Apple Watch Series 9 Launches with Quad-Core "Neural Engine" for On-Wrist Machine Learning

Apple has officially unveiled its next-generation wearable platform, the Apple Watch Series 9, and it comes with some major upgrades — including an on-board neural network coprocessor that churns through machine learning workloads twice as fast as its predecessor.

"Apple Watch is an indispensable companion that helps millions of people with their health, fitness, communications, and safety," claims Jeff Williams, Apple's chief operating officer, of the company's wearables line. "We're introducing our best Apple Watch lineup, with incredible new capabilities and technological advancements, including a new double tap gesture, brighter display, on-device Siri, as well as our first-ever carbon neutral products. Whether users are upgrading from earlier models or buying their first, there’s never been a more compelling time to experience Apple Watch."

Externally, the Series 9 looks a lot like the Series 8 — and the Series 7, and all the Apple Watch designs before it — bar a new display which offers double the brightness at 2,000 nits. Internally, though, it's a sea change: the Series 9 devices are powered by Apple's in-house S9 system-in-package (SIP), which includes an all-new quad-core "Neural Engine" coprocessor for machine learning workloads.

It's this Neural Engine which unlocks some new features for the device, starting with the ability to process all sensor data locally — including voice recognition using the Siri assistant platform. If a query can be resolved locally — something like setting an alarm, rather than searching for nearby restaurants — it happens entirely on-device, Apple claims, and with up to 25 per cent better dictation accuracy than the Series 8.

The on-board sensor processor also comes into play for a new single-handed interaction system: tap your finger and thumb together twice in quick succession to trigger activities on the watch, such as answering a call or pausing music playback. "This new double tap gesture is enabled by the faster Neural Engine," Apple explains, "which processes data from the accelerometer, gyroscope, and optical heart sensor with a new machine learning algorithm. The algorithm detects the unique signature of tiny wrist movements and changes in blood flow when the index finger and thumb perform a double tap."

Other new features include a second-generation ultra-wideband (UWB) transceiver for higher-precision location finding, when paired with the new iPhone 15 range, and deeper integration with Apple's HomePod platform: when a Series 9 watch is within 13 feet of a HomePad currently playing audio, the watch will automatically launch the Now Playing app to provide control.

The Apple Watch Series 9 is available to order today, starting at $399; the double-tap gesture system, though, won't be available until a software update ships next month, Apple has confirmed. More information is available on the Apple website.