I’ve spent quite a bit of time with the Apple Watch Series 9, and today I want to discuss whether it’s time to upgrade. Look, I know there’s nothing more exciting than getting to open a brand new Apple product. The company is the trendsetter when it comes to mastering this experience. As great an experience as it can be, sometimes it’s important to ask yourself if upgrading is really necessary. When it comes to the Apple Watch, I detail below why I think we should still wait.
Tracking Time: A Brief Overview of the Apple Watch Series 9
Announced during Apple’s “Wonderlust” event in September 2023, the Apple Watch Series 9 features several notable improvements over the previous generation. This includes a brighter, more powerful display, “Precision Finding” for iPhone, on-device Siri, extended battery life with Low Power Mode, and an upgraded S9 System in Package (SiP).
The upgraded SiP allows for some additional benefits, as the efficiency improvements help the Watch maintain eighteen hours of battery life. Additionally, the Series 9 was the first to receive Apple’s Double Tap gesture, which further expands the capabilities of the device.
All of this is on top of the typical features you would expect from an Apple Watch, including advanced health metrics, Fall and Crash Detection, ECG app, Sleep and Vitals tracking, Emergency SOS and more. GPS is also included with every device, and you have the option to add cellular capabilities as well. TThat said, the Apple Watch easily pairs with your iPhone, which can also provide a network connection.
Since I first got an Apple Watch SE and needed to replace it, the Apple Watch has been one of my favorite accessories. Let’s take a look at what I like about it, and see if this device is something worth saving. Also, keep in mind this article is primarily focused on moving from the Series 9 to the Series 10. The Apple Watch Ultra is an entirely different beast altogether.
Staying Fit and Keeping Active: What I Like About the Series 9
I can boil down what I love about my Watch based on two features alone: checking messages and measuring my fitness metrics. While there’s plenty that I love about the device (alongside, y’know, checking the time), tracking my metrics has become a necessity for me, and the Series 9 makes it incredibly easy.
Apple Watch gives you three different Activity Rings that you can customize: stand, move, and exercise. Offering rewards and medals similar to trophies in video games, filling these rings every day has become an obsession for me. Whether I’m trying to hit a new personal record at the gym or see how far a recent bike trip was, the Apple Watch makes starting a workout as easy as asking Siri. What’s best is you can also switch through different Apple Watch bands depending on your workout intensity and attire.
While not as essential for me as tracking my workouts, many of the health features found within the Apple Watch can be perfect for anyone looking to track these metrics. For me, checking my heart rate during a workout lets me know when to pause and when to get back to it, and Sleep Monitoring ensures I’m getting the right amount of rest.
In short, there’s plenty to love about the Apple Watch Series 9, and while the Series 10 has all of these features, I don’t think they’re expanded upon enough to justify making the jump. At the time of this writing, both support the same version of watchOS, so both devices will take advantage of the latest software release.
Taking Pause: What Can Use Work
When it comes to the negatives of the Apple Watch Series 9, I really only have one: the battery life. While I positively adore the always-on display, I think it’s the primary reason my Watch doesn’t hit that promised eighteen hours of battery life. Whether you realize it or not, the screen on your Watch is constantly turning on and off, likely more so than the always-on display of your iPhone.
On average, I charge my Apple Watch daily, and there are some days where charging it twice a day is necessary. While tracking a workout can certainly have an impact on the battery, how much you use your device in a day will obviously play a role in your all-day battery life success. While the time I get ready in the morning is more than enough to ensure a proper charge through the day, thanks to the device’s quick-charging capabilities, your mileage may vary.
However, after owning the device for quite some time, this is really my only major complaint. Outside of needing to charge it a little more often than my previous Apple Watch SE, the Series 9 has been an overall fantastic experience. Unfortunately, the Apple Watch Series 10 doesn’t significantly improve battery life, as making the upgrade will only net you faster charging times.
The Final Word: Is It Time to Upgrade?
While it provides essentially the same battery life as the Series 9, the Apple Watch Series 10 is certainly nothing to sneeze at. Offering a thinner and sleeker design over previous models, you can also expect a larger and brighter screen, with Apple stating that the Series 10 provides a 40% brighter display when viewing the device from an angle. So along with a better LTPO 3 OLED display and faster charging times, you also get some additional features, including a water temperature sensor and some minor tweaks.
So, should you get the Apple Watch Series 10? If you have an Apple Watch, then I’d say not right now.
While the Series 10 has some notable upgrades over the Series 9, I don’t believe now is the time to upgrade. Considering it’s pretty likely Apple will announce the next generation of the Apple Watch this year, I would say wait until June to see if the company announces something. Unless you need the brighter display or there’s something wrong with your current smartwatch, now just isn’t the time unless you happen to find a great deal.
There’s a lot of power behind the Apple Watch Series 9, and it’s pretty likely to receive watchOS updates for the next couple of years. While it can be great having the latest and greatest, I would recommend waiting and seeing if Apple announces anything new before upgrading.
