Apple Watch Series 9 review: better, but clocks off when it comes to endurance
7.12.2023
Translation: Julia Graham
The Apple Watch Series 9 lets you use Siri offline and boasts a brighter display than its predecessor. Unfortunately, all of this really takes its toll on the battery.
Packed to the brim with features, the Apple Watch Series 9 is an exciting gadget. When I go jogging, I can leave my smartphone at home and now use Siri in offline mode. The display on the Series 9 is brighter than on the previous model. However, the watch irks me more often than I’d like.
The Apple Watch Series 9 works really well with an iPhone and as part of the Apple ecosystem in general. In fact, you’ll need an iPhone with iOS 17 or higher to set up it up. Apps that aren’t made by Apple don’t always work reliably either. For instance, I often had connection problems with Spotify but not with Apple Music.
Design and size: perfect for my small wrist
Apple provided me with the 41 mm version of the pink watch to review. For reference, the larger version is 45 mm. I also receive two different straps to test, a white sporty number with a colourful pattern and a pink fabric version called FineWoven with a Velcro-like fastening. I like the former, and it seems incredibly robust. However, putting it on and taking it off is tedious because you have to thread the strap through. That’s why I prefer the second version with its Velcro attachment. While I don’t really like pairing this strap with the elegant watch casing, it’s comfortable and practical.
Source: Michelle Brändle
That apart, I’m happy with the size. The smaller 41 mm version is perfect and doesn’t look bulky even on my very narrow wrist. The aluminium casing is light and comfortable. It makes everything look surprisingly clear.
And I have no complaints when it comes to the controls either. The watch has a button to take you to the settings. And a rotary dial, known as the digital crown, with another button to access all the apps and scroll through them.
Source: Michelle Brändle
A screen for all occasions – and Snoopy
I’m bowled over by the screen. It reacts quickly and displays everything clearly. Apple has also visibly increased screen brightness compared with the Apple Watch Series 8. Doubled it even – from 1,000 to 2,000 nits. This is extremely helpful in bright sunshine.
When it comes to the watch face, I’ve got a huge array of designs to choose from. I do this on my iPhone by downloading the themes I want from the Watch app. These then form a collection that synchronises with the watch. A clock face with animations of cartoon character Snoopy is also included. These change depending on the time of day. It’s only while testing the clock face that I notice how much fun the little dog has with his antics. And the animations barely repeat.
Source: Michelle Brändle
Siri also works offline with the S9 chip
According to Apple, the new S9 chip in the Watch 9 is up to 30% more powerful than its predecessor. As a result, I can use voice assistant Siri offline in this version – something that’s not possible in the Apple Watch Series 8.
Siri can run and access any apps that are on both the Apple Watch and phone, resulting in endless possibilities. This enables me to tell Siri to set a timer or enquire about the weather even when I don’t have internet access. For the latter, it harnesses the most up-to-date weather data before I lost reception.
Source: Michelle Brändle
I mute Siri on the watch via my iPhone. You can also allow it to speak if you prefer this option. However, if my iPhone is nearby, the voice assistant also answers me there.
The battery really pushes my buttons
By rights, the battery should last longer than that of its predecessor. For me, it’s the main downside. I’m used to not having to plug my smartphone in every evening. The Apple Watch Series 9, on the other hand, needs charging after 24 hours, including short sports sessions. That’s quite annoying for a watch, especially if it’s also supposed to continuously measure sleep and other health data. I’ve no idea when I ought to charge it up so it can still record information like this.
After a few weeks, taking a note of my sleep isn’t such a big issue for me. So I decide to forgo it and use the evenings as a time to plug my watch into the magnetic charging cable included.
If my watch doesn’t need permanent access to everything, I can use power-saving mode. However, this restricts quite a few features. It means messages aren’t checked and displayed as often. What’s more, health data such as heart rate and blood pressure aren’t constantly measured. And last but not least, double tap is deactivated. I briefly introduced this in a previous article. It comes in handy when I can’t reach the touchscreen. If I tap my thumb and index finger together, I can open the app menu and scroll through the features.
