The Apple Watch has become a staple for Apple users, being the equally high-tech partner of the iPhone.
Apple Watch Series 9 is the newest release, introduced alongside the iPhone 15 line-up last month. It has a few new tricks – including one that makes you tap in a different way – which we'll explore.
Apple's first carbon-neutral product
We will be remiss not to mention this first: Series 9 is Apple's first carbon-neutral product. This was made possible by "significantly" reducing emissions in the products' three key pillars – manufacturing, electricity and transportation.
And it's an all-around carbon-neutral offering, since the new bands, loops and packaging are also carbon-neutral. This puts the company well on its way to achieve its Apple 2030 plan, which is to make all of its products carbon-neutral by that year.
Series 8 and Series 9: What's the difference?
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Design-wise, nothing has changed on Series 9 compared to its predecessor. In terms of build, you'll still be able to choose from 41mm or 45mm in aluminium or stainless steel casing. Colour options remain the same, with pink added to the aluminium line-up.
There were rumours, in correlation to the iPhone 15 Pros, that a titanium option was to be added; that didn't come into fruition, but that could've made a nice tandem. (If you want a titanium Apple Watch, go for the premium Ultra 2.)
There has also been talk for a while now that Apple was planning to redesign its Watch to make it consistent with the flat edges and curved corners of the present iPhone generation. That would've been great, but maybe Apple is saving that for next year?
Display: Brightness twice as nice
The brightness of Series 9's display now maxes out at 2,000 nits, which is twice as bright as Series 8. That makes it as bright as the iPhone 15 Pros' peak outdoor brightness, but still behind the Ultra 2's 3,000. In a place like the Middle East where the sun is so abundant, that's a big plus.
Other than that, everything else has technically remained the same. However, you still get the benefit of those ultra-slim bezels that maximise the digital real estate on your wrist.
Double tap and more with watchOS 10
Apple's watchOS 10 brings what the company says is the biggest update since the digital timepiece was introduced, with redesigned interface and apps, and, of course more watch faces to choose from.
Apple designed watchOS 10 in such a way that all apps make full use – literally and technically – of the display, so users "can see and do more, faster than ever". To put it simply, Apple is cramming in more utilities into each app to maximise that tiny screen on your wrist.
One of the new features is Smart Stack. As its name implies, this lets you scroll through your widgets that are stacked on top of each other. To trigger this, press the digital crown and scroll away.
You can customise your stack by tapping and holding the screen to enter edit mode, after which you can add or remove complications.
Apple has also ramped up its gestures – they were first introduced two years ago on watchOS 8 – with the new Double Tap feature.
By simply double-tapping your thumb and index finger, you can trigger actions for specific situations, including answering and ending calls, playing and pausing music, stopping a timer or even replying to a message.
We found Double Tap to be very handy – eliminates the need for extra taps or swipes that you'd normally do – and pretty accurate as well. Apple says this is the result of the new S9 chip, which adds more power into Series 9.
And if you're a fan of the classic Mickey Mouse watch face, then you most probably would adore the new Snoopy collection, which is really cute.
Health benefits
Apple's cast of health metrics characters continue to be on full display (pun intended) on Series 9 – blood oxygen, ECG, a third-generation optical heart sensor, high and low heart rate notifications, irregular rhythm notifications, sleep stages, temperature sensing and menstrual cycle tracking.
Let's certainly not forget emergency features, including Emergency SOS, international emergency calling, crash detection and fall detection.
These offerings continue to be industry-leading features. There are no significant upgrades this time, but the more powerful S9 chip makes them snappier and, more importantly, logs a user's health data privately and securely.
How long does the battery last?
Battery life on Series 9 is still listed at par with its predecessor – up to 18 hours on normal, regular use, and up to 36 hours on low power. While Apple believes this – the former, specifically – is the ideal setup given that you'd be charging your Watch at night, we certainly won't mind if its normal use can be bumped up to a couple of days (we know it can be done).
Low-power mode disables certain functions such as always-on display and other background stuff. You also have the option to keep the mode on for one, two or three days.
We had similar results compared to Series 8 – a good day-and-a-half on normal use that can stretch for a few more hours on somewhat limited use – and that's despite having twice the brightness as last year's iteration.
