One of the main criticisms Apple received about the products they announced in their “Wonderlust” event is that nothing looked new. The iPhone 15 lineup looked like last year’s iPhone 14 lineup and the Watch Series 9 and the Watch Ultra 2 also bears a striking resemblance to their predecessors. Nothing is noticeably new, at least physically, for any of these devices. Despite this, the iPhone 15 does have some noticeable improvements under the hood. The question now is whether the new Apple Watch Series 9 sees the same improvements.
Well, sort of.
[Hero image: Apple]
Apple Watch Series 9 review: Is it worth it?
Same same but… same
As mentioned, the Apple Watch Series 9 doesn’t look all too different from the Series 8. If you’re looking at the two side by side, they’re difficult to tell apart. Perhaps the only way to do so is if the displays light up on both. You’ll realise that the Series 9’s screen is brighter, now going up to 2000 nits compared to the Series 8’s 1000 nits. The difference, however, is only really evident when the two are placed side by side.
That’s pretty much it when it comes to design differences. The Series 9 still comes in aluminium or stainless steel finishes, with the aluminium still having muted colours and the stainless steel looking sleeker despite retaining more visible fingerprints. The new FineWoven bands, which are stylish, a great material, and environmentally friendly, can give it a fresh new look, but these bands can also be used for previous watches anyway.
Faster and better Siri
As per usual, Apple is touting what’s underneath the hood to be the big improvements consumers can look forward to. The new S9 System in Package or SiP “delivers systemwide improvements” and “can process machine learning tasks up to twice as fast” compared to the Series 8. This, of course, is the language Apple likes to use whenever it describes any of its products, so how does this actually feel when using it in real life?
Well, it’s not bad but it’s certainly not earth-shatteringly groundbreaking either. There isn’t really any noticeable difference in the speed of the processes on the Series 9, apart from one significant instance which is Siri. Apple’s AI assistant is now faster on the Watch thanks to the fact it now processes on the device itself instead of having to always utilise a Wi-Fi connection, something that people like me who don’t have a SIM on their watches will be grateful for. It’s definitely an improvement compared to previous generations where Siri will lag processing your request, but that’s really the only time when the S9 SiP’s power is evident in the Series 9.
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Tap tap
The new Double Tap feature is something that Apple is touting as one of the unique features of the Series 9. I was able to try it out briefly on a test device and it worked great. It’s intuitive, automatically “pressing” the main button whenever you do the gesture, which will be a great help when your other hand is full or you’re on a crowded BTS train.
I have two reservations about this feature though. First, there’s a feature called AssistiveTouch, an accessibility feature that’s been in many generations of the Apple Watch to help disabled people use the device. Basically, users can control the device with one hand using gestures, one of them being tapping your fingers. Apple seems to be setting these two features apart though much like the Series 9’s design, it’s hard to do that. Double Tap will also just be available on the Series 9, but those who have a Series 8 or below can just turn on Assistive Touch.
Second, the Double Tap feature is still not available as of the writing of this article. The update that will bring the feature will come sometime this month, so the feature Apple is touting doesn’t even come out of the box.
Other new features on the Series 9 include Precision Finding for the iPhone 15. Instead of just pinging your phone, the Watch will display directions and how far away your phone is. This feature, however, is not just limited to the Series 9 but also limited to just the iPhone 15. Siri is also able to log health data so you just need to tell Siri you’ve taken your medication or record your period. One caveat though: it is, yet again, an update that’s coming soon.
Watch goes green
There is one impressive thing about the Series 9 which, ironically, isn’t about its features or its software or its design. The Series 9 is Apple’s very first carbon-neutral product, something that the company is proud of and is no mere feat. From the production to the transportation of the Series 9, Apple was able to ensure that the materials used were recycled or that emissions were offset with carbon credits. Since the FineWoven bands also use recycled materials, you can purchase that and the Series 9 with all of it being completely carbon neutral. It’s an accomplishment that bears mentioning, and hopefully, Apple’s other products follow suit.
The verdict
I get that the Watch Series 9 and the iPhone 15 aren’t leaps and bounds in advancement that those coming from the previous generation would be enticed to upgrade. Apple’s strategy has always been to get those with older models to buy the newest ones, which is why they officially do away with previous generations when new models become available. So if you have a Series 4 or something older, the Series 9 will undoubtedly feel faster and new.
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But I also can’t help but feel that the Series 9 left me wanting. Was an improvement in battery life really not possible? Why couldn’t the features Apple was touting already be in the Series 9 when it launched? The Series 9 is by no means a bad smartwatch, but with Apple’s long history of innovation, the upgrades found here are still a little lacking even by incremental standards.
The Apple Watch Series 9 is priced starting at SGD 599
This story first appeared on Prestige Online Thailand
