The Apple Watch has been a huge success for the company, pretty much tying up the wearables sector at the first attempt. Now, eight years after the first Apple Watch launched, the Apple Watch Series 9 has arrived alongside a new version of the Apple Watch Ultra, which launched last year.
Read our Best Apple Watch guide for the latest recommendations, tips and deals.
At an event on September 12, Apple revealed that the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 will feature the new S9 SiP and a 4-core Neural Engine that enables new features like on-device Siri, so that Siri no longer needs to connect to the internet to process inquiries. Both new Watches have brighter screens than their predecessors, improved Ultra Wideband capability, and more storage.
But the big new feature is likely to be the new Double Tap feature, which means it is no longer a requirement that you touch the screen of the watch. Instead, users can tap their index and thumb together twice and the Watch will recognize this as a gesture. Double tap controls the primary button in the app, so you can launch smart stack, scroll through widgets, and so on.
Find out about all the news from the September event in our Live Blog of the Apple Event.
Apple Watch Series 9: Release date
Apple made the Apple Watch Series 9 available for pre-order on September 12. It will go on sale on Friday, September 22.
Apple Watch Ultra 2: Release date
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 was available for pre-order from September 12, before going on sale on Friday, September 22.
Apple Watch Series 9: Price
The Apple Watch Series 9 will start at $399, the same price as the Apple Watch Series 8. The Apple Watch Series 8 was previously £419 in the U.K., so lucky U.K. shoppers will see a price drop to £399. Apple has clearly addressed the price rises in Europe that were put in place last year.
The Apple Watch SE (2nd gen) will now start at $249/£219 for the 40mm version, which is the same as previously in the U.S. but, again, lower than the previous £259 in the U.K. So some good news for cash-strapped U.K. shoppers.
Apple Watch Ultra 2: Price
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 starts at $799/£799 – this is great news for U.K. shoppers as the predecessor was £849. The price hasn’t changed in the U.S.
If you want a new Apple Watch it could be a good time to sell your old one. Read: How to sell your old Apple Watch.
2023 Apple Watch: Series 9 and Ultra 2 Specs
Apple
Both the Apple Watch 9 and the Ultra 2 feature the biggest chip upgrade in years, a brighter screen than their predecessor, and more storage.
S9 SiP
The Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 both feature the S9 SiP. This is the biggest chip upgrade in years. The S8 chip in 2022’s Series 8 Apple Watch didn’t offer a significant power boost over the S7, which itself wasn’t a lot better than the S6. While the S6 delivered just a 20 percent boost in performance over the Series 5, which launched in 2019.
Apple claims that there are 60% more transistors, a total of 5.6 billion, than there were in the S8. It also claims that the GPU is 30% faster than previously.
The rumors suggested that a Neural Engine would be built into the chip, as is the case.
Neural Engine
There’s a new 4-core Neural Engine that processes machine learning tasks “up to twice as fast, when compared with Apple Watch Series 8,” according to Apple.
This neural engine and a machine learning algorithm combine with the accelerometer, gyroscope, and optical heart sensor in the Watch to power features such as the Double Tap gesture and on-device Siri.
Battery life
The S9 was rumored to be based on a new A15 design that brings a boost in performance and battery life. Despite being more powerful, and having a brighter screen, the S9 is so power efficient that the Apple Watch Series 9 matches the 18-hour battery life of its predecessor.
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 also offers the same 36-hour battery life as its predecessor (and the same 72 hours in Low Power Mode).
Brighter screen
Apple
Both of the 2023 Apple Watches have brighter screens than previously.
The Apple Watch Series 9 doubles the brightness from 1,000 nits to 2,000 nites.
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 goes a step further, raising the predecessor’s 2,000 nit screen to 3,000 nits. Apple says this is 50% brighter than the first Apple Watch Ultra.
These changes should make it easier to read the text on the screen in bright sunlight.
