Apple Watch Series 9: Familiar Design Meets Innovative Gesture—Is It Worth the Upgrade?

The significance of design in watches is immense. A striking aesthetic can easily persuade someone to invest in a luxury timepiece. Nevertheless, Apple’s smartwatches have faced declining sales in recent years. Industry analysis indicates that Apple’s share of the smartwatch market has continued to shrink over the last two years, and the explanation is straightforward: Apple has retained the same design for its watch over the last three years. The Series 8, released last year, looked nearly identical to the Series 7, and the 2023 model, the Series 9, follows this precedent.

This does not imply that Apple’s strategy of making slight modifications to existing designs is ineffective. Even without significant changes in design or innovative features, customers consistently purchase a new Apple Watch annually.

Thus, an Apple Watch Series 9 that mirrors the design of last year’s version may seem redundant, but it does introduce a new feature: a double-tap gesture that enables various functions without needing to physically touch the watch. Sounds intriguing? However, there’s a catch. Before diving into that, let’s explore the new aspects.

Pricing of Apple Watch Series 9 in India

The 41mm stainless steel option begins at Rs. 70,900, and the 45mm stainless steel starts at Rs. 75,900. Apple also allows customers to select a strap to pair with their watch. The aluminium models can be complemented by either the new Sport Band or Sport Loop, while the stainless steel versions can choose between the Sport Band or Milanese Loop (metal).

Design and Specifications of Apple Watch Series 9

Unless upgrading from an Apple Watch Series 6 or an earlier version, you won’t notice any significant difference in appearance between the Series 7, last year’s Series 8, and this year’s Series 9. The bezels surrounding the Series 9’s display remain unchanged, making it clear that the design is simply a repeat.

The sole way to distinguish two Midnight black Apple Watches is by inspecting the engraving on the ceramic back case, where the number ‘8′ is replaced by ‘9′. In comparison, Samsung has excelled with its Galaxy Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic, which feature subtle upgrades that enhance the overall aesthetic.

Apple asserts that the Series 9’s case is crafted from «100 percent recycled» aluminium

 

However, Apple claims that this year’s smartwatch incorporates only recycled materials. This applies solely to the aluminium case on the Series 9 paired with the Sport Loop strap, which Apple touts as a fully carbon neutral product.

For the review, Apple provided two types of watch bands. The Midnight Sport Loop was included in the box, while a Desert Stone Nike Sport Band was also sent, which was slightly small for my wrist but well-constructed and felt premium. The carbon neutral Sport Loop band offered excellent comfort for everyday wear, fastening easily thanks to its velcro adjustment strap.

Both the aluminium casing and the ion-X glass remained scratch-free throughout the review period. The casing retains its IP6X rating for dust resistance and is water-resistant up to 50 metres, as stated by Apple. Included is a magnetic fast-charging adapter featuring a braided cable, similar to the updated iPhone models.

The Apple Watch Series 9 (left) looks the same as the Series 8 (right)

 

Apple holds onto a 1.9-inch Retina LTPO OLED display with a resolution of 484 x 396 pixels. Nevertheless, Apple asserts that this year’s display can achieve greater brightness. Additionally, the introduction of the S9 SiP is said to provide a quicker neural engine for enhanced command processing speed. Common tasks can now be executed on the watch without needing to connect to a phone or the Internet.

All previous sensors are included, featuring the blood oxygen sensor, electrical heart sensor, and the third-generation heart rate sensor (which debuted with the Series 8), together with the usual array of sensors. A second-generation ultra wideband chip (UWB) is also included, which is handy for locating a lost iPhone. Bringing your watch near a Homepod will enable music recommendations thanks to this new chip. The temperature monitoring and crash detection sensors introduced last year are also present in this model.

The new Snoopy watch face is charming and entertaining, available on all watchOS 10-supported devices

 

The watch supports the usual global positioning systems and boasts dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.3. It now offers 64GB of internal storage, double that of last year’s model, which is beneficial for storing music locally on the watch when you prefer not to carry your phone.

Performance of Apple Watch Series 9

The new Apple S9 SiP appears slightly faster when launching and closing applications and while navigating the watchOS interface. However, the difference is not drastically significant compared to the Series 8, which was already quite responsive, so it is not a compelling reason for an upgrade. The same goes for the brighter display, which Apple claims can reach up to 2,000 nits—on par with last year’s Watch Ultra 2. The Series 8 performed sufficiently well outdoors, so I wouldn’t consider this a valid reason to change from a recent model.

On the software front, watchOS has undergone substantial updates. There are four new watch faces including an adorable Snoopy design featuring numerous delightful animations. The Solar Analogue and Palette faces are quite customizable, while the new Nike Globe face is beneficial for users of the Nike Run app.

