When it comes to timepieces, design is essential. A compelling design is required to persuade someone to buy an expensive watch. However, Apple smartwatches have sold poorly in recent years. According to market surveys, Apple’s smartwatch market share has decreased over the last two years, and the explanation is simple. For the past three years, Apple has not updated the appearance of its watch. Last year’s Series 8 design appeared identical to that of Series 7, and this year’s Watch Series 9 continues that tradition.

This does not imply Apple’s strategy of tweaking and selling a similar-looking product isn’t practical. Buyers purchase an Apple Watch each year despite any design modifications or significant new features.

So, while an Apple Watch Series 9 with the same design as last year’s model may appear redundant, there is something new in the form of a double tap gesture, which allows you to do numerous functions without reaching out and touching your watch.
Let’s take a look at what’s new.

Price of Apple Watch Series 9 in India

The Apple Watch Series 9, like the Series 8 (and Series 7), comes in two casing sizes (41mm and 45mm) and two variants – GPS or GPS and Cellular. Another option available to Apple customers is the casing, which can be chosen in either aluminium or steel and has a distinct appearance. The 41mm aluminium case costs Rs. 41,900, while the 45mm case costs Rs. 44,900.
The 41mm stainless steel case costs Rs. 70,900, while the 45mm case costs Rs. 75,900. Apple allows you to select one strap for your new watch. The new Sport Band or Sport Loop is available for aluminium case types, while the Sport Band or Milanese Loop (metal) is available for stainless steel case versions.

Design and specifications for the Apple Watch Series 9

You need to upgrade from an Apple Watch Series 6 or older to make the slightest difference in aesthetic appearance between the Series 7, last year’s Series 8, and this year’s Series 9. The bezels around the Series 9’s display have stayed the same, and no matter which direction you look at it, you’re staring at the same old design.

The only method to distinguish two Midnight black Apple Watches is to look at the delicate engraving on the ceramic back case, which will have the number ‘8’ changed by the number ‘9’. Indeed, Samsung did a significantly better job this year with the Galaxy Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic, introducing small changes that improved the design of the smartwatches.

On the other hand, Apple claims to have utilised entirely recycled materials in producing its smartwatch this year. However, this only applies to the Series 9 with the aluminium casing (not the stainless steel case) when paired with the Sport Loop strap, which Apple describes as a carbon-neutral device.

Apple offered two watch bands with its review unit. Apple included a Desert Stone Nike Sport Band in the box along with the Midnight Sport Loop. It was a little too small for my wrist but well-made and high-quality. The carbon-neutral Sport Loop band was also incredibly pleasant for everyday wear, and the velcro adjustment strap made it easy to tighten.

During the evaluation, neither the aluminium case nor the ion-X reinforced cover glass was scratched. According to Apple, the case is still IP6X rated for dust protection and water resistance to a depth of 50 metres. A magnetic fast-charging adaptor with a braided cable, similar to the recent iPhone models, is included in the box.

Apple keeps the same 1.9-inch Retina LTPO OLED panel with 484 x 396-pixel resolution. On the other hand, Apple believes this year’s display will be much brighter. There’s also a new S9 SiP, which the company claims has a quicker neural engine for faster command and response capture from Siri. At the same time, typical functions (such as setting a timer and more) are handled onboard without the need to connect to the phone or the Internet.

Apart from the typical array of sensors, the watch has the same sensors as previously, including the blood oxygen sensor, electrical heart sensor, and a third-generation heart rate sensor (introduced with the Series 8). A second-generation ultra wideband chip (UWB) is also integrated, which can be used to locate a misplaced iPhone. Holding your watch near a Homepod displays music suggestions from this new chip. The new sensors for temperature monitoring and crash detection features debuted with the previous model are also present. The watch is equipped with dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.3, as well as the standard global positioning systems. Internal storage is now 64GB, double last year’s model.