It’s time to see what the new Apple Watch is all about.
Apple launched its Watch Series 8 late last year. And while this excellent smartwatch is currently the best for average Apple users, many have been anticipating the upcoming release. The new Apple Watch Series 9 could launch as soon as Sept. 12, and there have been a lot of rumors revolving around the offerings it may feature. Let's unpack them together!
Apple is holding a special event on Sept 12. at 10:00 a.m. PT. During it, we expect the company to reveal the Apple Watch Series 9, along with the iPhone 15 series and Apple Watch Ultra 2. Customers will likely be able to order the base model later this week for $399. The Apple Watch Series 9 should then become generally available a week later.
Unfortunately, we don't expect the Apple Watch Series 9 to feature a redesigned exterior. It will likely just offer the same 41mm and 45mm builds as past models. While the design right now looks modern and practical, it has become somewhat mundane. Besides releasing larger variants with thinner bezels, the Apple Watch has been relatively unchanged since its initial reveal.
The good news, however, is that Apple is rumored to release a new band with weaved fabric and a magnetic buckle. Though, considering there are already thousands of third-party band options out there, a new official band isn't particularly exciting. Otherwise, we could be witnessing the rebirth of a Pink finish option, after the company discontinued it for a while.
With every annual refresh, Apple introduces a new silicon chip designed for the watch. Though, notably, the S8 chipset powering the Series 8 model is pretty much a renamed S7 chip from the Series 7, which — drum roll, please — is the S6 that first launched in the Series 6. The past three Apple Watch models indeed share the same CPU. That's why Apple's been comparing them to the Series 5 and earlier models when marketing them.
The S6 chip is based on the A13 Bionic, which launched alongside the iPhone 11 in 2019. While watchOS 10 isn't a demanding operating system, it's long overdue for Apple to introduce a faster and/or more power-efficient processor to its watch. The good news is that the Series 9 may be introducing an S9 processor that is both faster and more efficient. It would reportedly be based on the A15 Bionic chip, which powers the iPhone 13 series. And speaking of chips, the Apple Watch Series 9 is also rumored to pack an upgraded ultra-wideband chip for the first time since its initial debut in 2019.
It's hard to find Apple Watch shortcomings at this point, and the iterative Series 8 upgrade only proves that even Apple is also struggling with what it can improve. After all, the watch is already tightly tied to other Apple products and includes a ton of fitness and health features, including blood oxygen monitoring, ECG, heart rate monitoring, Fall Detection, Crash Detection, optional cellular support, fitness challenges, and friend competitions, and so many others.
While a future Apple Watch is rumored to support blood sugar monitoring, the leaks indicate we're many years away from a potential release. Instead, the Apple Watch Series 9 could merely pack a new heart rate sensor with improved performance. Otherwise, it should just support the existing health features currently available on the Series 8.
If you've been holding back on upgrading your old Apple Watch in hopes of an exciting Series 9, we've got some bad news for you. It appears that the Apple Watch Series 9 will, yet again, be an incremental upgrade featuring a performance bump. That's partially due to the fact that Apple is reportedly reserving some major changes for 2024's Apple Watch X. These could include a new band attachment mechanism, a refreshed chassis, and more.
Fortunately, nonetheless, Apple has overhauled watchOS 10 to provide its users with fresh elements in the wearable department. So, if your old Apple Watch supports this release, it should be getting a new lifeline through the exciting changes it will introduce. These include redesigned system apps, fresh watch faces, new health metrics, and much more.
Mahmoud is a Beiruti who has always sought freedom through writing. He’s been actively testing Apple products for around a decade, and he currently uses an iPhone 14 Pro, MacBook Air M2, iPad Air M1, Apple Watch Series 7, AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Max, Apple TV 4K 3, and HomePod Mini. You’ll likely find him jogging at a park, swimming in open water, brainstorming at a coffeehouse, composing poetry on a rooftop, or merely lost in nature. You can reach out to Mahmoud via Instagram or email.
