brothers.

iPad Mini gets a big upgrade

10:14 a.m. PT

Tim Cook announced the new iPad Mini, which ditches the home button, and has thinner borders. It also comes in an array of colors: purple, pink, «starlight» and space gray.

Apple says it’s 8.3 inches, and offers true tone, anti reflective coating, and 500 nits of brightness.

It also has Touch ID built into the power button, just like last year’s iPad Air.

The new iPad Mini has a 40% jump in CPU performance, and 80% «leap» in GPU, Apple says.

Apple iPad gets refreshed for 2021 with an A13 chip, 12-megapixel camera, True Tone display

iPad updates

10:09 a.m. PT

Cook starts by talking about how strong the iPad business has been growing, up 40% in the past year.

«Today, it gets even better,» he says.

The new iPad will include the A13 bionic chip, Apple says, which is 20% faster «in every aspect of the chip from the CPU and GPU to the neural engine.»

Apple’s Melody Kuna, a senior manager of iPad product design, says it’s up to 3x faster than the best selling Chromebook and up to 6x faster than the best selling Android tablet.

It’ll also include a better rear and front camera, she said.

Apple TV Plus

10:07 a.m. PT

Apple started by discussing his company’s $5 per month video service, Apple TV Plus, showing off a bunch of previews for hit shows like Ted Lasso and The Morning Show, as well as upcoming titles like Foundation, and a comedy series, The Problem With Jon Stewart. (Stewart joked they may need to add a comma to that title.)

Love, California

10:04 a.m. PT

Tim Cook starts Apple’s event with a video montage of all the things he says Apple loves about California. All its landmarks, singing people, it’s definitely a fun place to start.

«California has always been a place for people with big ambitions and big dreams, a place where people are fueled with optimism to make things better, to make things that can change the world. It is such an important part of who we are at Apple, and inspires us in everything we create and do. We’re proud to call California our home.»

No more pop and rock

9:57 a.m. PT

Apple used to have a playlist prepared for its events with hit songs from hit groups like Coldplay all the way to little-known musicians who’d suddenly find fame in background of Apple ads and events. But ever since Apple started streaming its events amid the pandemic, it’s switched to more artsy — what I’ll call corporate classical and pop music.

For what it’s worth, I checked on Apple-owned Shazam to see if maybe this was an artist I’d never heard of. Nope — Shazam hasn’t heard it either. At least it’s kinda catchy.

Our show has started

9:50 a.m. PT

Apple’s event is nearly ready to begin, and CNET’s live pre-show is running now at the top of this page. You can watch live as we discuss all the rumors and expected products. Also, get some insight into the minds of our great reviewers.

Spyware scare

9:17 a.m. PT

While we’re all waiting to see what Apple releases, make sure you take this moment to update your iPhones, iPads and other Apple devices. Like, now. Go. I’ll wait.

Apple put out a surprise update Monday that closes a security hole in a reported «zero-click» hack. This attack, which is tied to the Pegasus spyware reportedly used to spy on dissidents, world leaders and journalists, can be delivered through a text message. Supposedly, you can’t do anything to stop when it arrives — the hack goes into effect as soon as your phone receives the message. Apple’s update closes that hole.

By the way, you can find out if you’ve been hacked using a free tool available online.

Will there be enough?

9:03 a.m. PT

It used to be that when new iPhones came out, people lined up around the block outside Apple Stores to be among the first to get their hands on the device. It would then typically be promptly sold out and nearly impossible to find for days or even weeks. Apple’s gotten better at managing demand, and so many people buy online now that the dramatic iPhone lines are largely a thing of the past. But what of supply?

In the pandemic, we’ve learned that our international supply chains are rather fragile, and our reliance on overseas manufacturing has led to shortages of all sorts of products, from cars to video game consoles to garlic. So far, indications are Apple’s been able to avoid these issues, in part thanks to its aggressive long-term planning. That doesn’t mean you’ll have easy access to an iPhone at launch, but it shouldn’t be as hard to find as, say, a PlayStation 5.

There are rumors the Apple Watch on the other hand may have limited supplies at launch. But that’s because of a non-pandemic problem. According to rumors, Apple struggled to get production going smooth in order to produce at high volume.

Unusual location

8:31 a.m. PT

Pretty much every virtual event Apple’s held so far has been set on its multibillion dollar «spaceship» headquarters in Cupertino, California. But this time Apple CEO Tim Cook tweeted out a picture of a different location the company will be holding at least part of its event from: The desert.

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It’s a good bet this may be a reference to the rumored satellite emergency call capabilities being built into the next iPhones. We’ll have to see.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for Jan. 28, #962

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for Jan. 28 #962.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle has some fun words to sort out. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Fake.

Green group hint: Maids do this.

Blue group hint: Where you play albums.

Purple group hint: Extra.

Answers for today’s Connections groups

Yellow group: Imitation.

Green group: Cleaning supplies.

Blue group: Components of a record player.

