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so is the apple watch 9 worth it? or do I go for the discounted 8?
I’d say it depends on what you’re upgrading from.

I have an SE, IF I’m in the market (with a new job) for an upgraded watch I’ll probably go with the Ultra 2 and have it for 5-6 years…
 
You can get the "all new" Double Tap one-handed gesture controls right here, right now.

Just follow the instructions Apple gave us when watchOS 8.3 dropped:
I think it’s slightly different, isnt it? The new double tap focuses on specific contextual actions, but the accessibility one is gestures specifically for forwards/backwards, etc?

Just watching the event and how they talk about it, makes me wonder the above.
 
I’d say it depends on what you’re upgrading from.
I’d assume the first new chip in three years might future prove this one quiet a bit.

but this also feels a bit like the last Hurra for the form factor. who knows what the version of Apple Watch will bring that has the rumored magnetically attached bands… more space for battery? Sensors? Flatter? Could be sort of like having a top intel Mac but Apple bringing most of the new features to new hardware requirements. Essentially this could be what will be the SE when the formfactor switches. maybe next year still series 9, two years from now se for a looong time!?

not that its not good. I love my Apple Watch for tracking sleep, walking, biking and workouts, Kalorien. It’s a perfect device with the exception of battery running out on long bike trips But I am not getting a Gigant ultra (I like my 40mm) for twice the price to fix that. I see litteraly now reason to upgrade from my series six besides my health insurance bonus needing to be spend Every three years.


also the display brightness might be interesting. Like one of those changes that you don’t need but once you had it you can’t go back from
 
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Genius. They basically said: We put your old wristband through the grinder and resell to you in sprinkle form and charge you one as new.
 
That is the truth. I've had a Casio G-Shock for years and I've never had to recharge it, because it has solar charging. Of course, it doesn't have the features of an iPhone... but when you're carrying around your iPhone, why do you need to have as many of the same features on your watch? That sounds repetitively redundant.

point is - with the AW you needn't carry your phone with you to every room/floor in your house, out in your yard, on walks and bike rides and runs and so forth. it's very freeing not having the phone with you every moment.
 
It's starting to feel like 18 hrs will be it from here on out. Adding more stuff we dont really want but battery life, the one thing most everyone wants, remains the same for eternity.

It's been pretty clear for the last several generations that "18 hour battery life" is Apple's design target.

Expecting something different is just gonna lead to disappointment.
 
I already have the 8, wouldn't me buying this as a replacement watch create more of an environment impact than not buying the exact same watch under the "series 9" banner?

You don't actually have to buy a new watch every single year.

It's okay to use the same watch for two or three or four or even more years, doing a battery service if needed.
 
I just stopped a timer by double tapping my fingers together on my "old" Apple Watch Ultra running WatchOS9. Alls I hads to do was turn on some accessibility settings. I guess it will just be sorta elegant and more automatic on the newest models?
 
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On device Siri is genuinely innovative, I think this is the first smartwatch, or wearable period, with that kind of tech?

Does someone know of a prior precedent?
No idea, but I agree that this is pretty innovative. I'm frequently in areas with low cell reception & Siri won't work on my current watch during those times. This will be a nice improvement (although I was hoping they'd add Cell Band 71 to the watch to improve reception). Still debating upgrading here or waiting for the 10/X. It will be interesting to see some of the reviews and if Siri is noticeably better now.
 
I just stopped a timer by double tapping my fingers together on my "old" Apple Watch Ultra running WatchOS9. Alls I hads to do was turn on some accessibility settings. I guess it will just be sorta elegant and more automatic on the newest models?

I think that the current accessibility way, from what I know, is that gesture is only for specific actions, but the new one is contextually aware? Or am I wrong?
 
Feels like they are struggling to find any new worthwhire upgrades for the watch, been the same watch for years now. I see no reason to upgrade my series 6.
 
That is the truth. I've had a Casio G-Shock for years and I've never had to recharge it, because it has solar charging. Of course, it doesn't have the features of an iPhone... but when you're carrying around your iPhone, why do you need to have as many of the same features on your watch? That sounds repetitively redundant.
I'm with you on this.

