Apple introduced its ninth generation smart watch, the Apple Watch Series 9, at the Wonderlust event. The new generation of smart watches is similar in design to its predecessor, but now has a faster processor and improved sensors.
Smartwatch processors have remained the same for years, as the company has not offered a faster chip since the release of the sixth generation in 2020, but one of the biggest changes in the ninth generation is the company’s new processor, which is called the S9 SiP. .
This means users will notice faster loading times when opening apps or rebooting the system.
The processor has 5.6 billion transistors, the GPU is 30% faster, and the quad-core neural engine can handle machine learning tasks twice as fast as eighth-generation smartwatches.
This results in improvements such as handling Siri requests within the device and the ability to access and store health data confidentially and securely.
For queries that don't require online information, Siri doesn't rely on wireless or cellular networks, providing faster and more reliable responses.
The Neural Engine also improves dictation accuracy by 25% compared to eighth-generation smart watches.
The power efficiency of the S9 SiP allows the 9th generation smartwatch to maintain 18 hours of battery life throughout the day.
Another improvement is a brighter display that Apple says can reach 2,000 nits, twice the maximum brightness of the 8th generation, making text easier to read in bright sunlight.
In dark rooms or early morning, the screen brightness can be reduced to just 1nit to avoid disturbing people nearby.
The 9th Generation also offers a double-tap function that lets you tap your index finger and thumb simultaneously to quickly and easily perform many of the most common actions, such as answering a call.
The new double-click feature allows users to control the smart watch with one hand without touching the screen, similar to the click feature that the company offers with Apple Vision Pro glasses. Apple offers similar functionality with AssistiveTouch.
Double Tap leverages the Neural Engine, which uses new machine learning algorithms to process data from the accelerometer, gyroscope, and optical heart rate sensor.
The algorithm recognizes the unique characteristics of small wrist movements and changes in blood flow when you press twice on your index finger and thumb.
The watch also has a second-generation ultra-large chip that provides more accurate results. Similar to the U1 chip, the new chip provides spatial awareness, allowing devices to accurately detect the location of other nearby devices equipped with the same technology.
With the Ultra Wide Range chip, Apple is making this technology even more precise and enabling new functionality when using Find My. The search function can provide precise distance and direction, as well as visual, tactile and audio guidance for the lost iPhone, even if it is in another room.
The wide-range chip also ensures deeper integration between smartwatches and HomePod speakers. The ninth generation smartwatch activates the Now Playing feature for media control when the smartwatch user approaches within 4 meters of the HomePod device that is playing audio.
This generation of the Series 9 is the successor to the eighth-generation Series 8 launched last year, which was largely an iterative update that added a temperature sensor and error detection features, as well as the Apple Watch Ultra, a more powerful smartwatch. It includes some important changes, such as a larger screen and separate action buttons.
It is expected that the ninth generation watch will be launched with the watchOS 10 operating system, which is the company’s latest operating system for smart watches.
The company is touting some environmentally friendly improvements to its smartwatch, saying it is the first carbon neutral product, while the smaller packaging makes it easier for the company to charge multiple devices at once.
The company has redesigned the packaging of its smartwatch to be made of 100% fibre, with a new logo on the packaging indicating the carbon neutral model.