Like it or not, many of Apple’s actions are followed by others. In other words, what is important to Apple is sure to be very important to others, both in and out of the industry. That’s why the ninth Apple Watch, the Apple Watch Series 9 (or Apple Watch S9), is notable not only for the technological advancements we cover in this article, but also for being the first-ever completely carbon-neutral Apple product — possibly the first-ever carbon-neutral watch. The luxury watch industry as a whole, which operates by fair margins and at a relatively leisurely pace, has done very little on the issue, but that may soon start to change.
Hands-on image by Ripley Sellers.
A glance at what’s new with Apple Watch Series 9.
First, here’s a quick rundown of what’s new on the latest Apple Watch Series 9.
The 41mm and 45mm sizes are available in Starlight, Midnight, Silver, (PRODUCT) RED, and a new pink aluminum case, as well as stainless steel gold, silver, and graphite cases. The new S9 SiP chip enables new double-tap gestures. Tap twice with your thumb and index finger on the hand wearing the watch to access and adjust various functions, such as answering a call, snoozing an alarm, starting a timer, and waking up your iPhone to take a photo. Bright display up to 2,000 nits, twice as bright as Series 8, for easy viewing in direct sunlight. Dimmed display down to 1 nit for when you wake up or use it in the dark. 18 hours of battery life. Precision search with second-generation Ultra Wideband (UWB) helps you find your iPhone 15 with visual, tactile, and audio guidance. New watch faces: Snoopy, Palette, Solar Analog, and the new Nike Globe, which lights up the lines of the globe every second.
Other notable features of watchOS 10 and the Apple Watch S9 include redesigned apps and a new Smart Stack that shows relevant widgets when you need them, expanded Bluetooth connectivity with power meters, speed sensors, and cadence sensors, new metrics and workout views, and cycling workouts. New compass waypoints and Maps features also help navigate your outdoor adventures. Health and wellness-related features on the Apple Watch Series 9 include a Mindfulness app “state of mind recorder,” which sounds pretty futuristic in a suspiciously positive way. And the ability to measure time spent in sunlight using the ambient light sensor seems like something much better and less upsetting.
The new Apple Carbon Neutral logo will appear on applicable Apple Watch packaging.
Let’s go back to what Apple Watch Series 9 brings us, perhaps the most significant milestone not only in the 8-year history of Apple Watch but also for Apple itself: a completely carbon-neutral product. Carbon neutrality is a tricky subject, as it ranges from blatant greenwashing to a serious effort to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of the product. We still need to look into Apple’s claims in detail, but from a sustainability perspective, here’s what the company has shared so far about the Apple Watch Series 9: “Emissions from the three largest sources of greenhouse gases have been reduced: materials, electricity, and transportation. The small remaining emissions will be offset with high-quality carbon credits from nature-based projects.” This is important because Apple plans to be carbon neutral across its operations, manufacturing supply chain, and product lifecycle by 2030. The company is calling this effort “Apple 2030.”
These are carbon-neutral Apple Watch Series 9 case and strap combinations.
It’s important to know that not all Apple Watch and Apple Watch strap combinations will be a completely carbon neutral choice, but all aluminum Apple Watch Series 9s with the new Sport Loop band are carbon neutral, and the new Apple Watch SE (available in 40mm and 44mm aluminum cases) is carbon neutral when paired with the new Sport Loop band. Further efforts to reduce the environmental impact of Apple Watch Series 9 include redesigned product packaging that is smaller and 100% fiber-based (a new logo on packaging will indicate carbon-neutral models) and Apple will be eliminating leather straps (as well as leather iPhone and other product cases) entirely.
The Apple Watch Series 9’s Hermès Kilim elastomer strap and buckle feature authentic luxury watch detailing.
This also means that the premium and pricey Apple Watch Hermès straps no longer come in a leather option. Instead, the new Apple Watch Hermès straps draw on the Parisian brand’s history of textiles and craftsmanship, adding woven, knitted and hand-knitted models, as well as waterproof molded rubber and a new watch face called Hermès Radial.
The new FineWoven Apple Watch straps are an alternative to leather straps with a lower environmental impact.
Apple seems to understand the importance of a leather strap option as it is preferred by customers who want a more elegant and sophisticated look. It is suitable for wearing in the office or formal occasions. To make up for the lack of leather, Apple is introducing FineWoven, which, as you can see from the name, is designed to attract customers who want a leather strap option. Apple describes it as “a luxurious and durable micro-twill made from 68% post-consumer recycled materials that has a significantly lower carbon footprint than leather.” It has a suede-like feel and is available on Magnetic Link and Modern Buckle bands.
The random pattern on the new Nike Apple Watch Series 9 straps is pretty cool, and Nike also makes apparel with the same pattern.
Other straps have also been updated: the Sport Loop band has been redesigned to contain 82 percent recycled yarn and all new Apple Watch Sport Loops are carbon neutral, while Nike Sport Bands now contain more than 32 percent recycled fluoroelastomers, including colorful flakes made from surplus bands that create a random pattern. The Nike Sport Loop with a space-dye pattern reuses yarn from previous seasons.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Apple Watch Series 9 launch. Pricing for the Apple Watch Series 9 aluminum model starts at $399 for the GPS model and $499 for the GPS and cellular model, while the Apple Watch Series 9 stainless steel model starts at $699 with GPS and cellular. Customers in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan, UAE, UK, US, and more than 40 other countries and regions can order the Apple Watch Series 9 (and Apple Watch SE) already and will be in stores starting Friday, September 22. watchOS 10 will be available on Apple Watch Series 4 and later on Monday, September 18 and requires iPhone XS or later with iOS 17. Not all features are available on all devices and in all regions. Check the brand’s website for more information.
