Apple Watch 9 and Watch Ultra 2 announced with brighter screens, Double Tap and new chipsets

Apple Watch Series 9

The world’s most popular watch just got better. Apple Watch Series 9 brings a new S9 system in package (SiP) with 60% more transistors than the outgoing S8 series chip. It boasts a 30% faster GPU and a new 4-core NPU. This will obviously speed up the OS with faster animations and it’s claimed to offer 18 hours battery life.

But that’s not all – the S9 SiP allows Siri requests processed on the device, which means much faster results as they don’t go to the cloud and back. Apple also promises 25% more accurate voice dictation. Siri can also now access your Health data making it easier than ever to check up on your key metrics.

Double Tap is arguably the killer new feature on the Series 9. This is a new pinch gesture using your thumb and index finger similar to how you operate the Apple Vision Pro headset. It works by sensing changes in your blood flow and wrist movement via the accelerometer and gyroscope sensors. Double Tap allows you to play/pause music, snooze alarms, scroll through widgets, pick up or hang up calls.

Apple Watch Series 9 comes in the same 41mm and 45mm sizes with Bluetooth and cellular trims. The display can now crank our up to 2000 nits peak brightness and it also down to 1 nit when you don’t want to blind yourself late at night.

Watch 9 also gets a new UWB chip which brings improved location tracking. You can still locate and ping your paired iPhone with even better precision. You also get improved integration with HomePod speakers.

Watch S9 boots WatchOS 10 and comes in aluminum and stainless steel casings. Color options include starlight, midnight, silver, (PRODUCT)RED and pink for the aluminum model. The Stainless Steel version gets Silver, Gold and Graphite options.

Apple also announced a new FineWoven material watch strap which – a smaller carbon footprint than leather. The Watch 9 series is also completely carbon neutral. Apple will also match your electricity bill by investing in renewable energy sources around the world.

Apple Watch Series 9 starts at $399 with pre-orders later today while open sales kick off on September 22 in the first wave of countries.

Apple Watch Ultra 2

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 gets the same new Apple S9 SiP and Double Tap gesture controls alongside the new UWB chip for improved location tracking. It’s still a tower of watch with its 49mm casing and 1.92-inch LTPO OLED display which now cranks out up to 3,000 nits peak brightness.

Battery life is rated at 36 hours just like its predecessor but it can now extend to 72 hours in low-power mode. Watch Ultra 2 gets a Modular Ultra watch face which provides users with the most amount of info by taking use of the display’s outer edge. Night mode can now use the ambient light sensor to activate automatically.

WatchOS 10 covers the software front and you can now connect with cycling peripherals like power meter pedals via Bluetooth for accurate results.

Apple Watch 2 comes in at $799 with pre-orders starting today. Open sales kick off on September 22. Apple also added new band colors for the Alpine Loop (blue, indigo, olive), Trail Loop (orange/beige, green/gray, blue/black) and Ocean Band (blue, orange).