TL;DR
- Apple Watch Series 9 is powered by the impressive S9 chip.
- Offline Siri access eliminates the need for a nearby iPhone.
- Carbon-neutral options for environmentally-conscious consumers.
Amid September, the atmosphere carries the whispers of impending autumn, schools resuming their scholarly routines, and Apple unveiling its latest innovation – the Apple Watch Series 9.
This year’s annual fall event unveils the Apple Watch Series 9, adorned with the all-new S9 chip, housing a quad-core neural engine, promising an impressive 18-hour battery lifespan and a significant overall performance enhancement.
On the software front, watchOS 10 emerges as a pivotal milestone in the Apple Watch’s history, marked by a rejuvenated emphasis on widgets and an array of updates for applications and user inputs.
The neural engine ushers in the era of offline Siri accessibility, eliminating the need for proximity to your iPhone to engage with Apple’s digital assistant on the Series 9.
In a similar vein, dictation accuracy leaps, with Apple watch Series 9 boasting a 25 percent improvement over its predecessor, Series 8. Furthermore, this engine processes artificial intelligence tasks at double the speed of its forerunner, enabling novel gestures.
The Apple watch Series 9 GPU sets a new standard, surging ahead by 30 percent compared to the Series 8, aided by a second-generation ultra-wideband chip that revolutionizes precise object localization for other UWB devices.
The model’s peak brightness reaches up to 2000 units, effectively doubling the capabilities of the Series 8.
An innovative double-tap gesture empowers users to govern certain Watch functions without physical screen contact, simply by bringing their thumb and index finger into swift proximity.
Double-tap activation serves as the primary button within an app, allowing actions such as capturing photos with the Camera Remote, answering and terminating calls, controlling music playback, halting timers, and managing basic operations. This feature is scheduled for rollout in a forthcoming software update in October.
The Apple Watch Series 9 is available in two sizes, 41mm and 45mm. For the aluminum cases, color choices encompass starlight, midnight, silver, red, and an all-new pink variant.
Meanwhile, stainless steel case enthusiasts can select from gold, silver, and graphite.
Apple proudly introduces the Series 9 as its inaugural carbon-neutral product, signifying that specific case and band combinations are environmentally sustainable.
Notably, any aluminum Series 9 paired with a new Sport Loop band achieves carbon neutrality. This marks the initial step towards Apple’s ambitious goal of achieving carbon neutrality throughout its entire business operations, manufacturing supply chain, and product lifecycle by the year 2030. Products within this category will proudly display a logo adorned with a ring of vibrant green leaves.
The revamped Sport Loop band for the Apple Watch incorporates an impressive 82 percent recycled yarn and is certified as carbon neutral.
Leather has been altogether replaced by a material known as FineWoven, boasting a considerably smaller carbon footprint than its predecessor while providing a texture akin to suede.
With watchOS 10, Apple revisits its wearable origins. The original Apple Watch user interface revolved around Glances, offering a revolving carousel of widgets and other functionalities. Over time, the company transitioned towards an app-centric UI.
WatchOS 10 repositions widgets front and center, reminiscent of the existing Siri watch face. A simple turn of the digital crown unveils a smart stack of widgets, and apps like timers, stopwatches, and podcast players assume widget form when in use.
Additional enhancements within watchOS 10 encompass the ability to view FaceTime video messages and participate in Group FaceTime audio calls, real-time monitoring of power and heart rate data during cycling sessions, and the option to update one’s emotional state within the Mindfulness app using the digital crown.
The software update also introduces valuable features to the Compass app, including a pin that conveniently drops near the last location with cellular connectivity, a particularly beneficial feature for hiking and camping enthusiasts.
Physical controls transform watchOS 10 as well – a press of the side button opens the Control Center, while a double-press of the digital crown reveals recently utilized applications.
Certainly, one need not possess the latest Series 9 to access these remarkable features. The watchOS 10 update extends its availability to Apple Watch Series 4 and subsequent models, commencing on September 18. Apple has also unveiled the premium Watch Ultra 2 during the event held on Tuesday.
For years, the Apple Watch has remained relatively unchanged in terms of design, with incremental hardware and software modifications occurring with each new iteration since the Series 6 in 2020.
Consequently, the S9 processor upgrade within the Series 9 warrants notable attention. Coupled with the launch of watchOS 10, it shapes up to be a mildly exhilarating year for aficionados of the Apple Watch.
The Apple Watch Series 9 is open for orders starting today and is set to hit the market on September 22, with prices commencing at $399.
Meanwhile, do delve into the initial impressions shared by Cherlynn Low, Deputy Reviews Editor at Engadget, who diligently covered Tuesday’s event in Cupertino.
Source(S): engadget
