Apple Watch Series 9 Review
With game-changing new features and additions heralding a new era of smartwatch, the Apple Watch Series 9 is a device for the next generation of health and fitness fans. Leaving the impression that there’s even more to come!
Design:
With the same rounded square design of the Series 8, the Apple Watch Series 9 doesn’t come with any surprises, appearance-wise. However, this is the classic design we’ve come to know and love, so it makes good sense for Apple to stick with the original and that’s fine by me!
Made with aluminium and graphite, it’s a sturdy and durable wrist-buddy, as well as being lightweight and comfortable.
Available in an array of attractive colour options, the Apple Series 9 is a case of style combined with substance!
Functionality:
The Apple Watch Series 9 features an S9 chip, making it faster, smarter, easier to navigate and better able to read your body signals. It certainly feels like a significant step up from previous Apple offerings.
The stand-out new addition is the Double-Tap feature. Thanks to the more advanced S9 processor, this latest feature enables you to use your device one handed, for easier navigation mid-workout, or for when you have your hands full. By simply raising your wrist and double-tapping your thumb and forefinger together, you can answer a call, take a photo, or complete a particular function. This feels like an exciting new era of functionality, which will likely be expanded upon in future devices.
The smooth integration of the watch with other Apple products, makes for a seamless interaction, ensuring it as the best option for iPhone owners.
The Apple Series 9 features a plethora of health and fitness tracking features, including GPS, compass, altimeter, high-dynamic-range gyroscope, high-G accelerometer, ambient light sensor, blood oxygen sensor, electrical heart sensor and body temperature sensor. It also offers lots of safety and convenience features, such as sleep tracking, stress tracking (Heart Rate Variability), temperature sensing and breathing and mindfulness features, to name a few.
A handy new function is that Siri is now able to answer health questions, based on data from the previous week or so. So, you can ask questions such as: “How did I sleep last night?”, “How many minutes did I spend exercising yesterday?”, etc and get a helpful and accurate response. It’s a convenient step-up in functionality, as well as an important step towards better overall health and wellness tracking.
Pros:
The brightness of the screen has been doubled, providing improved clarity for outside use, even in full sunlight.
Apple has added more accurate and sensitive health sensors, making health tracking a standout feature of the Apple Series 9. When it comes to health and wellness functionality, this watch is undoubtedly the best of the bunch!
I was impressed by the responsiveness and accuracy of this device in terms of reading your body’s movements and swiftly reacting by correctly sending a workout prompt; making for a convenient and intuitive workout companion.
In my opinion, the Double-Tap feature is worthy of the hype! Not only does it add to the ease with which this watch can be used, it’s also a pretty cool new feat of technology, which feels like the start of the Apple Watch providing a more seamless user experience. It’s one of those handy inventions whereby, one day soon, we’ll probably be asking ourselves how we ever managed without it! I found it responsive and simple to use and it made life that little bit easier as I went about my day.
There have been welcome improvements to the heart rate tracking, making the Apple Series 9 more consistently reliable and accurate compared with previous models, especially during more energetic workouts, such as running or cycling. Plus, in my experience, it provided better statistical accuracy for heart rate, as well as for calories burned.
The new, significantly improved battery life is guaranteed to last at least a whole day, even with the always-on display activated and multiple workouts tracked. This is a nice surprise, especially considering that the brighter display and more powerful processor would ordinarily be expected to cause a reduction in battery life. The added bonus is that the additional battery life makes this watch perfect for overnight sleep tracking. One quick charge and it’ll last all night!
I was a big fan of the ability to ask Siri health questions. I think this is a significant step in making this device a better, more informative and convenient health tracking companion.
Cons:
In an ideal world, blood pressure tracking would be a welcome extra feature. Given that high blood pressure is a common problem for many, this would be a well-received offering. Similarly, a blood glucose sensor will be a big bonus when it arrives, particularly for those with diabetes. I understand that Apple and others are working on this, so fingers crossed for a speedy arrival!
Sleep tracking continues to be better with third party apps. With no sleep coaching features, or recommendations for sleep improvement based on sleep patterns, the Apple Series 9 lacks some of the finer detail that some other devices provide. That said, this device does highlight sleep trends and allows you to set schedules, so whilst there’s room for improvement, it doesn’t fall completely short on sleep stats.
I was a little disappointed that the valuable stress tracking (HRV) data can only be accessed via third party apps. It’s not the end of the world, but Apple could improve on this by adding a separate, mental-health specific, app on the watch. Given that mental health is becoming an ever-growing concern for many people, this would no doubt be a popular addition.
Verdict:
This latest offering ensures that the Apple Watch remains Top Dog when it comes to health and fitness tracking. And, with enough quirky yet useful new features and functions to satisfy, this feels like the beginning of a new generation of Apple devices, paving the way for even bigger changes to come. Watch this space!
Marks out of 10:
Functionality: 9
Look & Feel: 9
Affordability: 8.5
Pros & Cons Summary:
Pros:
- Improved accuracy of health sensors.
- Fab new Double-Tap and Siri health advice features.
- Greater battery life.
Cons:
- No blood pressure tracking.
- Better sleep tracking via third party apps.
- HRV data only used by third party apps.