In a highly anticipated announcement on Tuesday, tech giant Apple (AAPL) unveiled its latest innovation, the Apple Watch Series 9, at the annual iPhone event held at the company’s Cupertino headquarters.
The Series 9 boasts a significant overhaul in its internal architecture, driven by Apple’s cutting-edge S9 chip. This enhancement promises accelerated processing speeds and maintains an impressive 18-hour battery life, according to statements made during the event. The watch’s new neural engine will revolutionize the performance of voice assistant Siri, ensuring faster response times and heightened accuracy, particularly in accessing health-related data through Siri.
A groundbreaking feature introduced with the Apple Watch Series 9 is the Siri health interactions. Initially rolling out in Mandarin and English later this year, this functionality empowers users to effortlessly log crucial health metrics such as sleep patterns and weight. Additionally, a novel physical gesture named “Double Tap” will be unveiled next month exclusively for Series 9 smartwatches. This unique maneuver, achieved by double-tapping the index finger and thumb together, enables users to answer calls, navigate widgets, manage music playback, and silence alarms.
The Apple Watch Series 9 is priced at $399, while the Apple Watch SE is available for $249, both now open for pre-orders.
Notable improvements include a wider band facilitating seamless integration with Apple’s Home Pod, along with the introduction of an elegant pink color variant. The Series 9’s remarkable brightness, measured at 2,000 nits, outshines its predecessor, the Series 8, by twofold.
Throughout the presentation, Apple placed a strong emphasis on the safety and health benefits inherent in their smartwatch offerings, a recurring theme for the company. Additionally, Apple highlighted its unwavering commitment to sustainability, underlining the goal of achieving complete carbon neutrality by 2030. The Series 9 proudly claims the distinction of being Apple’s first-ever fully carbon-neutral product.
In a noteworthy eco-conscious stride, all Apple Watch manufacturing processes will now run entirely on 100% clean electricity. The Series 9’s packaging has been reimagined with a smaller, fiber-based design, enabling the simultaneous shipment of a greater number of devices. The company has also pledged to favor water-based transportation over air travel and is discontinuing the use of leather in its watch bands.
Concurrently, Apple unveiled the Apple Watch Ultra 2, featuring an extraordinary display that achieves the highest brightness levels to date. A night mode, activated by ambient light sensors in low-light conditions, further enhances its functionality. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is priced at $799 and is available for pre-order alongside the Series 9.
Apple’s smartwatch offerings have undergone substantial expansion in recent years, with the 2022 launch of the rugged yet premium Apple Watch Ultra, targeted at high-performance athletes and competitively priced at $799.
While the Apple Watch garners significant attention, it represents a relatively modest segment within Apple’s vast business empire. In 2022, the company’s overall revenue reached an impressive $394.3 billion. In comparison, the wearables, home, and accessories division generated $30.5 billion in revenue for the nine months leading up to July 1. Although a slight dip from the previous year’s $31.5 billion, this category continues to be a formidable player in Apple’s diversified portfolio.
Competing against the Apple Watch are wearable offerings from industry rivals including Google-owned Fitbit, Samsung, Garmin, and Huawei.
Source: Yahoo Finance
