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For years, the Apple Watch's biggest changes have arguably involved new health tracking capabilities. But something different happened in 2023. The Apple Watch Series 9's headlining new feature didn't have anything to do with health at all.
Instead, Apple debuted a new way to interact with the watch through a gesture called Double Tap, which arrived on the company's new watches through a software update on Oct. 25. Simply tap your index finger and thumb together twice, and you'll be able to dismiss notifications, answer calls and summon your widget stack. The gesture essentially adds an invisible button to your Apple Watch.
At face value, Double Tap may not seem like a monumental change. But when you take into account other additions Apple has made in recent years, like the Apple Watch Ultra's Action button and WatchOS 10's widgets, it's clear the company has been rethinking what it means to interact with the Apple Watch. The first Apple Watch went on sale more than eight years ago, and in that time, Apple has learned a lot about the difference between how a mini computer that sits on your wrist should behave compared with a larger one that fits in your pocket.
I've been using Double Tap since it arrived on the Series 9, and I'm starting to understand the promise behind it. The less you have to rely on touch-based interactions like tapping, typing and scrolling, the easier it should be to use the Apple Watch's tiny screen. However, the version of Double Tap that exists today feels like a starting point. Using it for several days, and previewing it back in September when I reviewed the Series 9, left me wanting more customization options and other improvements
A clip from Apple's September event, showing how Double Tap works.
Double Tap isn't meant to replace primary gestures like tapping the screen, twisting the Digital Crown or dictating Siri commands. Instead, it's a supplement to those actions, designed for times when touching or talking to your watch may not be viable. Maybe you're walking down the street with a cup of coffee in your hand and need to answer an incoming call. Or perhaps you're in the middle of baking and don't want to dismiss a timer by touching your Apple Watch with dirty hands after kneading dough.
Double Tap works only on the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, because it requires the company's new S9 chip. It processes data from sensors like the accelerometer, gyroscope and optical heart rate sensor using a machine learning algorithm to detect wrist movements and changes in blood flow, which enables it to tell when you're tapping your index finger and thumb together.
You can use Double Tap to pull up your widgets from the home screen and dismiss notifications, but there are a handful of other uses too:
It's easy to understand how and when Double Tap could come in handy. My problem, however, is that I haven't found myself actually using it very often. I've been thinking about why Double Tap hasn't become a big part of my daily experience with the Apple Watch, and it boils down to two answers.
The simplest, most obvious explanation is that I haven't yet found myself in many situations that call for Double Tap. I've largely been working from home for the past week, meaning I haven't fumbled with a cup of java on my way to the office or used one hand to grip the subway pole during a commute. None of that is the Apple Watch's fault, but it underscores my point that Double Tap is meant for very specific situations.
From left: The Apple Watch Series 9 in stainless steel and in aluminum.
Richard Peterson/CNETThe other is that Double Tap just doesn't feel intuitive yet. Touchscreens have played a major role in our lives for about a decade and a half, meaning we're conditioned to tap and swipe on screens when we feel the buzz of an incoming notification or see our screens light up. But tapping the index finger and thumb together? Not so much. It's going to take time to build a new habit.
That said, I have been using Double Tap in some scenarios, mostly to dismiss notifications. When I'm focused on a work-related project and receive a reminder to stand up or get an Apple News alert on my wrist, Double Tapping has allowed me to swiftly cast aside these alerts without breaking my concentration. The idea that you can check a text message, come up with a response and send it without touching the watch once is also significant. This worked well in my experience and didn't require multiple tries.
It's moments like these that make me interested in what Double Tap means for where the Apple Watch is going. The Apple Watch feels more ambient and intuitive in this scenario, since it doesn't require me to press a specific button to get the job done. It just knows that I want to respond to my new message and send it when I tap my digits.
But there are also ways Double Tap could become more useful. For one, it doesn't always respond right away. I noticed this happening most often with alarms, but there have been instances when I've performed the gesture multiple times to summon my widgets or dismiss a notification, too. For what it's worth, colleagues who've tested the Series 9 and Ultra 2 haven't reported the same issues.
The Apple Watch Series 9.
