Editor’s note: Apple recently?re-launched new versions?of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 without blood oxygen tracking due to ongoing patent disputes around the feature. However, some third-party retailers still offer the older models with blood oxygen capabilities — keep an eye out for model numbers ending in “LW/A” to make sure you’re getting the original version.
Excellence is often considered the result of inspiration, in which a flash of insight results in a fresh, new take. That’s not the kind of excellence that Apple trafficks in. Its excellence is the slow accretion (and the occasional defenestration) of features that, over time, settle into a solid foundation that completely dominates the market. Slow and steady is the Apple Way. Such is the case with the Apple Watch Series 9, introduced in September alongside the Apple Watch Ultra 2. The Series 9 ($399) sits comfortably as the middle child of the Apple Watch lineup.
I will be upfront with you: The Apple Watch Series 9 is a very good smartwatch, and it works just as well. It has a brighter screen than last year, more storage, a faster chip, a nifty new gesture to control the watch with one hand and more privacy protections with Siri. Should you upgrade? Probably not if you have a recent watch, like a Series 7 or Series 8. But if you have an earlier model and you’ve been pleased with the experience, the Series 9 will delight you.
Still an excellent smartwatch, the Apple Watch Series 9 is only incrementally upgraded from the Series 8 — and it's the best deal for anyone looking for their first smartwatch or sporting an older model. One thing to consider is Apple's commitment to the environment with 100% recycled gold, tin, copper, tungsten and others — as well as 100% recycled cobalt in the battery.
What we liked about it
New S9 chip
Overall, comparing Apple Watch Series 9 vs. Series 8 reveals mostly minor upgrades. But Series 9 does pack some interesting new features. First, it has a new chip, the S9, which I also detailed in my Apple Watch Ultra 2 review. It comprises some 5.6 billion transistors, marking a 60% increase from its predecessor and a 30% boost to its graphical processing unit.
The new chip enables the Double Tap feature, currently available only in the watchOS 10.1 public beta, launched on Oct. 4. It’s a quick double pinch of your thumb and forefinger to navigate the watch single-handedly. Apple envisions its use when your hands are occupied, enabling you to answer calls or toggle music playback. I imagine third-party developers will use it, too, once it’s publicly released. However, it’s a learning curve to use, as we’ve all gotten used to using our other hand to interact with our watch for the past nine years.
The S9 expands Siri’s capability to handle more commands locally on the device, bypassing the need to connect to the internet and potentially compromise privacy. Tasks like starting a timer or workout and managing a smart home accessory execute swiftly and accurately, which is refreshing, given my somewhat hit-or-miss experience with Siri. Apple says the S9’s new Neural Engine enables 25% faster dictation and better accuracy.
Later this fall, Apple says on-device Siri processing will provide access to health data on your watch, enabling the logging of health information such as blood pressure, weight or medication simply by saying, “Siri, my blood pressure is 120/80,” for example. I confess this is one of the features I’m most looking forward to with the new watchOS and watches.
Lastly, a new Ultra Wideband chip can precisely locate an iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Pro. While I couldn’t test it — I don’t have the right iPhone —?screenshots show distance and direction, even across rooms. Moreover, the Ultra Wideband chip interacts with HomePod Minis or 2nd generation HomePods, illuminating the watch face with music suggestions when you get within about 16 feet of one of the newer smart speakers. This is yet another feature not yet available.
Better for the environment
One thing that I really liked about this watch (and the Ultra 2) is its smaller environmental footprint. Like the Ultra 2, the Series 9 is one of Apple’s first products under its Apple 2030 initiative, which aims to make the entire company carbon neutral across all its operations and products by that year. Apple says it is reducing greenhouse gas emissions from three significant sources across a product’s life cycle — materials, electricity and transportation. It will then offset the remaining carbon emissions with high-quality carbon credits. It says a Series 9 watch paired with any new Sports Loops is a carbon-neutral product.
The Series 9 uses 30% or more recycled materials by weight and 100% clean energy for manufacturing and product use, and ships half or more of all carbon-neutral watches and bands by non-air modes of transportation, like ocean freight. Apple already used 100% recycled aluminum in its watches since the Series 5, but the Series 9 also uses 100% recycled gold, tin, copper, tungsten and others. It also uses 100% recycled cobalt in the battery.
