Apple Watch Series 9 Debuts S9 Chip For A Speedier Smartwatch

The somewhat speedy march of Apple Silicon is continuing, as the Apple Watch 9 debuts an entirely new chip. According to Apple, the S9 SiP is the company's "most powerful watch chip yet." It contains a whopping 5.6 billion transistors and a new neural engine that allows you to use a built-in version of Siri while offline. The in-device version of Siri is also more secure, and features increased voice command functionality, along with new health features that draw on the S9 SiP's expanded functionality.

Apple says that the standard watch will give the average user an 18-hour battery life, which allows for all-day use if you're one of those people who manages to grab eight hours of sleep a night. In addition to the new functionality, the always-on Retina display has received a boost: it now boasts 2,000 nits of brightness, making it easier to read outdoors, and in other bright environments. At the other end of the scale, that brightness can go as low as one nit — making the display still visible while greatly conserving the watch's battery.

Apple's new chip is bringing more than just raw specs to the table. The chip's upgraded neural engine powers the watch's exciting new "double tap" feature, You can tap your thumb against your index finger to answer and end calls, navigate the watch's "smart stack," and control things like timers and music. The new chip uses gyroscopic technology, other sensors, and a machine-learning algorithm to make it all work.

The "Find my iPhone" feature has also received a revamp, using haptic feedback to zap you with greater frequency as you get closer to your missing device. A little bit like that kids' game, where someone shouts "hot" as you get closer to an object, and "cold" as you move further away — but more expensive and likely to be used when you're rushing to leave the house. Never fear — you can also simply ping the phone if you need a simpler way to locate it.

Apple is offering the Apple Watch Series 9 in 41mm and 45mm sizes with multiple color options: pink, Product Red, silver, midnight, and starlight, plus you can still get the graphite, silver, and gold stainless steel cases if you prefer. Prices start at $399 in the U.S., but there's also the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and SE models to choose from.