The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers to this website may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website.
Year after year, and generation after generation, Apple’s consistently upped something with the Apple Watch. In 2022, the technology giant debuted the Apple Watch SE second-generation that delivers extreme value, the Series 8 with all the bells and whistles, and the adventure-ready Ultra.
For 2023, though, it’s just the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and the Apple Watch Series 9. And I’ve spent nearly a week with the Series 9, specifically the larger 45mm size with GPS + Cellular in the wonderful new pink color. It’s safe to say I’ve been living my Barbie dreams.
And while the color is fresh, much of the other changes live under the hood in the form of a more capable chip, on-device Siri capabilities, and the forthcoming Double Tap gesture that will steal the show.
Read on for my full thoughts on the Apple Watch Series 9 after a week with it and who it is best for.
A similar design that’s now carbon neutral and in pink
Like the Apple Watch Series 8 and Series 7, the Series 9 is all-screen in that the display actually slopes down the edges. It still comes in two sizes—41-millimeter or 45-millimeter—and both are excellent always-on screens. For the Series 9, Apple’s raising the peak brightness to 2,000 nits, which is better equipped to let you make out visuals on a bright, sunny day. It’s a similar trend to the upgrade on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and even the standard iPhone 15s.
Given that the Retina display slopes down the edges, it looks modern and has some functionality. You can quickly glance at the edges of your Apple Watch Series 9 and even see the second-hand swipe around. The rest of my Series 9 is aluminum, and I’m rocking the fresh shade of pink. It’s a lighter, airy version of the color that’s on par with Apple’s AirPods Max and iPhone 15 of the same shade. Regarding other aluminum color options, the Series 9 comes in (PRODUCT) RED, Midnight, Starlight, and silver.
Related: Apple’s new Adaptive Audio for AirPods Pro is a game-changer for travel
The Digital Crown and main button still live on the right hand side, while the left contains a thin rectangular cutout for microphones and speakers. It’s the same build as the Apple Watch Series 8 and earlier models. One change is that the Apple Watch Series 9 with a Sport Loop—my favorite band for the Apple Watch—is entirely carbon neutral and the first Apple product to achieve this. That’s an important step.
Speeding things up with the S9 SiP
While much of the design is identical to the previous generation, Apple redesigned the Series 9 internally … mostly to accommodate the new S9 SiP. This is the newest Apple Watch processor, also powering the Ultra 2.
Applications still open in what seems like a snap, as does completing a function or starting a workout. As expected from a state-of-the-art smartwatch, the Series 9 doesn’t skip any beats. It’s also running watchOS 10 out of the box, bringing a new widget carousel on the homepage and other enhancements.
I particularly like the “Smart Stack” on the main watch face, as you can rotate the Digital Crown up or swipe up to access it. From there, you’ll see several cards ranging from calendar appointments to the weather with playback controls, your activity rings, and other notifications in an order designed to be the most helpful. The nice thing is that it doesn’t obscure any of the watch faces, and you can still customize those to your liking.
The smart stack and the rest of watchOS 10 run swiftly and smoothly here. Making up the S9 chip are over five billion transistors and a four-core Neural Engine, which is onboard to speed up machine learning. One feature it unlocks is on-device Siri processing, which means that certain asks of the assistant can be handled right on the Apple Watch and don’t require an internet connection. This is actually pretty handy for the most common Siri tasks and expands the overall usefulness of Apple’s personal assistant.
Given that the main sensor stack still lives on the rear of the Series 9, this keeps all the health and activity features that folks have come to expect from the Apple Watch. It can track your heart rate as well as take an ECG (electrocardiogram) from your wrist while at the same time tracking core activity metrics like steps, distance, and calories burned. Additionally, the Apple Watch Series 9 can monitor Blood Oxygen levels and, after a calibration period, can monitor skin temperature levels.
Via the workout app, you can track a number of exercises like indoor or outdoor cycling and runs along with dance, yoga, HIIT, meditation, and countless others. The Apple Watch also integrates with the technology giant’s Fitness+ service seamlessly.
Apple didn’t increase the battery size in the Series 9, but they’re still promising all-day battery life from the flagship model for the masses. It also comes in the box with a fast-charging puck for quick refuels, which you’ll likely need if you want to use sleep tracking. Thus far, with tracking at least one workout a day, I’ve been able to get through the day. However, to use sleep tracking, I need to place it on the charger for a bit before I go to bed or when I wake up. If you want all-day or multi-day battery life, you’ll need to get the Ultra 2.
