While we’re already hearing a lot about the iPhone 15 and some other upcoming Apple devices, there’s still very little concrete news about the Apple Watch 9 — but we’ve heard a few rumors.
An early leak suggests that it could be the same size as an Apple Watch 8 for example, though we still know very little about it, so that could prove wrong.
Anyway, you’ll find everything we’ve heard about the Apple Watch 9 below, followed by a list of things we’d like to offer. We’ll also update this article when there’s news about Apple’s upcoming wearable, so check back soon to stay in the know.
cut to the chase
- What is this? The next Apple Watch
- When is the exit? Maybe September 2023
- How much will it cost? Likely at least $399 / £419 / AU$629
Apple Watch 9: price and release date
Apple Watch 9 is likely to be launched in September. After all, the Apple Watch 8 was announced in September 2022, and with two exceptions, every previous model was introduced in the September of its release years as well.
More specifically, the Apple Watch 9 will likely be announced on a Tuesday or Wednesday in early or mid-September depending on the previous model, i.e. September 5, 6, 12 or 13. It may go on sale in about 10 days.
As for the price, there’s no news there, but it’ll likely cost at least as much as the Apple Watch 8, which starts at $399 / £419 / AU$629, given the higher cost of parts, fuel and labor.
Apple Watch 9 news and leaks
Apple Watch 9:
The main leak of the Apple Watch 9 so far comes from an analyst at tech company Omdia via this MacRumors article, and he simply states that the Apple Watch 9 will likely be the same size as the Apple Watch 8. This means that it will come in both 1.89-inch and 2.04-inch screen sizes. inches, with the case having 41mm and 45mm respectively.
Then there’s an unclear leak that suggests the Apple Watch 9 may instead be called the Apple Watch X, skipping the number nine entirely. This is according to a supply chain source speaking to iPhoneSoft.
They suggest this wearable will still land in 2023, so it would be a simple name change, but with the X being the Roman numeral for 10, that sounds needlessly confusing. Additionally, we’ve heard from leaker MacRumors predicting the Apple Watch X will debut in 2024 alongside the SE 3, so there are conflicting accounts here. The SE 2 was released alongside the Watch 8 and the first iteration of the Apple Watch Ultra, but there’s no word on the Ultra 2 arriving in 2024 to complete the trifecta.
What we want to see
The Apple Watch 8 scored four stars in our review, so for the Apple Watch 9 to get five stars we want to see the following things.
1. Better battery life
One of our main complaints with the Apple Watch 8 — and indeed with every Apple Watch before it — was its battery life. While it’s not terrible, it’s wearable and you’ll likely need to charge it daily, at least every other day.
That’s not ideal, especially for a device designed to constantly track aspects of your health, exercise, and sleep. So we’d like to see the Apple Watch 9 last at least three days between charges, but given that we order it every year, that probably won’t happen.
2. Big chipset upgrade
The Apple Watch 8 technically has a new Apple S8 chipset inside, but there’s very little in the way of upgrades here. In fact, it uses the same CPU as the S7 and even the S6 of the Apple Watch 6.
Now, in fairness, the Apple Watch 8 is a fast device, so it doesn’t feel particularly powerless. But it can always be faster. Or Apple could dramatically improve efficiency, for better battery life.
3. Action button
One of the main features of the Apple Watch Ultra is an additional button called the Action button. This can be customized to do different things, so it’s basically a shortcut to an app or feature of your choice.
It’s a very useful addition, and one we’d love to see make its way to the Apple Watch 9 as well, since it doesn’t feel like something we’d have to give up on the Ultra model.
4. Modified design
The Apple Watch 8 looks good, so we don’t feel the design needs a major overhaul, but it also looks similar to the Apple Watch 7, so some tweaks to freshen it up would be nice.
This can take the form of smaller bezels, a new case material, a slimmer body, or something else along the same lines to help it feel fresh and modern.
5. Lower price
With a starting price of $399 / £419 / AU$629, which goes up if you want a larger size or cellular connectivity, the Apple Watch 8 is a fairly pricey wearable, though it doesn’t offer a whole lot more than the cheaper Apple Watch. much. SE2.
So we’d like to see Apple lower the price of the Apple Watch 9. Either way, make it a big upgrade anyway. Doing so will help ensure that it ranks high among the best Apple Watches and the best smartwatches.