While I've had these models for testing, I'm here to tell you that it's hard to even suggest there's a vast difference to recent Apple Watches.
The changes are either incremental, internal, or the key feature you might be keen on is actually not yet available to the public.
Apple Watch specs and performance
Either the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 would be the perfect first Apple Watch for anyone wanting to get into this market.
But at the same time they pack a few neat features that previous generations have not, which makes them a viable upgrade candidate for someone with an older Apple Watch.
Thanks to an all-new System in Package — the S9 — which is basically the brains of the computer in one chip, there are a few things your Series 9 or Ultra 2 can do that might just be the reason to upgrade.
Apple Watch Siri improvements
Firstly, Siri is more advanced because the watch itself is able to process your Siri requests. In my testing this works an absolute treat, it's fast and responsive and that's all down to that S9 SiP.
What this means is that if your Siri request does not require the internet — that is to say you're not asking for a live sports score, or online information — the data is not ever leaving the watch.
:contrast(7):saturation(0.78)/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2F2bf2dac9-93a6-4ea5-9641-40d5a4fe5115)
What you say is heard, interpreted, and responded to entirely offline.
Just think about that for a second. Your watch can hear, understand, and respond to you on its own.
This is useful for things like starting a workout, setting a timer, setting alarms, or accessing your health data like step progress etc.
I asked Siri, "How long did I sleep for last night?" and the response was exactly what had been saved within the health app.
To some this won't seem like a lot but it is a big leap forward in the capabilities of the Apple Watch.
Apple Watch Find My iPhone improvements
Other tweaks are similarly "under the hood", like the second-generation ultra wideband chip, which means you can find your iPhone 15 a whole lot easier because it can pickup the "scent" of another device much better.
If you're outdoors a lot you might appreciate the 2000 nits of brightness in the screen on the Series 9 and a massive 3000 nits on the Ultra 2. While you sleep that goes down to just 1 nit when you're in sleep focus mode.
Apple Watch Double Tap
The much hyped Double Tap gesture will allow you to "click" the screen by pinching a finger and thumb together twice, but it isn't yet available to test.
While some say it's already available as an accessibility feature, Apple tells me the gesture being released with the Series 9 and Ultra 2 is far more accurate and responsive thanks to the on-board processor and sensors.
Apple Watch colours
The Series 9 comes in a new pink aluminium colour, to match the pink iPhone 15, as well as midnight, silver, starlight and Product Red.
The stainless steel colours are silver, gold, graphite and space black (with Hermes).
Credit to Apple for its environmental achievements too with the Apple Watch. I noticed the "Carbon Neutral" branding on each Apple Watch this year, a certification that applies with the right watch band.
It's a first for an Apple product and I can't think of another consumer electronics product that is carbon neutral.
Both new Apple Watches go on sale Friday. The Apple Watch Series 9 starts at $649 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is $1399.