The new version of the OS utilizes physical buttons effectively and relies less on gestures. A new virtual back button appears on screen when navigating through native apps. Smart Stack, a collection of widgets, appears when scrolling through the digital crown after waking the watch from the default face. Accessing the Control Center now requires a press on the side button, enhancing its utility. Native apps have received a much-needed design overhaul and include the new on-screen back button as well. Overall, watchOS 10 marks a significant step forward, providing a refreshed interface despite the physical design of the watch remaining unchanged.

WatchOS 10 features a newly developed app grid with a vertical-scrolling layout

 

Having tested the double-tap functionality in its beta phase (watchOS public 10.1 beta 2), I cannot definitively assess its performance, yet I can share its utility.

While it appeared promising during the presentation, the reality is that the feature works exclusively for single button functions—like answering or rejecting calls, starting or stopping a stopwatch, and playing or pausing music. However, it is not truly a navigation feature since it only activates or deactivates one task. To reach that point, you still have to set down items and use your fingers to open an app or establish a timer. The double tap only aids in stopping functions. What frustrated me most is that this gesture doesn’t work with incoming notifications, something I believe Apple should definitely enable.

WatchOS 10 introduces a new and valuable back button in its native apps

 

There’s another limitation: to enable the double-tap gesture, you must first raise your wrist and glance at your watch (or flick your wrist towards you). If either action is missing, double tap simply won’t respond. Given the processing required for the gesture, I wished it could function with a single action.

Moreover, it feels rather awkward to lift your arm in public and tap your fingers while staring at your watch. Although I acknowledge that this feature was still in beta at the time of my testing, I found it somewhat slow in terms of response and activation. Ultimately, I often forgot the existence of the double tap feature, prompting me to repeatedly remind myself about it, especially since it only works with certain functions and applications.

In the realm of health and fitness tracking, I found the results to be quite reliable overall. Sleep tracking with stages, first seen last year, presents data consistently as it did on the Series 8. Once again, I found it dependable and accurate in its reporting. I’m pleased to note that SpO2 readings have shown improvement, though they still lack the consistency of a dedicated pulse oximeter, yet are close to accurate. Heart rate readings were precise, and GPS tracking during walks (without the iPhone) was also correct.

Mood logging is possible from both the iPhone and the Apple Watch

 

Beyond physical health, iOS 17 and watchOS 10 also allow you to monitor your mood with the ultimate aim of offering insights into mental health. The mood tracking feature is accessible through both an iPhone (Health>Browse>Mental Wellbeing>State of Mind) and the Watch Series 9 (via the Mindfulness app). It prompts users with a simple set of questions to log their daily moods. The new State of Mind section within the Health app offers a broader view to identify what might be affecting your mental health (like insufficient sleep or job stress) or what could improve your mood (such as exercise). The Journal app, which Apple has yet to launch for iOS 17 devices, is anticipated to debut «later this year.»

Sleep tracking on the Apple Watch Series 9 is notably accurate but doesn’t match the functionality of Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 6 models

 

Despite not increasing battery size, Apple claims to have made strides in battery efficiency. This is likely due to the more efficient S9 SiP, yet I did not experience a notable difference compared to the Series 8 last year. Sleep tracking still remains one of the most power-hungry features, alongside GPS-assisted walking, which consumed an estimated three percent of battery life per kilometre walked.

Utilizing the always-on feature, I did not deactivate it, as I found it convenient for quick views of my watch face. With exercise tracking off and all notifications activated, alongside health tracking features running, the Watch Series 9 lasted approximately 1.5 days on a single charge. Turning off sleep tracking and with no workouts, this can extend to about two days. Charging experiences remain unchanged; the magnetic charger reached 65 percent in 30 minutes and fully charged in one hour and seven minutes.

Charging speeds mirror those of last year’s device

 

Conclusion

There is indeed minimal innovation or novelty in the Apple Watch Series 9. This may disappoint brand enthusiasts who were likely hoping for something fresh this year, which the Series 9 clearly does not provide. Furthermore, since the design has remained the same for two consecutive years, users can easily attach the new FineWoven bands to their existing Series 7 or Series 8 watches.

Based on my experience, the double-tap feature does not offer as much utility as advertised. Nonetheless, Apple is fully confident in its practicality and has asserted that it cannot be implemented on older models, necessitating an upgrade to a new version if one wishes to try it out.

Last year, I expressed similar sentiments about the Series 8, and this year, those feelings persist. It remains challenging for me to recommend the Series 9 to anyone already owning a Series 7 or Series 8 unless they are particularly eager to experience the double tap feature. For those coming from an Apple Watch Series 6, the Series 9 represents a worthy upgrade, bringing along the new S9 SiP and additional storage, ensuring better longevity in terms of software support compared to the Series 8.

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