Purple group: Spare ____.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is imitation. The four answers are dummy, mock, pretend and sham.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is cleaning supplies. The four answers are bucket, gloves, rag and soap.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is components of a record player. The four answers are motor, needle, platter and tonearm.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is spare ____. The four answers are me, rib, time and tire.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Technologies

Meta Confirms Testing of Premium Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp Subscriptions

The company says it’s testing paywalled premium sharing and AI features.

People using Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp may soon need to decide whether they want to pay extra for additional features beyond the free versions they’ve been using.

Meta confirmed that it’s planning to roll out and test premium subscription tiers for its three most popular services, which, according to the company, would unlock «special features and more control over how they share and connect,» according to a TechCrunch report detailing the changes.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

A representative for Meta did not elaborate on subscription plans, but confirmed to CNET that TechCrunch’s story is accurate.

According to the report, this would differ from the Meta Verified badge offering aimed at businesses and internet content creators. Meta Verified starts at $15 and includes enhanced support options and protections against impersonation.

Instead, the new subscriptions that Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp users can expect will offer a broader Premium experience, but it’s unclear so far which specific features will be included. According to TechCrunch, AI will be a part of that mix with potential paywalls or extra access to AI image generators or AI agents as part of its plans. What bundles and subscriptions are offered could change based on customer feedback, Meta told TechCrunch.

Subscriptions for once-free social media services are now common, with LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter) and Snapchat all giving people the option to pay more for extra features.

Technologies

I Avoided Using a Sports Watch Until I Tested This One by Garmin

Garmin Venu 4 Review: It’s the best-looking sports watch I’ve tested, with all the fitness metrics you need to level up your training, for a price.

Our Experts

Written by Vanessa Hand Orellana

Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission.

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Vanessa Hand Orellana Lead Writer

Vanessa is a lead writer at CNET, reviewing and writing about the latest smartwatches and fitness trackers. She joined the brand first as an on-camera reporter for CNET’s Spanish-language site, then moved on to the English side to host and produce some of CNET’s videos and YouTube series. When she’s not testing out smartwatches or dropping phones, you can catch her on a hike or trail run with her family.

Expertise Consumer Technology, Smart Home, Family, Apps, Wearables

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8.5 / 10

Garmin Venu 4

$550 at Target

Pros

Week-long battery life in smartwatch mode
Polished circular design
Advanced fitness and recovery metrics

Cons

$100 more than previous generation
Software can feel sluggish
UI is not as intuitive as other smart watches

Until the Garmin Venu 4 landed on my wrist, I mostly shied away from using dedicated sports watches from brands like Garmin or Polar as my daily driver. Part of that was imposter syndrome; I’m a fitness enthusiast, not a full-blown athlete (yet). But mostly, I wasn’t willing to accept the trade-offs that came with them: clunky software, limited smart features and designs that felt more like gym gear than something I’d want to wear all day.

The Venu 4 isn’t the only good-looking sports watch on the market, but it’s the first one that’s come close to convincing me to go all-in. It’s well-rounded (literally and figuratively) and packed with fitness features that don’t feel condescending to an athlete wannabe like me.

The line between sports watches and traditional smartwatches seems to get blurrier each year. Both Apple and Samsung now have rugged Ultra smartwatch lines, and sports watches are starting to look (and act) more like traditional smartwatches.

The Venu 4 feels like Garmin’s strongest attempt yet to bridge these two worlds. It goes all out on fitness features with advanced insights like training readiness and suggested workouts typically reserved for the top-tier Fēnix models, but has a design and a price that are approachable for people who live somewhere between casual fitness enthusiast and aspiring athlete.

The $550 price (for both 41mm and 45mm models) is $100 more than its predecessor, and upgrading from the Venu 3 makes sense only if you plan to use the data it provides. If you’re someone who mostly just wants the occasional workout tracking, then the Venu 4 will be overkill.

I may not be a full convert (yet), but after weeks of living with it day and night with the Venu 4, I get the Garmin obsession, and I can see how a sports watch could help me level up my fitness journey when I’m ready.

Venu 4 fitness: Garmin’s core strength

The Venu 4 supports what feels like every workout imaginable, from running and cycling to rowing, HIIT, and even golf course mapping. It supports multi-band GPS, which I found provided more accurate location tracking, even on trail runs without my phone. Heart rate tracking stayed impressively close to my Polar chest strap after the initial jump from resting to higher-intensity sprint.

Garmin’s strength isn’t just the sheer volume of data it collects, but how it helps you understand how those metrics impact your training. On the Venu 4, you get heart rate, breathing rate, blood oxygen, stress, ECG, skin temperature changes, HRV, and advanced sleep and menstrual cycle tracking.

On their own, these metrics can feel overwhelming or even meaningless. What Garmin does especially well is connect the dots through features like Body Battery, Training Readiness, Load and other recovery insights that translate raw data into a clearer picture of how prepared your body is for activity. And because you’re not constantly taking it off to charge, Garmin can build a more complete picture of your health and recovery that becomes more accurate over time.

I found waking up to a low Body Battery score when I felt off was both depressing and validating: no, I probably can’t just «shake this one off,» and yes, I should probably take a rest day (or two) before getting back to that New Year’s resolution.