If you can do without the device taking constant measurements and forgo the double tap gesture, your watch will last 30 hours. Charging it up afterwards then takes about an hour.
Sport: running without a phone is great
The big plus for me with the Apple Watch is being able to go running with my music but without my smartphone. This is already possible with the predecessor model. If I download my favourite playlist to the watch via Spotify or Apple Music – which has also been possible from the watch itself since Watch OS 7 – I can leave the house without a smartphone.
I had a few more teething problems getting the watch to adopt my Spotify playlist, but it works. And I feel much freer when I’m jogging with just Bluetooth headphones in my ears and a watch on my wrist.
Source: Michelle Brändle
GPS tracking works perfectly. In all sports, be it light yoga or fast running, there are interruptions to your heart rate tracking. However, the overall result is easy to compare and I can see my progress after several jogging sessions.
I initially had problems downloading music to the Apple Watch Series 9 via Spotify. And my Apple Watch also had to get used to my headphones, the Oppo Enco X2, first. But in the end everything works. Downloading the playlist was much quicker with Apple Music.
Health: keeping an eye on your cycle around the clock
The Health app on the iPhone and Apple Watch is nothing new, but it does boast some exciting features. It shows your daily activity, such as steps or sleep pattern.
As a woman, I’m naturally curious to find out about my predicted cycle. I enter my period in the cycle app – as well as any symptoms before, during and after my time of the month. It’s incredibly practical, as the predictions get more and more accurate over time. And because I can check on the watch itself, I don’t always have to laboriously calculate my period. That way I know straight off the bat when I can plan beach holidays and spa weekends.
Source: Michelle Brändle
Apart from that, the Health app is a bit full on for me when I have all notifications enabled. It tells me at least once an hour: «time to stand up», «reflect on your mood», «time for a workout», «volume level exceeded» or even «keep it up». It just makes me feel really controlled and annoyed.
Sometimes I’m happy once I’ve reached my daily goal for exercise and training, but the constant comments and vibrating notifications on my wrist get on my nerves. That’s why I turn most of them off pretty quickly.
Source: Michelle Brändle
My sports watch always kept me motivated when I checked it once a day to see if I was getting enough exercise. If not, I was more than happy to go for an evening walk. However, if I’m constantly reminded of this on a daily basis, it makes me reluctant.
Communication: too much of a good thing
I have the same problem with e-mail, news and text message notifications as I do with health data. Namely that it makes the watch vibrate too often. Once again, this is something I can control in the respective apps on my iPhone, to determine which channels and contacts I want to be informed about. My main contacts are enough, so I switch off everything else.
Source: Michelle Brändle
On the plus side, it means I don’t check my phone nearly as much. Messages from best friends and family pop up on the watch, and I also let calls come through. I no longer waste my time reaching into my pocket for my phone when it’s just a nuisance call. What’s more, I can respond to messages quite quickly. All it takes is a bit of dexterity for me to type on a mini-keyboard on the watch face. Alternatively, I can use the microphone on the Apple Watch to record voice-to-text messages. It works well in formal German, at least, with the transcription being 95% correct. Even when I talk very fast. The only thing that’s practically impossible is making any corrections; the screen’s too small to give you a proper overview.
Source: Michelle Brändle
Verdict: the battery just doesn’t last long enough
All in all, the Apple Watch Series 9 is a reliable companion. Compared to its predecessor, however, it’s not made any great leaps forward. The only notable features are using Siri in offline mode, double-tap controls and a brighter display. Personally, the short battery life is too much of a deal breaker. So I only wear the watch from time to time.
If you don’t need the new features, you’d be better off with the older Apple Watch Series 8. That being said, you’ll still have to charge the battery as often.
Header image: Michelle Brändle
In my world, Super Mario chases Stormtroopers with a unicorn and Harley Quinn mixes cocktails for Eddie and Peter at the beach bar. Wherever I can live out my creativity, my fingers tingle. Or maybe it's because nothing flows through my veins but chocolate, glitter and coffee.