Should You Buy? Reviews, Features, Comparisons and More

Introduced in September 2023, the Apple Watch Series 9 is the newest iteration of the Apple Watch that originally came out in 2015, and it replaces the prior-generation Apple Watch Series 8.

The Apple Watch Series 9 features no design changes compared to the prior-generation model, with all of the same features and sensors, though there are new internal updates. There continue to be 41mm and 45mm size options, and the casings feature the same rounded edges, slim-bordered display, sapphire crystal backing, and Digital Crown with haptic feedback.

There is an Always-On display that lets users see their watch face and complications at all times, and the display is now brighter than before. The maximum brightness is now 2000 nits, which is double the brightness of the Series 8 and makes the display easier to see in bright sunlight. For dark rooms and at night, the display can lower to one nit, keeping it dim but readable.

Series 9 features crack-resistant front glass, IP6X dust resistance, and a WR50 water resistance rating. Apple Pay purchases are available with credit and debit cards stored in the Wallet app, and it has the same fast charging speeds as the prior-generation model.

The biggest new feature in the Series 9 is the new S9 chip, which is much faster than the S8 in the prior model and enables functionality. The S9 chip has a 4-core Neural Engine that processes machine learning tasks up to twice as fast, and it is more efficient for the same all-day battery life despite new capabilities.

Double Tap is the major new feature enabled by the S9 chip. The gesture allows users to tap the index finger and thumb together in order to interact with the Apple Watch one-handed. Double Tap can be used to stop a timer, play/pause music, answer or end a call, snooze an alarm, and more.

With the S9, Siri commands that do not require information from the internet are processed on device for faster response times and more privacy, plus dictation is 25 percent more accurate. Users can also ask Siri questions about data from the Health app, getting information on Activity progress, heart rate, sleep, and medications.

Heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen detection, ECG readings, sleep tracking, fall detection, loud noise monitoring, and built-in temperature sensing continue to be available. These are all features that Apple introduced with prior-generation models.

A Crash Detection feature takes advantage of the watch’s gyroscope and accelerometer along with an advanced sensor-fusion algorithm to detect severe car crashes and alert emergency services. When a crash occurs, the Apple Watch checks in with the user and if no response is received within a 10-second countdown, emergency responders are contacted.

Battery life remains the same at up to 18 hours, but it can be extended to 36 hours with Low Power Mode. Low Power Mode disables the Always-On display, turns off background heart rate measurements, limits Wi-Fi and cellular connections, and more.

Apple added a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip to the Series 9. The UWB chip enables Precision Finding for locating a misplaced iPhone with visual, haptic, and audio guidance. There’s also improved integration with HomePod and when an Apple Watch gets within four meters of a HomePod playing audio, the Series 9 can show the Now Playing interface for controlling media.

The Apple Watch Series 9 is available in aluminum and stainless steel. Aluminum colors include Pink, Starlight, Midnight, Silver, and (PRODUCT)RED, while the stainless steel models come in Silver, Graphite, and Gold with the luxury Hermès-branded model also available in Space Black. Apple has introduced new band colors and materials to go along with the Series 9, eliminating all leather band options.

The Series 9 is being sold alongside the higher-end, larger, and more feature rich Apple Watch Ultra 2, plus the lower-cost second-generation Apple Watch SE.

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