While we’ve heard a lot about the iPhone 15 and a few other upcoming Apple gadgets, there’s been little concrete news about the Apple Watch 9 so far — but we’ve heard some rumors.
For example, earlier leaks suggested it could be the same size as the Apple Watch 8, but since we don’t know much about it, that could prove to be wrong.
Anyway, below you’ll find everything we’ve heard about the Apple Watch 9, followed by a list of features we expect it to offer. We’ll also update this article whenever there’s news about Apple’s upcoming wearables, so check back soon for the latest news.
cut to the chase
- what is it? The next Apple Watch
- When will it be out? May be September 2023
- How much will it cost? Probably at least $399 / £419 / AU$629
Apple Watch 9: Price and release date
The Apple Watch 9 could launch in September. After all, the Apple Watch 8 was released in September 2022, and with two exceptions, all previous models also landed in September of their release year.
More specifically, the Apple Watch 9 could be released on a Tuesday or Wednesday in early or mid-September, September 5th, 6th, 12th, or 13th, depending on past format. It will likely be announced alongside the iPhone 15 series and will go on sale in about 10 days.
As for price, there’s no word there, but given the rising parts, fuel and labor costs, it’s likely to be at least as expensive as the Apple Watch 8, which starts at $399/£419/AU$629.
Apple Watch 9 news and leaks
Apple Watch 9:
The main Apple Watch 9 leak so far comes from an analyst at tech firm Omdia mike rumors (opens in a new tab) article, and simply stated that the Apple Watch 9 could be the same size as the Apple Watch 8. That means it will have 1.89-inch and 2.04-inch screen sizes, possibly with 41mm and 45mm cases, respectively.
Then there was a cursory leak suggesting that the Apple Watch 9 might be called the Apple Watch X, skipping the number nine entirely.This is according to a supply chain source iPhone software (opens in a new tab).
They suggest the wearable will still land in 2023, so it would be an easy name change, but the fact that X is the Roman numeral for 10 seems unnecessarily confusing. Also, we’ve heard from MacRumors’ leak that the Apple Watch X is expected to launch alongside the SE 3 in 2024, so there are conflicting claims here. The SE 2 was announced alongside the Watch 8 and the first-gen Apple Watch Ultra, but there’s no word that the Ultra 2 will complete the trio in 2024.
what we want to see
The Apple Watch 8 earned four stars in our review, so here’s what we’d like to see in order to give the Apple Watch 9 five stars.
1. Better battery life
One of our main complaints about the Apple Watch 8, and all Apple Watches before it, is battery life. While that’s not terrible, this is one wearable you’ll likely need to charge every day, at least every two days.
That’s not ideal, especially for a device designed to keep track of things like your health, exercise and sleep. So we’d like to see the Apple Watch 9 last at least three days between charges, but considering we’re asked to do that every year, that probably won’t happen.
2. Chipset upgrade
The Apple Watch 8 technically has the 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 S6 in the S7 and even the Apple Watch 6.
Now, in all fairness, the Apple Watch 8 is a fast device, so it doesn’t feel particularly underpowered. But it can always be faster. Or Apple could work to drastically improve efficiency to improve battery life.
3. An action button
One of the main features of the Apple Watch Ultra is an extra button called the Action button. This can be customized to do various things, so it’s basically a shortcut to an app or function of your choice.
It’s a very useful addition, and one we’d like to see come to the Apple Watch 9, too, as it doesn’t look like something we should be spending money on for the Ultra model.
4. Adjusted design
The Apple Watch 8 looks good, so we don’t think the design needs a drastic overhaul, but it also looks pretty much the same as the Apple Watch 7, so a few tweaks to give it a new look would be nice.
This could come in the form of smaller bezels, new case materials, a slimmer body, or something similar to help it feel new and modern.
5. Lower prices
Starting at $399 / £419 / AU$629 and going up if you want a bigger size or a cellular connection, the Apple Watch 8 is a fairly expensive wearable despite the features it offers Not much more than the SE 2, which is much cheaper than the Apple Watch.
So we’d like to see Apple lower the price of the Apple Watch 9. Either that, or a substantial upgrade to it. Doing so will help ensure it ranks among the best Apple Watches and best smartwatches.
