APPLE WATCH SERIES 9
Don’t let the look fool you – this is a big update and is worth the upgrade
The watch doesn’t need an internet connection to process some Siri requests
It’s true that the Apple Watch Series 9 is the spitting image of the Series 8 and Series 7 without the screen on. It comes in the same two sizes, the same case material options and more or less in the same colours, apart from the new Pink colourway. But it’s a very different smartwatch. It’s faster, brighter, and has features no previous generation Apple Watches will be able to get.
For starters, the always-on Retina LTPO OLED display has a broader brightness range (1-2,000 nits), making it extremely easy to read in broad daylight.
Another exciting new hardware update is the S9 SiP. It’s said to be Apple’s most powerful Apple Watch chip ever, with a dual-core CPU that has 5.6 billion transistors – 60% more than the Apple Watch Series 8 – and a GPU that is up to 30% faster. The new second-gen ultrawideband chip also enables the wearable to use Precision Finding for the iPhone 15 and up.
Another big update is its carbon-neutral certification if you buy the aluminium version with a Sport Loop, the latter of which uses 82% recycled yarn. Apple not only guarantees that the majority of the watch by weight is made from recycled materials, but it also claims it will offset the environmental impact of charging the watch by investing in green projects around the world.
As well as being way more capable from a hardware point of view, the Apple Watch Series 9 also has a killer exclusive feature set. The most exciting of the lot is the Double Tap interaction, which allows you to control the wearable without touching the screen. Not only does it show great potential, it also makes the Watch 9 more accessible – it could be super useful for people who only have one hand or have limited mobility.
Additionally, thanks to the Ultra-wideband chip, the Apple Watch Series 9 now doesn’t need an internet connection to process some Siri requests, such as: ‘How did I sleep?’ or ‘Set a timer for five minutes’. Apple found that these represent the majority of smart assistant requests and made the right call by enabling the watch to deal with them offline.
The Apple Watch Series 9 might look the same as the Series 8 or even the Series 7, but it provides a different user experience. It has a brighter display, a faster microchip, exclusive features, and a somewhat more sustainable construction – what else could you want?