The new watchOS 10 health updates are in the Apple Watch Series 9 review
Is it okay to go to the bathroom if you are going to the hospital? An Apple Watch Series 9 Review: New Chip and New WatchOS 10 Health Updates
This week, the Watch Series 9 prompted me to say “pfffft” out loud. The official version of watchOS 10 dropped on Monday with a new feature called State of Mind. The State of Mind can be pinged from the Health app at different times of the day, or at the end of the day. To dial in exactly how pleasant or unpleasant you feel, twist the crown of the watch to scroll through colors on a flower-shaped graphic, then ask yourself a question and explain why you are feeling it.
But then I stopped. Who was I? I’m not a paramedic. No one was writing code on the table. Was my kid’s first-grade teacher really going to ruin his life if we arrived at 7:51 instead of 7:50? No. I logged my state of mind. Then I went to the bathroom. It is ok to stop and take a break. Maybe several. I will probably finish my coffee before going to work.
Source: Apple Watch Series 9 Review: New Chip and New WatchOS 10 Health Updates
Double Touch: An Accessibility Feature for an S9-Based Health Tracker in the Lookout for Possible Changes in Blood Flow
Apple has carved a reputation for itself as a privacy protection despite its occasional stumbles. Apple has built a variety of products and services, which are safer than the competition, because it went toe-to-toe with agencies to protect its customers’ privacy. You are the only one who can see your health data when you log it in an Apple device. It’s also encrypted on its way to and from your iCloud storage. These layers of security let Apple offer ever-more-sensitive health-tracking features with each iteration of its products, like adding the ability to log your medications or track your menstrual cycles.
Another thing enabled by the S9 chip is a new interaction called Double Tap. When you swing your watch toward your face and tap your index finger and your thumb together twice, the watch registers this as something like a button press. By default it triggers the primary button currently on your watch screen. So you can use Double Tap to answer a call for example, or to hang up at the end of one. A bonus is the ability to dismiss an alarm while your hands are full. The feature—itself an extension of Apple’s accessibility software for its wearables—utilizes the watch’s gyroscope, accelerometer, and blood flow sensors to determine when you’re tapping your fingers.
Technically speaking, this tech isn’t new. Double-tap uses the same underlying technology that is used for AssistiveTouch, an accessibility feature for those with limb differences. The sensors can detect changes in blood flow when the muscles in your forearm move, and that, in turn, allows you to control the device and navigate menus with one hand.
Apple did not make these watches for people who want to upgrade. They were made for people who do not have an Apple Watch. It is true that many people buy Apple Watches for the first time each year. For those folks, these are the latest and greatest. It is until next year.
The Series 9 is a pink color, and the design is not new at all. Otherwise, you’re looking at the same design and 41mm / 45mm sizes as the Series 8 and the Series 7 before that.
Apple has introduced a new color for the watch, pink. It is actually pink, instead of the green Series 7, which only looked green if the light hit just right. Second, this is the year of our queen and savior Barbie. Technically, it’s more Millennial pink than Barbie pink, but that’s probably a good thing. Normally, I kvetch about how Apple shies away from saturated color, but the extra subtlety here makes for a more versatile watch. Depending on the strap, you can either emphasize or de-emphasize the pinkness for whatever the situation calls for.
The Ultra 2 is even harder to differentiate from the Ultra. When I got my hands-on at Apple Park, a representative advised I stow my Ultra in my bag — lest I accidentally leave it behind. The back crystal of the Ultra 2 just says Ultra, which is a departure from the Series watches, which always specify which series they are. I used minimal signs of wear and tears on my original Ultra to tell these two watches apart, for the entire week.
More recycled materials are used in the Series 9 and Ultra 2. The Sport Loop, for example, is made of 82 percent recycled yarn, up from 0 percent. The Ultra 2 is made from 95 percent recycled titanium, while Series 9 is made from 100 percent recycled aluminum. The speckled flecks in Silicone Nike straps are recycled in this review. The FineWoven strap that Apple sent me was made from recycled material and is meant to be used as a substitute for leather. Apple does not do leather anymore.
