Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 launched with new gesture features

Apple has introduced the new Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 which have been updated with faster processors and new gesture controls that will change the way customers use their devices.

The Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 are powered by Apple’s new custom S9 SiP which is 30 per cent faster than Series 8 the original Apple Watch Ultra.

And these are the first Apple devices that are completely carbon neutral well ahead of the company’s goal to be carbon neutral across its entire business, manufacturing supply chain, and product life cycle by 2030.

Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 will go on sale on September 22.

“Apple Watch is an indispensable companion that helps millions of people with their health, fitness, communications, and safety,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer.

“We’re introducing our best Apple Watch line-up, with incredible new capabilities and technological advancements, including a new double tap gesture, brighter display, on-device Siri, as well as our first-ever carbon neutral products. Whether users are upgrading from earlier models or buying their first, there’s never been a more compelling time to experience Apple Watch.”

The devices also have a new 4-core Neural Engine onboard which can process tasks twice as fast as the previous models.

This improved performance also enables an impressive new and useful feature called Double Tap.

Double Tap was introduced with the Apple Vision Pro headset and is a way to perform an action without the need to touch the device.

This makes Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 even easier to control with one hand.

An example would be holding a coffee and then receiving a call on Apple Watch.

Usually you would have to put the coffee down to answer the call with your other hand.

Now with Double Tap, you simply raise your watch hand and tap your thumb and index finger together to answer the call.

The gesture can also end a call, control the primary button in an app, launch smart stack and scroll just like turning you’re turning the digital crown.

The Apple Watch Series 9 has a much brigher screen at 2000nits peak brightness – double the Series 8 while the Apple Watch Ultra 2 takes things up to 3000nits peak brightness which twice that of the original.

Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 have the second generation Ultra Wideband chip to enable precision finding.

UWB also brings Apple Watch closer to the HomePod. If you bring Apple Watch within four metres of a HomePod playing audio, you can control the media from the Apple Watch.

Apple Watch Series 9 is priced from $649. Apple Watch Ultra 2 is $1,399.

* Stephen Fenech travelled to the Apple Event in Cupertino as a guest of Apple