This is a big deal. Extracting precious metals is horrendously bad for the environment, and cobalt mines are turning parts of Democratic Republic of the Congo toxic and spurring grievous human rights abuses there. Anything companies can do to reduce our reliance on digging such materials out of the ground is a plus in my book.
But back to the watch, Apple is also transitioning its supply chain and the manufacturing of the Series 9 to 100% clean energy, it says. Its packaging is 100% fiber-based materials, and the boxes are smaller. Its watchOS 10 also has a grid forecast, which uses third-party data to show when an electric grid in the contiguous United States has relatively clean or less clean energy sources available, so you can choose when to charge your devices to have less environmental impact.
All of this adds up to a 78% reduction in the total carbon footprint for the Series 9 over the watch’s lifespan, says Apple. The remaining emissions — 8.1 kg — are offset by high-quality carbon credits.
None of this makes the watch run better or worse. You might not notice or care. But it’s clear Apple is serious about its environmental impact, and that’s something to keep in mind when buying your next smartwatch.
New brighter screen
The Series 9 also boosts the brightness of its screen. At 2,000 nits brightness, it’s twice as bright as the Series 8, and I noticed the difference in bright sunlight. It also boosts the onboard flashlight, which can now be adjusted by turning the digital crown.
There’s no change in the size of the screen, however. It still comes in 41mm or 45mm sizes and sports the same rounded edges and slim-bordered display.
More storage
Like its big brother, the S9 doubles the onboard storage capacity to 64GB, making it easier to load up on music, podcasts, audiobooks and the like when you’re out and about without your phone. And though most people don’t do this anymore, it might be a perfect fix for lap swimmers who want some entertainment while they stare at the bottom of a pool — provided you have a pair of waterproof earbuds.
Bands and colors
It’s not an Apple Watch unless you discuss the available bands and colors. The new Sports Loop is comfy, airy and never felt too tight on my wrist. The colors are a little blah, to be honest though. They come in Midnight (black), Starlight (kinda yellow-gold), Light Pink (exactly what it sounds like), Winter Blue (which is, eh, blue) and Cypress (a deep, handsome green). I didn’t have a chance to try out the new FineWoven bands, which replace Apple’s leather bands as part of Apple 2030 and which are made from 68% recycled polyester blended with nylon. Apple says they have a soft, suede-like feel.
The aluminum Series 9 comes in Midnight, Silver, Starlight (gold again), Product Red and, yes, Pink. Super cute. The stainless steel case comes in Silver, Gold and Graphite.
The rest of the features
Like its predecessor, the Series 9 excels in fitness tracking, with heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen detection, ECG readings, sleep tracking, fall detection, loud environment monitoring and temperature sensing. You also get the crash detection that was introduced last year — which works very well, I’m sorry to have to personally report (I’m fine) — and which can detect when you’ve been in a crash and offer to call emergency services or do it automatically if you don’t swiftly respond.
Battery life continues to be on the shorter side compared to other watches on the market. The Series 9 will get about 18 hours in normal usage or 36 hours in low power mode. The latter disables the always-on display, turns off background heat measurements and limits Wi-Fi and cellular, among other restrictions.
However, I rarely had to use low power mode, as I found the Series 9 robust enough to get through the day without a problem. And for sleep tracking, I just dropped it on a nightstand charger for half an hour or so before bedtime to have enough juice to wear it throughout the night.
What we didn’t like about it
Look, it’s an Apple Watch. It’s practically identical to the Series 8, with a couple of new features and a greater commitment to the environment. I love my Apple Watch and never leave the house without it, but I am a little disappointed this upgrade is so very, very incremental. And like other Apple Watches, it’s inextricably enmeshed with the Apple ecosystem. Don’t even think of getting one if you’re on an Android phone.
Bottom line
Do you have a recent Apple Watch, like a Series 7 or Series 8? Then you don’t need this. You don’t get enough of a feature bump or performance boost with the Series 9. And ditching a working, relatively recent Watch for this one undoes all the environmental work Apple has put into the Series 9 — unless you plan to pass the older watch on to someone else.
But if this is your first smartwatch, or if you own an Apple Watch that’s several generations behind, there are fewer good values. It does everything a fitness tracker can and should do and does it well. It looks great and has a smaller carbon footprint. Yes, there are other smartwatches or fitness trackers out there, but very few are as full-featured and at this price point.