FineWoven is fine. It’s kinda like suede: soft and a lil’ fuzzy. If you scrape it with a nail, it shows the scratch like suede would. It’s hard to say whether it’ll develop a patina, as I simply haven’t had it long enough, but I wouldn’t recommend working out in it (or in any leather strap, for that matter). I thought the strap was fetching on my stainless steel 45mm review unit, but the texture was a lot more polarizing among my co-workers. They couldn’t articulate why they weren’t fans. If you want to know if an Apple Store is right for you, I would go there first.
Double Tapping Precision Finds Siri: Mahershala Ali’s Name as a Siri Litmus Test in Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2
First off, the improved Neural Engine on the S9 SiP means Siri processing happens on device. That leads to 25 percent better dictation and the ability to communicate with a person using a digital device. Later this year, you will be able to ask questions about your health.
While using Korean words in her texting, she messed up some of our favorite K-pop singers and actors. It’s not a perfect test, but to me, that means I still have to enunciate clearly when using foreign words in English (aka Konglish). That said, I’ve used actor Mahershala Ali’s name as a Siri litmus test over the past few years. In the last two years, it has become much more likely for someone to get tripped up on it. I think it nailed it 100 percent of the time this year.
Source: Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 review: small but smart improvements
The Rise and Fall of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2: Small but Smart Improvements for Distance Tracking and GPS Detection
It is more useful when you don’t have internet or a cell phone. For example, if I’m in an airplane, I could ask to have the watch set timer for me, and also have it enable airplane mode on my phone. You left your phone upstairs, you have a laundry basket, and you’re in the basement. You can now ask Siri to set a timer and not worry about it. It’s not a good idea to pull information from the internet 100 percent of the time. If you have internet, I found that you can still get a weather update from Apple’s personal assistant. Though it may not be the most up to date information.
The S9 SiP results in improved power savings, but Apple reinvested the extra power into other things. In this case, Apple decided to make the displays brighter. The Series 9 has gone up from 1,000 nits to 2000 nits and the Ultra 2 has gone up from 2000 nits to 3000 nits. Indoors and outdoors, it’s difficult to tell the difference if you don’t have older models on hand for comparison. It can still be difficult to tell if you do or not under certain lighting conditions.
That’s because Apple makes ample use of the ambient light sensor. Just because you can manipulate the Series 9 or Ultra 2 to go up to maximum brightness doesn’t mean the watch is giving you everything it’s got. It depends on your environment, which requires you to give your eyes a break and save battery. You will see the difference when there is a very sunny day.
I am still looking into the battery life. Without low-power settings, I have gotten about 30 to 30 hours on the Series 9 and two and a half days on the Ultra 2. We will have to see how the watches fare when I get back to training after recovering from my calf strain.
Source: Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 review: small but smart improvements
The Double-Tap Gesture: A New Gesture in the Messages App on High-Precision Cameras and Smartphones
The double-tap gesture is a novel update to the Series 9 and Ultra 2. Or, as my colleague Dan Seifert more accurately describes it, the pinchy pinch. You make a pinching motion with your thumb and index finger, unlike double-clicking with a mouse. I was able to try it out thanks to Apple sending us a separate Series 9 loaded with a beta version of the feature.
Say you get a text. The ability to reply via voice messages can be brought up if you double-tap. The message can be sent again using double-tapping. For a timer, double-tapping once will pause the timer. Doing it again will unpause it. pinchy pinching stops the timer when it goes off. I use it to control the camera shutter, music, snooze alarms, scrolling through watchOS 10’s widgets stack, and answer / end calls.
This is an excellent feature, but it’s not without its quirks. It comes with a learning curve. For it to work, you must first do the raise-to-wake gesture. (This is to prevent accidental triggers.) You also have to learn the timing. Between selecting actions there is a slight pause, and too fast or too slow will not work. I was too aggressive when I first tried out demos at Apple Park. Once I got my review unit, however, I got the hang of it relatively quickly.
It’s also not the best at multitasking. You won’t be able to double-tap to restart if you go away from a timer. You can double-tap once it goes off since it is back at the forefront. The same occurs for snoozing alarms. You probably will need to use your other hand if you have a lot going on at the same time.
I wish it was a little bit more flexible. It’s not all that easy for people to double-tap and think that it should happen the same way. The gesture in the Messages app will bring up a voice reply. I would like it if I could scroll through quick text replies, select one, and send it. You can change what the double-tap will do, so that Apple is aware of this. You can make a choice on whether the gesture will pause or play a track. (I prefer the skip function!) For the smart stack, you can decide between scrolling through widgets or selecting the first one you’ve got pinned up top.
I like that you do not need to use your index finger. The feature also works with your middle and ring fingers, though it may not work well with the latter two. It’s great that you can have alternatives if you lose or break your finger.
Apple isn’t the first to bring out a gesture-based feature. Samsung also has something very similar to AssistiveTouch for its Galaxy Watches. That said, Apple’s taking it a step further and making this part of the default system interface. It’s a powerful example of how accessible design benefits everyone. I hope Apple continues to iterate and improve on this feature and that other smartwatch makers follow suit.
Source: Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 review: small but smart improvements
Finding a Series 9, Ultra 2 or the Ultra 9 in a Room With a Ringing Device: A Study by Owen on a Scavenger Hunt in the Office
Some of us never misplace our phones. It’s not possible to find Series 9 and Ultra 2 in a certain way. This is for those of us who ring our phones multiple times a day and lose them in odd places. At the peak of the covid-19 epidemic, I left my phone in my fridge because I was so confused.
It is similar to how you find your phone with your AirTags on the Apple Watch. At first, you bring up the control panel and ring your phone like normal. Once you’re within range of your phone, you’ll see an approximate distance and some directional guidance. When you are close to six feet, your phone will let you know if there is another message on it.
The feature was tested by Owen on a scavenger hunt in the office. He hid an iPhone 14 Pro Max paired with an Ultra in one area and an iPhone 15 paired with a Series 9 in another. Although I heard the iPhone 14 Pro Max ring first, it was incredibly faint, and I didn’t really have a clue where it could be. The Series 9 picked up the signal once I was more than 50 feet away. After that, it only took me about three minutes to find my phone. I had to rely on sound in order to find the iPhone 14 Pro Max, so it was a bit hard to find. It took more time to find the 14 Pro Max.
We also tested the feature outside, and this time, the range extended to roughly 80 feet on account of all the open space. That said, it had a hard time getting a precise lock when Owen was actively moving around with the iPhone 15. The icon on the phone lets you know that it’s in motion. In other words, this feature works better if your phone is stationary.
The feature requires that your phone also have the new second generation UWB chip, which is only available in the iPhone 15 lineup. If you upgrade only to the Apple Watch, this won’t be a feature you will have right away. You can only use it on your phone; you can’t find an AirTag with your Series 9 or Ultra 2.
A solar analog face and a new Modular Ultra face are new watch faces that we did not get to see in the alpha. The solar analog face is on the simpler side. The trail behind the second hand changes between light and dark when it’s day or night. The Modular Ultra face is exclusive to the Ultra and Ultra 2 but is a dream for data nerds, aka me. You can pack in seven complications — six small ones and a larger one in the center. The device can show elevation, depth, or seconds in real time.
Does anyone have any questions about double tap, precision finding, and the S9, or why they didn’t call it the Ultra Deuce? I will be answering your questions live today, September 20th, from 1 to 2:30PM. Post your questions in the comments on this quickpost.
Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it — contracts that no one actually reads. It’s impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. But we started counting exactly how many times you have to hit “agree” to use devices when we review them since these are agreements most people don’t read and definitely can’t negotiate.
You can only use the Apple Watch Series 9 or Ultra 2 with an iPhone. That means you’ll have already agreed to the iPhone’s terms of service and privacy agreements. With Series 8 you can use optional services such as Apple Pay, Apple Music, or Fitness Plus with their own agreements. Using the Health app also comes with its own terms and conditions.
Source: Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 review: small but smart improvements
A Contract between the Customer and the Carrier in T-Mobile Cellular Services Enabled by the Mobile Data Provider Spectra Identifier (SDSIM)
If you choose to enable cellular service, you’ll also have to agree to your carrier’s terms. I agreed to one mandatory agreement when I activated cellular on T-Mobile.
