Apple Watch Series 9

Apple Inc

Apple Watch Series 9: News, Price, Release Date, Specs; and More

The biggest changes to the Apple Watch Series 9 is software-based

By
Tim Fisher
Photo of Tim Fisher, Lifewire GM and Writer
Tim Fisher
Senior Vice President & Group General Manager, Tech & Sustainability
  • Emporia State University
Tim Fisher has more than 30 years' of professional technology experience. He's been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the SVP and General Manager of Lifewire.
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Updated on October 31, 2023

Like clockwork, the next Apple Watch has arrived. The Apple Watch Series 9 comes with a slew of changes on the software front.

What Is the Apple Watch Series 9 Release Date?

Apple announced the Watch Series 9 on September 12, 2023, a year after the Series 8. Its release date is September 22, right alongside the iPhone 15. We expect the 9's successor, the Apple Watch X, to come out in September 2024.

Apple Watch Series 9 Price

The Apple Watch Series 9 base model starts at $399 for Wi-Fi only, the same as the Series 8 & 7.

Nike bands and the watch face for the Apple Watch Series 9
PHOTO:

Apple Inc

Apple Watch Series 9 Specs & Features

The Apple Watch Series 9 mostly features software updates courtesy of watchOS 10.

Apple did make some hardware tweaks. The Series 9's display has double the brightness of the Series 8 and works better in dark environments. It also comes in a new pink color.

Here's what else is new:

  • New processor: The last several Apple Watches have had the same processor performance, but that changed this year with the introduction of the S9 chip, which promises 30 percent more speed and all-day battery life
  • Double tap: The watch has a neat new gesture called Double Tap. Without even touching your watch, you tap your index finger and thumb twice to control the primary button in the app. So you can snooze alarms, answer calls, and do more.
Apple Watch Series 9 double tap feature.
  • A faster and more secure Siri: Siri requests are now processed on the device, not on the cloud, so you'll get more immediate responses and maintain your privacy. This is particularly handy as you can now request health data from Siri, such as how long you slept the night before.
  • Finding your iPhone got easier: You can ping your iPhone using the watch, showing you which direction to go and offering haptic feedback when you get close.
  • Namedrop: You can use Apple's Namedrop feature to share contact info with another Apple Watch.
Apple Watch Series 9 namedrop feature.

The Latest News About the Apple Watch Series 9

You can get more Smart and Connected Life news from Lifewire. Here are some stories about this Apple Watch, specifically, plus a few related articles you might like: