Apple Watch Series 4 will feature bigger screen and compatibility with old bands

We're now just mere weeks away from Apple's annual September event, which means the rumours surrounding the company's next wares are red hot.

And according to the latest round of whispers, courtesy of Bloomberg, the company is preparing the Apple Watch Series 4 to be compatible with existing bands from the smartwatch line. So, for Watch owners planning to make the upgrade to the fourth-generation wearable, it means that any straps previously bought will still be able to clip into the new device.

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The report indicates that this is possible due to the size of the Watch staying largely the same through the next generation - however, interestingly, it also corroborated the rumour that the new models will feature larger screens than their predecessors.

That report initially came from renowned Apple tipster Ming-Chi Kuo back in March, who indicated that both the 38mm and 42mm variations of the Series 4 will come with bigger displays - one with a 1.57-inch display and another with a 1.78-inch display. That, if it turns out to be true, would make the screens about 15% bigger than what we're currently dealing with through the Series 3.

In our view, it would be a positive to see Apple stick with the same two sizes it's touted from the beginning of the Watch's life, since they manage to offer an attractive option for those with both big and small wrists. But the added bonus of this is band compatibility, and that's a sneaky-big factor to consider if you're investing in the new smartwatch. Apple's additional bands don't come cheap, after all, and re-upping your collection just to fit with the new Watch is major hassle which could now be avoided.

Still, it's important not to get too carried away with the report, too. We won't know anything for certain until Tim Cook stands on stage and reveals all the official details, but here's hoping this one comes to fruition when the Series 4 is unveiled.