Richard Peterson/CNETDouble Tap works only when the screen is fully awake (which is not to be confused with the always-on display that shows your watch face even when your wrist is down and the screen is inactive). It's possible I made some of my attempts when the screen was technically asleep, though perhaps this speaks to how deliberate the gesture is. However, it's certainly better than having Double Tap be too sensitive, which could result in accidentally dismissing notifications or unintentionally answering phone calls. Even so, it can feel frustrating when Double Tap doesn't work.
Beyond that, I wish there were more customization options available for Double Tap. You can currently choose whether Double Tap advances the widget stack or selects a widget, and you can choose between using it to play or pause music, or skip a song. These are helpful options, but I wish there were others, particularly for alarms and timers.
I frequently set 30-second timers during my pre-workout, to make sure I'm performing each stretch long enough. And to avoid injury, I typically repeat these stretches multiple times. That means I'm usually tapping the repeat button when my 30-second timer expires, rather than dismissing it. But since you can only dismiss timers with Double Tap, I can't use the gesture when stretching. I realize this is a very specific and niche circumstance, but it's a situation I find myself in almost every day. And since the Apple Watch is designed for workout enthusiasts, it seems like a reasonable use case.
Using Double Tap on the Apple Watch Series 9.
Richard Peterson/CNETTaken together, Double Tap, the Action button and widgets represent an effort toward making the Apple Watch more intuitive and easy to interact with. And that's a good thing. Even though Double Tap isn't perfect, it's another sign that Apple isn't just copy and pasting a shrunken-down iPhone experience.
Before Apple makes an announcement, it's nearly impossible to know what the tech giant has in store for future products. But I have a hunch the company will be focusing on new gesture-based interactions even more in the coming years, thanks to its upcoming Vision Pro mixed reality headset.
Right now the idea of Double Tap and what it means for the Apple Watch's direction excites me more than actually using it. But I'm looking forward to seeing how Apple refines and develops it.
When it comes to the new Apple Watch Series 9, which starts at $399 (£399, AU$649) and is available now alongside the Apple Watch Ultra 2, it's what's on the inside that counts. That's my biggest takeaway after spending a few days with the Series 9, which has an upgraded chip that powers faster Siri performance and new gesture controls called Double Tap.
It's these additions that separate the Series 9 from last year's Series 8, and they make the Apple Watch more convenient to use. But they're not monumental enough to convince recent buyers to upgrade.
My time with the Series 9 so far suggests that new features like Double Tap may not show their usefulness right away. However, they could become helpful in the long run.
Double Tap takes some getting used to, and it's not compelling enough on its own to justify buying the Series 9. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't find myself using it to dismiss a notification and easily navigate back to my watch face here and there. (The version of Double Tap I tested was a preview, which I accessed on a separate review unit running an early software build of the feature.)
Siri's most appealing update, the ability to answer health-related questions now that it can process data locally instead of in the cloud, isn't coming until later this year. Yet if it works as promised, it could make the Series 9 a much more useful health tracker.
The Series 9 doesn't have everything on my wish list. For example, I was hoping for longer battery life and the Apple Watch Ultra's Action button. But as is the case with the iPhone 15, it will be a solid upgrade for those with an older model. That's especially true for frequent Siri users and those who primarily use their Apple Watch for exercise and wellness tracking.
The Apple Watch Series 9's Double Tap takes some getting used to.
Richard Peterson/CNET
Apple rarely adds new gestures to the Apple Watch, so I was eager to try Double Tap. Just as the name implies, you trigger this feature by tapping your index finger and thumb together twice. Doing so allows you to dismiss a notification, pause your timer or access widgets from the watch face, among other actions. It's programmed to perform whatever the primary action in a notification is, whether that be casting aside your standard reminder or replying to a text message.
The Apple Watch already supported a similar gesture through its AssistiveTouch accessibility mode. But Double Tap is baked into the Series 9's user interface across the board, and its chip enables the watch to support this feature all day without impacting battery life. The pinching feature that's included as part of the watch's accessibility options, meanwhile, is meant to be customized based on a person's needs.
Double Tap has a bit of a learning curve, but that could be because I'm using an early version of it. I most frequently use Double Tap to dismiss notifications, stop timers and send text messages hands-free. This was particularly useful while brushing my teeth before bed, since I like to check the time and my exercise progress before hitting the sack. When a notification was blocking my watch face, I pinched my fingers together to dismiss it without having to put down my toothbrush.