You're also good to go after an hour's worth of charging: our unit climbed up to 78 per cent while hooked on its new, woven power noodle, which isn't that far behind the 82 per cent Series 8 logged.
The verdict
Apple Watch Series 9 is, pound-for-pound, a token upgrade from the 2022 version. You may not readily see or feel it, but its biggest bump-up is within, having a more powerful processor that can crunch data faster.
The device is, by all accounts, physically indistinguishable from its last two iterations. The question of whether to upgrade or not is then an interesting one: our recommendation here is if your Apple Watch is old – and we mean Series 3 old – then seriously consider it, since watchOS 10 support starts on Series 4.
But this comes on the backdrop of the looming release of the 10th-generation Apple Watch in 2024. That being said, in relation to what we mentioned above regarding its design, we do hope and expect that next year's version will have significant aesthetic and feature boosts, maybe even inheriting some of those found in the Ultra.
And we're calling it now: just like how we predicted the iPhone X, it'll be called Apple Watch X (or Series X).
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
MATCH INFO
Confederations Cup Group B
Germany v Chile
Kick-off: Thursday, 10pm (UAE)
Where: Kazan Arena, Kazan
Watch live: Abu Dhabi Sports HD
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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Famous left-handers
- Marie Curie
- Jimi Hendrix
- Leonardo Di Vinci
- David Bowie
- Paul McCartney
- Albert Einstein
- Jack the Ripper
- Barack Obama
- Helen Keller
- Joan of Arc
Why your domicile status is important
Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.
Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born.
UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.
A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
HOW TO WATCH
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Fixtures
Opening day Premier League fixtures for August 9-11
August 9
Liverpool v Norwich 11pm
August 10
West Ham v Man City 3.30pm
Bournemouth v Sheffield Utd 6pm
Burnley v Southampton 6pm
C Palace v Everton 6pm
Leicester v Wolves 6pm
Watford v Brighton 6pm
Tottenham v Aston Villa 8.30pm
August 11
Newcastle v Arsenal 5pm
Man United v Chelsea 7.30pm
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Birkin bag is made by Hermès.
It is named after actress and singer Jane Birkin
Noone from Hermès will go on record to say how much a new Birkin costs, how long one would have to wait to get one, and how many bags are actually made each year.
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 1 (Rashford 36')
Liverpool 1 (Lallana 84')
Man of the match: Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)
Jawan
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More coverage from the Future Forum
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ETFs explained
Exhchange traded funds are bought and sold like shares, but operate as index-tracking funds, passively following their chosen indices, such as the S&P 500, FTSE 100 and the FTSE All World, plus a vast range of smaller exchanges and commodities, such as gold, silver, copper sugar, coffee and oil.
ETFs have zero upfront fees and annual charges as low as 0.07 per cent a year, which means you get to keep more of your returns, as actively managed funds can charge as much as 1.5 per cent a year.
There are thousands to choose from, with the five biggest providers BlackRock’s iShares range, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisors SPDR ETFs, Deutsche Bank AWM X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.
Company%20profile
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The 12 Syrian entities delisted by UK
Ministry of Interior
Ministry of Defence
General Intelligence Directorate
Air Force Intelligence Agency
Political Security Directorate
Syrian National Security Bureau
Military Intelligence Directorate
Army Supply Bureau
General Organisation of Radio and TV
Al Watan newspaper
Cham Press TV
Sama TV
Emirates Cricket Board Women’s T10
ECB Hawks v ECB Falcons
Monday, April 6, 7.30pm, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
The match will be broadcast live on the My Sports Eye Facebook page
Hawks
Coach: Chaitrali Kalgutkar
Squad: Chaya Mughal (captain), Archara Supriya, Chamani Senevirathne, Chathurika Anand, Geethika Jyothis, Indhuja Nandakumar, Kashish Loungani, Khushi Sharma, Khushi Tanwar, Rinitha Rajith, Siddhi Pagarani, Siya Gokhale, Subha Srinivasan, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish
Falcons
Coach: Najeeb Amar
Squad: Kavisha Kumari (captain), Almaseera Jahangir, Annika Shivpuri, Archisha Mukherjee, Judit Cleetus, Ishani Senavirathne, Lavanya Keny, Mahika Gaur, Malavika Unnithan, Rishitha Rajith, Rithika Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Shashini Kaluarachchi, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi, Vaishnave Mahesh
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