I've never worn a watch prior to the original Apple Watch, then sold it a month into its release as I found it not that useful. Got a Series 1 to try again, barely wore it and then finally a Series 4 which I wore near-daily (got it on sale in store when the S5 came out, paid $280CAD for GPS and Cellular, 45mm, couldn't pass it up). Still, found most of the functions to be redundant as to actually be productive I'd have to pull my iPhone out. Tried cellular for two months to see if I could leave my iPhone at home, but it was so slow and limited there was no point.

I'd rather use Siri with AirPods and activate it with the side button on my iPhone in my pocket if I'm in public rather than having to stand with my wrist up talking into it. Same with phone calls, texts, etc. I only liked it for reminders since I could quickly see what I needed to do. If someone is texting/calling me, they can call twice if it's an emergency.

I sold my Series 4 in April before backpacking across Japan for two months and replaced it with a Garmin Venu 2 (on sale for $300CAD) and I only have to charge it once every 8-9 days, wearing it daily with daily health and sleep tracking. I can opt in for notifications and until Apple Watch has a week+ battery life, it's an unneeded accessory (for me). I'd love a simplified Apple Watch that is a fitness tracker and watch with little to no phone functions.
 
I don't update yearly and this still doesn't offer much. But, I get your point.

Same - I refreshed the battery on my SBTi S6 a couple months ago via AC+, and presently not feeling drawn to upgrade to the S9, but I'm on a work trip this week so haven't done a lot of research.

Seems mostly a CPU upgrade (S6 seems fast enuf?), Siri onboard (not sure it makes a difference to me), and still graphite SS which I don't like as much as either SBSS or SBTi. Brighter & dimmer display seems a plus, as with larger display since S6, but not sure if worth the $$$ to buy an SS S9.
 
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I think that the current accessibility way, from what I know, is that gesture is only for specific actions, but the new one is contextually aware? Or am I wrong?
The current feature works everywhere, even to cycle through and select complications on a watch face. The one shown in the geeknote is definitely more elegant, though might be more limited.
 
The current feature works everywhere, even to cycle through and select complications on a watch face. The one shown in the geeknote is definitely more elegant, though might be more limited.
Yes, but looking at it currently, you have to specify what 1 action the gesture will do (forward, back, tap, etc) and you have multiple different gestures to set up. The demo they did shows that the 1 gesture does multiple actions, depending on the context.

So, it seems in a way, the current way is more limited.

That’s what it seems like, from what I’ve seen, anyway.
 
Yes, but looking at it currently, you have to specify what 1 action the gesture will do (forward, back, tap, etc) and you have multiple different gestures to set up. The demo they did shows that the 1 gesture does multiple actions, depending on the context.

So, it seems in a way, the current way is more limited.

That’s what it seems like, from what I’ve seen, anyway.
Well, I turned it on, set a Timer, and when it ran out, I did a double pinch, and the alert stopped and Timers went back to its home screen. I've been trying this out in a variety of positions and situations, and it's working flawlessly. So to me, there's absolutely nothing to indicate that the S9 SiP is necessary for the advertised functionality to work, and the slightly increased simplicity in watchOS 10 is not a very big deal at all. Just seems like Apple grasped at straws to make the Ultra 2 / Watch 9 seem new.
 
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Well, I turned it on, set a Timer, and when it ran out, I did a double pinch, and the alert stopped and Timers went back to its home screen. I've been trying this out in a variety of positions and situations, and it's working flawlessly. So to me, there's absolutely nothing to indicate that the S9 SiP is necessary for the advertised functionality to work, and the slightly increased simplicity in watchOS 10 is not a very big deal at all. Just seems like Apple grasped at straws to make the Ultra 2 / Watch 9 seem new.
You replicated the same scenarios they demoed with it set up once and no changing what the gesture does?
 
It's been pretty clear for the last several generations that "18 hour battery life" is Apple's design target.

Expecting something different is just gonna lead to disappointment.
True. At one point I thought it was a HW or expectations/"comfort level" sort of thing but I think you're right, it feels by design now.
 
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