Apple has just unveiled its latest smartwatch, the Apple Watch Series 9, at its September 2023 event. The new device features a brighter display, a more powerful chip, a new gesture control and a carbon-neutral design.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Apple Watch Series 9, including its price, specs, features and availability in Malaysia.
Display
The always-on retina display in the Apple Watch Series 9 boasts a brightness level of up to 2,000 nits, which is twice as bright as the model it replaces. This makes reading more comfortable both in bright sunshine and in dim environments like a movie theater. Additionally, to conserve battery life, the display dims to just 1 nit while not in use.
The 41mm and 45mm sizes of the Apple Watch Series 9 are slightly larger than the 40mm and 44mm versions of the Series 8. You now get 20% more screen real estate than with the Series 8 so you can see more of your notifications, widgets, and apps.
Chip
The S9 SiP (System in Package), the most potent chip yet in an Apple Watch, powers the Series 9 model. The dual-core CPU on the S9 SiP features 5.6 billion transistors, 60% more than the S8 chip. A four-core Neural Engine on the S9 SiP can handle machine learning workloads up to twice as quickly as the S8 processor.
A new gesture control feature that allows you use your Apple Watch without touching the screen is one of the advances made possible by the S9 SiP. To answer a call, get a notice, start and stop music, and more, just double-tap your index and thumb. When your hands are full or damp, this feature is particularly helpful.
Design
A crack-resistant front crystal and a sleek, robust design make up the Apple Watch Series 9’s swim- and dust-resistant construction. Aluminum and stainless steel are the available case materials for the device. In contrast to the stainless steel case, which has a polished finish and a sapphire crystal display, the aluminum case has a matt finish and an Ion-X strengthened glass display.
As Apple’s first carbon-neutral product, the Apple Watch Series 9 has no overall environmental impact. Innovations in the fields of materials, clean energy, and low-carbon shipping are used to accomplish this. When used with the new Sport Loop straps, which are made of recycled plastic bottles, the device is carbon-neutral.
Health
With a variety of apps and sensors, the Apple Watch Series 9 gives you a deeper understanding of your physical and mental health. The Blood Oxygen app lets you check your blood oxygen level and collects background readings all day and night in addition to on-demand readings. With the ECG app, you can also take an electrocardiogram (ECG), which can spot symptoms of atrial fibrillation (AFib), a common type of abnormal heartbeat.
Additionally, the device tracks your heart rate and alerts you if it rises or falls abnormally. Additionally, it can identify any abnormal heartbeats that might be a sign of AFib. It can also notify you if your cardio fitness is low, which is a crucial sign of your general health.
The new Temperature Sensing feature on the Apple Watch Series 9 can measure your skin’s temperature and notify you if it is abnormally high or low. This can assist you in tracking your menstrual cycle and ovulation as well as identifying symptoms of fever or hypothermia.
Features
WatchOS 10, which is the operating system for the Apple Watch Series 9, adds new functions and enhancements to your wrist. By twisting the Digital Crown to display the Smart Stack, which displays widgets for the weather, calendar, fitness, news, and more, you can receive timely information from any watch face. Additionally, you can edit your own widgets and include them in your Smart Stack.
Additionally, the device features Precision Finding for iPhone, which can assist you in finding a missing iPhone by indicating its general location and direction. A visible sign, an audio chirp, and haptic feedback all assist you locate your iPhone as you draw close to it.
Additionally, the gadget contains features called Emergency SOS and International Emergency Calling that can instantly contact for assistance if you fall or crash and become immobile. Additionally, the gadget can inform your emergency contacts of your location and medical ID.
Additionally, the gadget includes features like Family Setup, Handwashing Detection, Siri, Apple Pay, and many others that make your life simpler and more easy.
Specs
Here’s a table comparing the specs of the Apple Watch Series 9 aluminium and stainless steel models:
| Specs | Aluminium | Stainless Steel |
|---|---|---|
| Processor (CPU) | S9 SiP dual-core | S9 SiP dual-core |
| RAM | 1 GB | 1 GB |
| Battery Capacity | 308 mAh | 308 mAh |
| Charging Method | Magnetic wireless charger | Magnetic wireless charger |
| Storage Capacity | 32 GB | 32 GB |
| Display Type | Always-on retina OLED | Always-on retina OLED |
| Display Resolution | 368 x 448 pixels (45mm) 324 x 394 pixels (41mm) | 368 x 448 pixels (45mm) 324 x 394 pixels (41mm) |
| Screen Size | 1.9 inches (45mm) 1.7 inches (41mm) | 1.9 inches (45mm) 1.7 inches (41mm) |
| Bluetooth Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.0 | Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| GPS | Yes | Yes |
| Sensors (just main sensor) | Accelerometer, gyroscope, heart rate, blood oxygen, ECG, temperature, ambient light, barometer, compass, altimeter, microphone, speaker, Ultra Wideband chip | Accelerometer, gyroscope, heart rate, blood oxygen, ECG, temperature, ambient light, barometer, compass, altimeter, microphone, speaker, Ultra Wideband chip |
| Water and Dust Resistance | IP68 up to 50 meters depth for swimming and dustproof with a crack-resistant front crystal. | IP68 up to 50 meters depth for swimming and dustproof with a crack-resistant front crystal. |
| Operating System and Compatibility | watchOS 10 compatible with iOS 15 and later devices. | watchOS 10 compatible with iOS 15 and later devices. |
Price and Availability
Starlight, Midnight, Silver, (PRODUCT)RED, and Pink versions of the Apple Watch Series 9 are available for the aluminum casing, while Graphite, Silver, and Gold versions are available for the stainless steel case.
Sport Band, Sport Loop, Braided Solo Loop, Leather Link, and Milanese Loop are just a few of the many strap options for the gadget. Additionally, variants with GPS only or GPS + Cellular options are available.
Here is a table outlining how much the Apple Watch Series 9 costs in Malaysia.
| Model/Storage/Bundling/Strap Option | Price in RM Malaysia |
|---|---|
| Aluminium GPS-only 41mm/Sport Band or Sport Loop | RM1,899 |
| Aluminium GPS-only 45mm/Sport Band or Sport Loop | RM2,099 |
| Aluminium GPS + Cellular 41mm/Sport Band or Sport Loop | RM2,399 |
| Aluminium GPS + Cellular 45mm/Sport Band or Sport Loop | RM2,599 |
| Stainless Steel GPS + Cellular 41mm/Milanese Loop or Leather Link | RM3,299 |
| Stainless Steel GPS + Cellular 45mm/Milanese Loop or Leather Link | RM3,499 |
| Stainless Steel GPS + Cellular 41mm/Link Bracelet | RM4,749 |
| Stainless Steel GPS + Cellular 45mm/Link Bracelet | RM4,949 |
You can buy the Apple Watch Series 9 from the official Apple website or from authorized resellers in Malaysia.
Conclusion
A strong and cutting-edge smartwatch with a brighter display, quicker CPU, revolutionary gesture control, and a carbon-neutral build is the Apple Watch Series 9. With a variety of apps and sensors, it also aids in your health monitoring. Anyone who wishes to stay connected and healthy should use this gadget.
You can check out the authorized resellers in Malaysia or the official Apple website if you’re interested in purchasing the Apple Watch Series 9.