Apple Watch 9 vs Apple Watch 8: How does Apple’s new wearable compare?

Just like clockwork, Apple has unveiled its next-generation Apple Watch and if you’re thinking about upgrading then there are a few key things to note.

Last year’s Apple Watch 8 was a perfect example of just how far Apple’s watchOS ecosystem has come. Boasting the larger screen introduced on its predecessor, the Watch 8 also utilised a temperature sensor to more accurately track the menstrual cycle, while a new motion sensor allowed for car crash detection. Overall, it added up to one of the most confident smartwatches on the market.

Now that the Apple Watch 9 is here, you might be wondering if it’s time to trade in your old unit and buy into the latest tech. If you’re in that mindset right now then we’re here to break down the three key things you need to know that separate the Apple Watch 9 from last year’s Apple Watch 8.

The Apple Watch 9 should be a lot faster

For all its improvements, the S8 chipset inside the Apple Watch 8 wasn’t that much of an upgrade in terms of raw speed. Part of the reason for this is that it supposedly uses the same processor as the one found within the Apple Watch 6’s S6 chip.

Apple’s finally doing away with this issue by upgrading the CPU in the new S9 chipset, which should mean that the Apple Watch 9 will be a lot faster in daily use than any of the Apple wearables to have come out in the last few years.

It’ll be harder to lose the Apple Watch 9

Thanks to the Apple Find My app, it’s already pretty easy to find your Apple Watch if it does get misplaced, but now the process will be even easier than ever before. The reason for this is that the Apple Watch 9 now comes with the U2 wideband chip, which allows users to detect it with the same level of precision found in the Apple AirTag.

This on its own probably isn’t enough of a reason to upgrade wholesale, but it’s definitely a major win if you’re the type of person who has trouble keeping an eye on their tech. At the very least, it should help to prevent any adopters from making costly mistakes that could see them lose their Apple Watch completely.

Double Tap

One of the highlights of the Apple Watch Series 9 biggest features is new Double Tap feature that allows you to control the watch with just one hand. This was demonstrated as being great for those times when you only have one free hand, like when walking the dog or holding a cup of coffee. Double Tap lets you touch your thumb and index finger together to scroll, tap and navigate the wearable’s UI.