Oliver Haslam·

Apple Watch Series 9: Features, Price, Release Date Announced

Apple has today announced the new Apple Watch Series 9, a new model that builds on the previous success of older models and improves upon it.

The new Apple Watch Series 9 looks identical to Apple Watch Series 8 but the important improvements all come on the inside.

At the top of the bill is a new Apple S9 chip that promises all-new levels of performance that allow for new features, like on-device Siri.

The new chip is a 4-core Neural Engine, Apple says while managing a full 18 hours of battery life from a single charge.

Apple Watch Series 9 is powered by custom Apple silicon in the all-new S9 SiP. Apple’s most powerful watch chip yet delivers systemwide improvements and brand-new features, including a new double tap gesture and on-device Siri with the ability to access and log health data privately and securely. Apple Watch Series 9 also has a new 4-core Neural Engine that can process machine learning tasks up to twice as fast, when compared with Apple Watch Series 8. The power efficiency of the S9 SiP allows Apple Watch Series 9 to maintain all-day 18-hour battery life.

 

The biggest new feature however is something called Double Tap. A new gesture, the feature allows users to tap their index finger and thumb together to interact with apps in a whole new way. Effectively, Double Tap can activate the main button in any app while also invoking features when on the main Apple Watch Home Screen.

Double tap controls the primary button in an app so it can be used to stop a timer, play and pause music, or snooze an alarm. The gesture can be used to answer and end a phone call, and even to take a photo with the Camera Remote on Apple Watch. Double tap will also open the Smart Stack from the watch face, and another double tap will scroll through widgets in the stack.

Apple has also improved the display of the Apple Watch Series 9 so that it tops out at 2000 nits, double that of the Apple Watch Series 8. That makes it easier than ever to see during the day, while a new low for one nit means that it won’t blind anyone in the dark.

The new Apple Watch Series 9 comes in 41mm and 45mm configurations with Starlight, Midnight, Silver, (PRODUCT)RED, and a new Pink aluminum case available.

The Stainless Steel options are Gold, Silver, and Graphite. Prices start at $399 for the Aluminum casing, and $699 for the Stainless Steel models, with the new watches going on sale starting September 22.

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