The Apple Watch Series 9 is the company's latest and greatest mainstream smartwatch, packing an all-new S9 SiP, a new UWB chip, a brighter display, and more.
It's Apple's flagship Apple Watch, sitting above the budget SE and the durable Apple Watch Ultra. The Apple Watch Series 9 is the best Apple Watch for tracking workouts, monitoring your health, staying safe, and interacting with your iPhone.
Released in September 2023, the Apple Watch Series 9 will be a mainstay of its wearable lineup for the next year. Here's everything you need to know.
Apple Watch Series 9: The headlines
- What is it? Apple's best smartwatch
- Release Date: September 2023
- Price: Price stays the same at $399
- Headline features: New chip, brighter display, Double Tap gesture
Apple Watch Series 9: Review:
The Apple Watch Series 9 is Apple's most formidable wearable in a number of years, and a true upgrade on the Series 8.
Apple Watch Series 9: Release Date
The Apple Watch Series 9 was released on September 22, 2023, and can be bought in Apple stores and online around the world.
Apple Watch Series 9: Price
The Apple Watch Series 9 starts at $399, with varying prices for GPS, Cellular, and Stainless steel options.
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | 41mm | 45mm |
| Aluminum GPS | $399 | $429 |
| Aluminum GPS + Cellular | $499 | $529 |
| Stainless Steel GPS + Cellular | $699 | $749 |
Apple Watch Series 9: Specs
| Specs | Series 9 |
| Display Size | 41mm, 45mm |
| Display Type | OLED |
| Peak Brightness | 2,000 nits |
| Capacity | 64GB |
| Splash, water, dust resistance | IP6X |
| Chip | S9 SiP 9 |
| Apple Pay | Yes |
| Location | GPS |
| Power and battery | 20 hours |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, Gyro, Heart. Rate, Barometer, Always-on Altimere, Compass, Sp02, VO2max, Crash Detection, Temperature Sensor |
| Operating system | watchOS 10 |
| Neural Engine | 4-Core |
Apple Watch Series 9: Design
The Apple Watch design hasn’t changed much since the Apple Watch Series 7, which brought those sweeping edges and a larger display. It was a subtle yet significant change that made the Apple Watch easier to use and view, and I’ve loved it since.
The only other major Apple Watch design change since is, of course, the Apple Watch Ultra. Although, we can't see Apple using that form factor for anything other than its rugged premium model.
Again, while the outside looks the same, barring the new 'pink' color this year, all the changes are within.
Apple Watch Series 9: Features
There's plenty to go through here. First off, the new S9 SiP is 30% faster than the S8 chip that came before. This also brings on-device Siri to the wearable, which means faster responses, alongside dictation being 25% faster.
The Watch has a new UWB 2 chip which powers enhanced Find My support and interactions with nearby HomePods, a significant upgrade.
The display also sees an upgrade. It can now go up to up to 2000 nits, twice the brightness of the Series 8, and matches the Apple Watch Ultra 1.
The S9 chip also powers a new Double Tap feature. Using your thumb and index finger, you can tap to select certain actions on your Watch without using your other hand to control it.
While it's a very useful feature, there has been a similar accessibility feature since watchOS 8. That said, Double Tap is more integrated into watchOS 10 and should make using the Apple Watch one-handed a breeze.
Apple Watch Series 9: Processor
The S9 SiP finally arrives in Series 9 and Ultra 2. This is the most powerful chip that's been put into an Apple Watch yet, thanks to 60% more transistors and a four-core Neural Engine.
Apple claims the new chip allows for an 'all-day battery life' for the Apple Watch Series 9.
watchOS 10
Apple unveiled watchOS 10 at WWDC 2023 in June. It brings with it a major redesign of all your favorite apps, and a new Smart Stack that delivers the information you want easily and quickly.
Apps like Stocks, Weather, and World Clock have all been updated, as have Wallet, Calendar, and Reminders. There are two new watch faces and upgrades for cyclists including e-biking and Fall Detection. Apple announced that watchOS 10 will arrive for older Watch models on September 18.
watchOS 10 will also feature heavily in the new mental health upgrades coming to iPhone this year, and it will also help with vision health by reducing the risk of myopia.
Will Apple Watch 9 be better?
A brighter screen, longer battery, a new 'pink' color, and a useful Double Tap feature, there's plenty to justify it as being 'better'.
When does the Series 9 Apple Watch come out?
Apple Watch Series 9 came out on September 22.
Will the Apple Watch Series 9 have a leather band?
Nope - it's due to Apple's commitment to helping the environment. No leather at all, even for its iPhone cases.
Apple Watch Series 9: Specs
Apple Watch Series 9: Specs
