The Apple Watch Series 9 is poised to remain “largely unaltered” in comparison to its predecessor, except for a significant performance boost, as per the assertions of Weibo leaker “Instant Digital.”
Key Features of Apple Watch Series 9 Earlier today, the Weibo user reaffirmed previous reports suggesting that the Apple Watch Series 9 would see a modest upgrade. The emphasis of this refresh is primarily on enhancing the cores within the smartwatch’s S-series chip, providing a considerable performance leap. Nonetheless, the rest of the watch is expected to mirror the Apple Watch Series 8 closely.
Apple Watch Series 6, Series 7, Series 8, the second-gen Apple Watch SE, and Apple Watch Ultra all have similar CPUs in their S6, S7, and S8 chips. These chips, all possessing 32GB of storage and dual-core CPUs with the identifier T8301, are virtually indistinguishable. The S6 chip, unveiled with the Apple Watch Series 6, allowed apps to launch 20% quicker, according to Apple’s performance claims at the time.
The S6, S7, and S8 are built on Apple’s A13 Bionic chip used in the iPhone 11 series and are fabricated using TSMC’s 7nm process. Apple shifted to TSMC’s 5nm process with the A14 Bionic chip in 2020.
As Mark Gurman of Bloomberg reports, the upcoming S9 chip will be based on the A15 Bionic chip. This new chip could significantly elevate performance and efficiency, enhancing app launch speeds and possibly improving battery life. The S9 chip is anticipated to be a principal feature in the second-generation Apple Watch Ultra, as well as the Apple Watch Series 9, later this year.
This rumor aligns with the minimal upgrade seen in the Apple Watch Series 8 over the Series 7 last year. The Series 8 only incorporated an enhanced gyroscope and accelerometer, Crash Detection, and a body temperature sensor, as compared to its 2021 predecessor.
Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch Series 7 vs. Apple Watch Series 8 Given the primary emphasis on performance in the Apple Watch Series 9 and the second-generation Apple Watch Ultra, the new 2023 models might follow the trend of minor refreshes. Apple allegedly intends to introduce a few new color variants for the lineup this year, including pink for the Apple Watch Series 9 and black for the second-generation Apple Watch Ultra.