The screen brightness can also be lowered to just 1 nit so as not to disturb others. The Night mode will now activate automatically in the dark
The new Apple Watch Ultra offers a new Modular Ultra watch face that takes advantage of the large display extending right to the edge and allowing the user to add more complications (information like seconds, altitude, depth etc.)
U2 ultra-wideband chip
The new Series 9 and Ultra 2 feature an upgraded ultra-wideband chip that will improve their ability to track the location of an object. The new Precision Finding feature will be useful when trying to locate a misplaced iPhone: the user will be able to track the iPhone 15 (which will have the same U2 chip) with even more precise onscreen data about its location. It is also possible to see distance and direction, and receive visual and haptic guidance, to help locate an iPhone 15.
2023 Apple Watch: Series 9 and Ultra 2 Features
The tech specs are impressive, but the big news is the new features that are coming to the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2.
Double Tap
Apple
For those times when you don’t have a hand available to tap the screen of your watch, Apple has introduced Double Tap. The Apple Watch user just taps their finger and thumb together twice and thanks to the sensors inside the Apple Watch, and the power of the Neural Engine, the Watch will react as if the user had interacted with the Apple Watch and respond as if the primary button in the app had been tapped.
So, for example, a user can use Double Tap to stop a timer, snooze an alarm, or answer a phone call. Double Tap will also open a Smart Stack from the Apple Watch face and users can then scroll through widgets in a stack without ever touching the screen of the Watch.
Double Tap will arrive as a software update in October 2023.
There are some Double Tap like features already available. Read: How to try out the new double tap gesture on your old Apple Watch.
On-Device Siri and Health Queries
Siri queries will no longer need to be sent over the internet, so Siri won’t require Wi-Fi or cellular connection. This will speed up the process, but also allow users to use Siri to both provide and input information that might otherwise have been impossible. For example, users will be able to use their voice to perform actions, such as ask Siri to start a new workout, or for details of the wearer’s heart rate.
Because Siri is ‘on-device’ Apple Watch owners will be able to also ask Siri health-related questions, such as to query their average walking heart rate. It will also be possible to log data using their voice, for example, to record that they have taken medication.
Apple says that Siri Health Queries will be coming later this year.
2023 Apple Watch: Series 9 and Ultra 2 Design
Apple
There are no changes to Apple Watch Series 9 design. The 41mm or 45mm sizes remain. The colour choices are as follows:
- Aluminum (Midnight, Pink Starlight, Silver, or Product (Red).
- Stainless steel (Gold, Graphite, or Silver).
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is still available in just the 49mm size. The case is now made from titanium, which should mean it is lighter and even more rugged than the Ultra 1 was. The new Ultra is still heavy though – it weighs 61.4 grams, compared to the 51.5 grams of the heaviest Series 9.
Apple
2023 Apple Watch software: watchOS 10
The Apple Watch Series 9 will ship with watchOS 10.
Following WWDC on June 5 we got a preview of a number of new features and apps coming in the Apple Watch software, from a new way to navigate and redesigned apps across watchOS 10. There will be new Clocks to choose from and new Watch faces as well as new apps and updates to existing apps, including the Compass and Maps app and new Health features. Read about watchOS 10 in our separate story.
watchOS 10 will be available for download on September 18. It will be available to install on Apple Watch Series 4 and newer.
Apple Watch Series 9: Who should upgrade?
If you own a Series 8 or Series 7, you could probably hold off on upgrading. But there are a variety of reasons why owners of older watches would want to upgrade, including watchOS 10 support and the new chip.
Also read: Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 Top New Features, Every new Apple product coming in 2023 and When is the next Apple Event?
Author: Karen Haslam, Editor
Macworld editor since 2008, Karen has worked on both sides of the Apple divide, clocking up a number of years at Apple's PR agency prior to joining Macworld two decades ago.
Karen's career highlights include interviewing Apple's Steve Wozniak and discussing Steve Jobs’ legacy on the BBC. Her focus is Mac, but she lives and breathes Apple.