On Tuesday, Apple unveiled a lineup of new products with upgraded tech and features at the ‘Wonderlust’ event.
but before I go any further, can I just take a minute to address the name of the event? Wonderlust? Why? What was so ‘wonderlustful’ about the event? I don’t know about the lusting, but I did wonder why were the products so damn expensive.
That said, the production value of the live event was truly amazing. But did it successfully distract us from the price tag on their smartwatches? At similar prices of about ₹42k and ₹90k from the previous generation, respectively, the 45-mm or 41-mm with aluminum or stainless steel case size Series 9 and 49-mm titanium case size Ultra 2 are set to launch on 22nd September.
Both the watch models have pretty much the same feature upgrades, so I will be talking about them together just to make it easier for all of us.
No time for slow-living in this land
With the all-new S9 SiP and Apple’s updated Ultra Wideband chips, the Series 9, as well as the second-gen Ultra smartwatch, have undergone internal upgrades that will make these gadgets operate smoother than their predecessors and provide precision detection for your connected iPhone.
These models also come with the power of the Sun (metaphorically speaking!). With the maximum screen brightness reaching 2000 nits in the Series 9 and 3000 nits in the Ultra 2, Apple wants you to see very, very, VERY clearly who is calling you or what your heart rate is while lounging on the beach. Now, if you’re worried that the super bright screens will give away your hiding spot during a game of hide-and-seek in your mansion, Apple has graciously made it possible to bring the brightness down to 1 nit.
Shall we dance? Tap dance
Honestly, tapping on a screen to use it is so old-fashioned. In today’s fast world, all we need is the latest Apple Watch and bringing the forefinger and thumb together twice. This new gesture can perform basic tasks on your smartwatch when your other hand is occupied. “Double tap controls the primary button in an app so it can be used to stop a timer, play and pause music, or snooze an alarm,” said Apple in the Apple Watch Series 9 press release.
Hey Siri, give me the Ultra Wideband performance
Now, on-device Siri can perform basic tasks for you without processing them through the cloud, which means that you can order Siri around at a faster speed without having to connect to the WiFi or wait for your device to get a signal. Along with this, the second-generation UWB chip has been added to make your Apple experience even faster and more efficient. This chip works with the iPhone 15 family to get precision detection of your iPhone if misplaced. It also works at range-based linking with your HomePod, so you can then control it with your watch itself just by being around it.
The biggest tech company goes carbon-neutral
This year, the lineup includes the company’s first-ever carbon-neutral products. Apple’s environmental goal to make each and every one of its products carbon-neutral by 2030 has seen massive progress by this year’s launches. The smartwatches especially boast of being completely carbon-neutral, with a total elimination of leather in the watchbands. The new bands have been designed in collaboration with brands like Hermès and Nike, using recycled materials and a new material introduced by Apple called ‘FineWoven.’
Whether these features are actually an upgrade from the older-generation smartwatches will have to be seen. Because honestly, other than the chips and the double tap feature, there is no significant ‘upgrade’ as such.
You can pre-order your device of choice on the 15th or wait for the launch on the 22nd. With this, may the Apple Gods bless your wallets with the money for the smartwatch you want so that you can then deposit it back to them. Happy shopping!