The fact that the Series 9 still lasts the longs also speaks to the overall efficiency of the S9 SiP, which should keep this Apple Watch ticking along for years to come.
Double Tap is awesome, but arrives in October
As I wrote in my hands-on piece shortly after Apple’s special event on Sept. 12, Double Tap is a nice enhancement to the interface. It’s only used for the primary control of the app, but a simple press of the index finger and thumb is a really great way to expand how one can use an Apple Watch.
I’ve been able to use an early preview of it for a few days, and it’s handy to do the command to quickly cycle through the Smart Stack on the main screen, control music playback, quickly start a workout, and answer or end a phone call. It quickly becomes second nature in addition to using the touch screen or the buttons.
I wear the Apple Watch on my left wrist, so if I am carrying a coffee or if my right hand is full, it’s really handy as I can answer a call without needing to place something down. Double Tap is also only using just two taps right now. Apple could theoretically add the ability for three taps or even four.
It’s also not a replacement for Assistive Touch on the Apple Watch, which is an accessibility feature that lets you move your hand to control various elements of the operating system. It is designed for those who might have difficulty pressing buttons like the Digital Crown or using the touch-screen. It’s also still available on the Apple Watch Series 9 and many models, but it can’t be used with Double Tap.
Apple’s promised that Double Tap will arrive on Series 9 and the Ultra 2 in Oct of 2023.
@jakekrol The #AppleWatchSeries9 features a brand new gesture for control. #doubletap #applewatch #apple #smartwatch #gesture #gesturecontrol #visionpro #appleevent #wonderlust
♬ Bubblegum K.K. (From "Animal Crossing: New Leaf") - Qumu
Precision Finding is super useful, but you’ll need the latest iPhone
Similar to how Double Tap is exclusive to the Series 9 and Ultra 2 because of the S9 chip, Precision Finding is also exclusive thanks to the ultra-wide-band second-generation connectivity. And aside from the new gesture, this is one of the most addicting features on the Series 9.
Essentially, you open “Control Center” on the Apple Watch Series 9 and navigate to the classic pinging iPhone button. A simple tap now brings up the Precision Finding interface, which will look nearly identical to finding an AirTag from an iPhone. It starts off black with some sparkle dust, letting you know to move around, and once it connects to the iPhone, it will show a circle with distance in feet in the middle. A portion of the circle, aka a radius ring, will glow toward where your connected iPhone is. It will glow green as you get closer and also produce haptic vibrations. You can even ping your iPhone to play the classic chime.
I can’t underestimate just how handy this feature is; it will save me in a pinch when I am rushing out of my home and can’t find my iPhone. It also ups the need to get the new iPhone and Apple Watch, which is cost-prohibitive.
Simply put, it works directly as Apple intended and is super useful.
Bottom line: Is the Apple Watch Series 9 worth it?
Given that the Series 9 is the flagship Apple Watch for the masses with a brighter, always-on display, all the health bells and whistles, a more powerful processor, a handy way to find the latest iPhones, and a forthcoming new gesture, it is indeed a best-in-class smartwatch.
The Apple Watch Series 9 is the best option for someone who wants all the health capabilities, an always-on display, and the fastest performance for years to come. It also starts at $399 flat for the 41mm GPS or $429 for the 45mm GPS, making it quite a bit more affordable than the larger, more rugged Apple Watch Ultra 2, which starts at $799.
That said, if you upgraded to a Series 8 last year, you likely don’t need to rush out unless you really want Double Tap or Precision Finding (assuming you’re getting a new iPhone 15). Anyone with a Series 7 or older will find the Series 9 to add a bevy of new functionality, speed things up daily, and last longer on a full charge.
If you can live without Blood Oxygen tracking, skin temperature readings, an always-on display, Double Tap, and Pericison Finding. In that case, the Apple Watch SE second-generation is cheaper and will suit your needs.
Preorders are open now for the Apple Watch Series 9 at Amazon, and it will begin arriving to customers who’ve ordered as early as Sept. 22, 2023.
- Apple Watch Series 9 41mm GPS, $399 at Amazon
- Apple Watch Series 9 45mm GPS, $429 at Amazon
- Apple Watch Series 9 41mm GPS + Cellular, $499 at Amazon
- Apple Watch Series 9 45mm GPS + Cellular, $529 at Amazon
Prices are accurate and items in stock at time of publishing.