The watch also highlights when you’re theoretically at your best to work out, even if real life doesn’t always cooperate. There’s no greater irony than seeing I’m in «peak» training readiness while rocking my toddler to sleep, or hustling to get a story in on time. That’s ultimately my biggest barrier to fully crossing over into the Garmin ecosystem. I’m not always in a position to follow the advice that makes these metrics most valuable.

Garmin Connect Plus subscribers ($7 per month) get access to personalized coaching plans and daily suggested workouts that adapt based on their sleep, recovery and activity history. I tried a running plan to prep for a 10K, but by day three, I’d gone rogue and settled back into my tired, but realistic, workout routine. Learning new routines takes time, and at this stage of life, 20-minute workouts squeezed between everything else will have to suffice.

Venu 4 battery life: Amazing for a smartwatch, but meh for a Garmin

The Venu 4’s shiny new upgrades (brighter display and improved GPS tracking over the Venu 3) come at a slight cost to battery life: You get 12 days on the Venu 4 versus 14 on the Venu 3. But I think it’s well worth it when you factor in everything else it has.

I averaged about 10 days of battery life per charge for the smaller 41mm Venu 4 that I tested. But that’s in smartwatch mode, which disables the always-on display. If, like me, you prefer the always-on display, battery life drops. I got roughly four days on a charge (slightly less on long hiking days when the GPS was running). It’s not quite multiweek endurance like Garmin’s Enduro or Instinct lines. But even at the lower end, the Venu 4 is still far better than most Apple and Samsung watches.

I’ve never worn a smartwatch this long without taking it off for a charge, which turns out can be both a good and a bad thing. On the plus side, it made sleep tracking more consistent, which is key to unlocking Garmin’s best features like Body Battery, HRV (heart rate variability) and recovery insights. Wearing the watch for so long is also important for identifying long-term health trends and detecting early signs of illness.

The flip side of wearing it nonstop was skin irritation. After about five straight days, the skin directly under the watch became red and itchy. I tried to power through it, which only made things worse. A perfect storm of winter weather, a suppressed immune system, and the polymer backing on the underside of the watch likely didn’t help matters. After taking a week off, cleaning it more regularly, and giving my skin the occasional break, the issue hasn’t returned. And if you have sensitive skin like me, it’s probably worth building in a little breathing room.

Venu 4 design: Not your average sports watch

The Venu 4 is hands down one of the best-looking watches I’ve tested (Note: I didn’t say sports watches). It even earned its fair share of compliments from friends who didn’t know it was a sports watch. The Venu 4 comes in two sizes, 41mm and 45mm, both with a 1.4-inch AMOLED screen and a stainless steel case in lunar gold, slate, or silver finishes. It’s covered in Gorilla Glass 3 and has a fiber-reinforced polymer back.

The bezels are larger than those on an Apple Watch Series 11, and the usable screen area feels smaller than expected. The Venu 4’s display is bright and legible even in direct sunlight. You might not find it as responsive to touch if you’re coming from an LTPO OLED or Super AMOLED display with a higher refresh rate, like those on Apple or Samsung watches. Which is why the physical button navigation is so important.

Garmin slimmed the design down to two physical buttons (the Venu 3 had 3). One button brings up navigation, while the other handles quick settings. Long-pressing the bottom button activates other actions, like the flashlight, but until muscle memory kicks in, it’s easy to forget which one does what.

The built-in LED flashlight is a standout feature. It’s an actual light embedded in the side of the watch, not a screen-based workaround like found on other smartwatches. It’s surprisingly powerful and incredibly useful, whether you’re doing an ultramarathon or, in my case, checking on a sleeping kid without turning on any lights.

Venu 4 watch basics: Functional, but not seamless

On paper, the Venu 4 checks most of the smartwatch boxes. It has notifications, mobile payments via Garmin Pay, music storage, voice assistant access (via your phone) and supports calls from your wrist. Android phone owners get the added perk of responding to texts from the watch; iPhone owners are out of luck.

In my testing, this is where Garmin still lags behind true smartwatches. Everything works, but it’s not seamless; simple actions often take more steps than they should, and Garmin’s app ecosystem remains limited. Even changing your watch face requires an additional phone app (Garmin IQ). The upside is cross-platform compatibility, and aside from the ability to respond to texts, the experience is consistent across iOS and Android.

Venu 4 accessibility features

Garmin has also added more accessibility options in the Venu 4. There are spoken watch faces that read out time and health data, hourly audio alerts, and multiple color filters for people with color blindness.

Venu 4: Final thoughts

I’m still a practical generalist in the throes of working motherhood, but the Garmin Venu 4 is the closest I’ve been to going full sports watch. If I were ready to make fitness a true priority, the Venu 4 would be my gateway Garmin watch.

It’s a solid pick for anyone looking to cross over into the sports watch world for the first time, and it’s one of Garmin’s most well-rounded options. The Venu 4 has enough battery to get you through the week, training insights that feel genuinely helpful rather than overwhelming, and a design that’s polished enough to pass for date-night-ready.