The newest Apple Watch boasts a faster processor that runs Siri on the device locally for the first time and powers a new feature called “double tap" for hands-off control of the smartwatch.
During today’s iPhone 15 event, the company introduced the Apple Watch Series 9 along with a new Apple Watch Ultra 2, which features more minor upgrades. Cupertino plans on selling both products on Sept. 22 starting at $399 and $799, respectively. Preorders start today.
For the Apple Watch Series 9 the biggest improvement is a new S9 chip, which features a 60% increase in transistors, along with a faster GPU. Battery life, however, is the same as its predecessor at 18 hours.
Apple also decided to add a four-core “neural engine” to the S9 dedicated to handling AI-based workloads. As a result, the Watch Series 9 won’t have to solely rely on an internet connection to run Siri. Instead, the device itself can run Apple’s voice assistant directly on the hardware. It will also be able to tap into health data, Apple says. (“Siri, how much did I sleep last night?”)
The S9 chip is also powerful enough to enable a new gesture control system called double tap. When wearing the watch, rather than always going to the watch face or crown, you can simply tap your index finger and thumb together to control certain functions, like hitting snooze on a sleep alarm, or playing and pausing music.
Double tap works by using a combination of machine learning models and data from the product’s accelerometer, gyroscope, and optical heart sensor to detect changes in blood flow when the index finger and thumb come together.
The technology promises to make the new Apple Watch easier to use by offering a nearly hands-free way to control the device.
“The gesture can be used to answer and end a phone call, and even to take a photo with the Camera Remote on Apple Watch,” the company adds. “Double tap will also open the Smart Stack from the watch face, and another double tap will scroll through widgets in the stack.”
The other major change to Watch Series 9 is the display, which now achieve 2,000 nits in brightness, double that of the Series 8. At the same time, the display can also drop to just 1 nit.
The company is bringing some of the same features to Apple Watch Ultra 2, the more powerful and rugged version of the original. Ultra 2 buyers get the S9 chip, the double-tap feature, along with a brighter display that can reach 3,000 nits in brightness.
The company has also made various tweaks to the product's software, enabling it to track more data during your outdoor adventures.