It's a simple use case, but one that highlights the promise behind Double Tap. Being able to dictate a response to a text message without touching the watch could also be useful in situations when my hands are full, such as when I'm cleaning, cooking or even gripping the subway pole during my commute to work.
You can use Double Tap to scroll through your widget stack on the Series 9.
Richard Peterson/CNET
My biggest issue with Double Tap, however, is that it just doesn't feel intuitive yet. We've been conditioned to tap, swipe and speak to our devices over the last two decades. Even though Double Tap came in handy during that one instance while I was brushing my teeth, my instinct usually tells me to tap my watch's screen. It's going to take time to break that habit.
Double tapping can also look awkward to those who aren't familiar with it. When I tested the Apple Watch Series 9 over the weekend, a friend began giving me strange looks when I started pinching the air with my fingers.
Double Tap doesn't feel as game-changing as other user experience-related updates the Apple Watch has received over the years, like the Series 5's always-on display. But who knows -- maybe it'll start to feel natural. After all, everyone thought AirPods looked goofy at first, but now they're everywhere. Double Tap doesn't feel like a reason to upgrade, but we'll know more when the feature fully launches.
The Series 9 can process certain Siri requests on-device rather than in the cloud.
Richard Peterson/CNET
Another benefit from the Series 9's new S9 processor is a faster Siri experience. Siri can now answer requests slightly faster for two reasons. First, certain queries that Siri doesn't need to rely on the internet to answer, like setting alarms or timers, now happen on the watch. Dictation is also supposed to be up to 25 percent more accurate, which should mean Siri understands you correctly the first time.
Coming from the Series 8, I noticed a difference. I use Siri daily for setting alarms and timers, especially when I'm stretching before a workout. I often repeat myself when using my Series 8 or the Series 6 I bought roughly three years ago. That hasn't happened as much on the Series 9 so far.
I also timed how long it took for Siri to respond to certain questions on the Series 9 compared to the Series 8. For this test, I only asked questions that Siri could answer without plucking an answer from the web. Siri was faster on the Series 9 in almost every scenario, as you can see in the table below.
| Series 9 (in seconds) | Series 8 (in seconds) | |
|---|---|---|
| "Set a timer for 5 minutes" | 1.73 | 2.52 |
| "Cancel my timer" | 1.66 | 1.74 |
| "Set an alarm for 9 a.m." | 1.81 | 1.93 |
| "Start an outdoor walk" | 3.39 | 3.32 |
| "Stop my workout" | 2.33 | 3.06 |
| "Cancel my alarm" | 1.94 | 2.2 |
Siri will soon be able to answer health-related queries, which should make it easier to quickly parse all the activity and health metrics your watch gathers throughout the day and night. But it won't be launching until later this year.
I've been waiting for a feature like this because finding what I'm looking for in Apple's Health app isn't always intuitive. Manually logging activity data and finding specific metrics, like exercise minutes for the past week, can take a couple of taps. Using Siri should hopefully make queries like these much faster and more convenient.
It's also nice to see Siri playing a larger role on the Apple Watch. Smartwatches aren't ideal for long touchscreen interactions given their small size, so they present an opportunity for voice assistants like Siri to shine.
The Apple Watch Series 9 can show how far away you are from your iPhone. But only if you have an iPhone 15.
Richard Peterson/CNET
If you're anything like me, the Apple Watch has been a godsend for tracking down your misplaced iPhone when it slips between the couch cushions. Apple made the watch an even more useful iPhone locator, thanks to the second-generation ultra-wideband chip inside. Not only can you ping your iPhone, but the Series 9 will show an estimate of how far away you are from your phone, along with a nudge in the right direction.
The catch, however, is that this feature only works if you have an iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Pro, since those are the only Apple phones to also have the new ultra-wideband chip. That means unless you plan to buy a new iPhone along with your Apple Watch, you won't be able to use it.
To put the Apple Watch's new Precision Finding feature to the test, I had a friend of mine hide my iPhone 15 in my apartment while I waited in another room. He chose a difficult hiding spot; tucked underneath my living room carpet, a place where my phone is never likely to end up, even by accident. But the Apple Watch pointed me to the exact corner where my phone was hidden almost immediately, and I was able to track it down in less than five minutes.
