The Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2: Everything You Need to Know

Today, Apple held its big fall event and announced its new iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro, but that’s not all. We also got all the details on the newest Apple Watches as well, the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2. Here are all the details.

Apple Watch Series 9

Apple

The latest generation of Apple Watch, Series 9, has new Apple Silicon S9 processors inside. Additionally, the updated Neural Engine is twice as fast as the previous generation system-on-a-chip.

The faster Neural Engine puts more Siri requests directly on the watch instead of sending them back to the internet, increasing speed and security. Better integration with the Health app is designed to make it possible to ask Siri about your health stats, like “How did I sleep last night?”

Series 9’s new second-gen Ultra Wideband chip makes the “ping my iPhone” more accurate, including a compass-like interface that helps you know which couch cushion to flip over.

The new display is brighter, but the overall design of the Series 9 Apple Watch is familiar—no big changes to the major design.

Apple’s biggest integration into WatchOS is “Double Tap,” which controls the primary interface in any app. Interestingly enough, the finger-touching capability in the Series 9 was already available on previous Apple Watches as part of the Accessibility optional interfaces. It will almost certainly be integrated into the virtual reality interface of the Vision Pro, even though the virtual reality headset has camera-based hand-tracking.

Double Tap should launch with the next WatchOS next month. It’s unclear if it’s only for Series 9, but unless Apple removes the capability from previous watches it should be available to many late-model Apple Watches.

Apple

Apple Watch Series 9 is available in lots of familiar finishes, including a pink and Product (Red). It’s available for preorder today for $399 and ships on September 22nd.

Apple Watch Ultra 2

APPLE

Apple’s hardcore watch, launched last year, is getting its first update: yup, it’s Apple Watch Ultra 2.

Visually the same as the original, the Apple Watch Ultra has the Series 9 hardware inside, including on-device Siri updates. An updated screen can shine with up to 3,000 nits of brightness. (The “regular” Apple Watch taps out at 2,000.)

WatchOS 10 has finally added Bluetooth compatibility for cyclists who like to measure cadence, speed and resistance using dedicated hardware, as well as a mode for tracking Power Zones. (Think Peloton- or Swift-like tracking but with Apple’s devices.)

Depth session logs are a small but welcome improvement for scuba divers.

The titanium in the Apple Watch Ultra 2’s case is now 95% recycled, instead of 100% virgin titanium like the launch model. That puts Apple Watch Ultra 2 as Carbon Neutral as well, as long as you pair it with an Alpine or Sport Loop.

Apple

The Ultra 2 is available for preorder today for $799 and ships on September 22nd.

Sustainable Steps

Apple

Apple is ditching leather in its products, among other environmental initiative. Think mostly Apple Watch bands and iPhone cases. (Leather is a relatively sustainable material considering how many cows are processed each year, but considering that plenty of third-parties make leather bands and cases, it’s no big loss.)

The popular Sport Loop band is now made of 82% recycled yarn. As of this year, 100% of Apple Watch manufacturing is powered by renewable energy, and Apple is pegging an investment in future renewable energy to the projected amount of electricity customers will use charging their watches. This makes Apple Watch the first Carbon Neutral Apple product, according to Apple. Apple also claims that all of its products will have a Net Zero climate impact by 2030.

Apple is also launching a new textile: FineWoven is made of 68% post-consumer recycled materials, creating a sort of suede-like texture. Apple partner Hermes will be launching FineWoven bands (sure to be as classy as they are expensive); Nike will launch new bands and a new watch face, as well.

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