To be fair, the audible chime that my iPhone emitted when being pinged by my Apple Watch also played a big role in helping me find it. That feature is already available on existing Apple Watches and iPhones. But being able to see how many feet away I was from my phone added an extra layer of confidence that I was looking in the right direction. This could be helpful if I lost my phone in a noisy environment like a restaurant.
The new chip also brings tighter HomePod integration, allowing you to see media suggestions at the top of your watch's widget stack when you're within 4 meters of the device. While these new features are limited to those who own the iPhone 15 or a HomePod, I'm glad to see Apple finding new ways to put ultra-wideband to use. It's something I've been hoping to see in future Apple Watches, as I wrote back in 2022.
The Apple Watch Series 9 inherits a lot of health sensors from the Series 8.
Richard Peterson/CNET
The Series 9 inherits the same health and safety features as the Series 8. That includes the ability to take an ECG, temperature sensing, blood-oxygen detection, high and low heart-rate notifications, irregular heart rhythm notifications, sleep stage tracking, fall detection and crash detection. It's also rated for the same degree of dust and water resistance as last year's Series 8.
The Apple Watch's broad selection of health metrics is exactly what you might expect of a smartwatch at this price, and it's likely more data than most people need. But I'm still waiting for more features aimed at rest and recovery, a key area where other wellness and sports devices from brands like Oura, Fitbit, Garmin and Whoop excel over Apple. These gadgets can analyze bodily markers and activity trends to assess how well rested you are, which can be easier to decide whether it's time for a workout or a rest day. However, Apple doesn't charge a subscription fee to access all health insights, unlike Fitbit, Oura and Whoop, which require memberships to get the full experience.
The Apple Watch Series 9's widget stack.
Richard Peterson/CNET
The Series 9's theme is seemingly focused on convenience rather than new health features. That's why I was hoping the Series 9 would gain the Apple Watch Ultra's Action button, a programmable key that lets you perform tasks like starting a workout or a stopwatch with just a tap.
While keeping certain features exclusive to the Ultra line is understandable given its higher price, the Action button feels like it should be part of the broader Apple Watch experience. The Ultra already has plenty of other features to distinguish it from the Series 9 and SE, including a bigger and brighter screen, longer battery life, a more durable design and a depth gauge, among other extras. The Action button would have fit nicely with the Series 9's other upgrades aimed at helping you navigate the watch more easily.
The Series 9 has an always-on display, just like every flagship watch model since the Series 5, which is a key feature that separates it from the less expensive $249 Apple Watch SE. While the overall design is the same, Apple reduced its carbon footprint to make the Series 9 paired with a Sport Loop band the company's first carbon neutral product.
It's also rated for the same 18-hour battery life as the Series 8, which means it should last for one to 1.5 days on a single charge, depending on how you're using it. On one hand, that's impressive considering the Series 9 has a brighter screen and a more powerful processor.
But I wouldn't mind sacrificing some of these new features, like a brighter screen or faster Siri, if it meant having longer battery life. I often find myself choosing between wearing my Apple Watch to sleep or leaving it on the charger overnight so that it's ready to log my morning walk and afternoon workout. Having a battery that lasts for more than a day and a half means I wouldn't have to make that decision.
Since I've been switching between my main Series 9 review unit and a separate unit with an early version of Double Tap, I haven't been able to get a solid sense of the Apple Watch's battery life. But I'll update this review accordingly with more details.
Richard Peterson/CNET
The Series 9 feels like a minor upgrade over the Series 8. New features like Precision Finding and faster Siri performance make the Series 9 a better smartphone companion. But it's not worth it unless you're a first-time buyer or have the Series 6 or earlier.
Coming from an older watch like the Series 6, you'll have plenty to gain. In addition to what's new on this year's model, you benefit from a larger screen with a keyboard, a temperature sensor and noticeably faster performance compared to a 3-year-old watch. If you have an Apple Watch SE and are craving more health metrics, the Series 9 is also a worthwhile upgrade.
Like many recent Apple Watch updates, such as the Series 8's temperature sensor, there's potential for the Series 9's new features to evolve and become more helpful over time. It signals a promising direction for the Apple Watch, aligning with the tick-tock pattern Apple has seemingly followed over the last several years. Apple typically alternates between bringing new health sensors to the watch and launching updates related to convenience and the general user experience. This year happens to be the latter.
But right now, the Series 9 feels like a refreshed version of the Series 8 rather than an entirely new generation.
