Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman revealed some of the news to come with the Apple Watch Series 9 and that second generation of the Apple Watch Ultra.
According to Gurman, the second-generation Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra will offer several sensor and component upgrades, including one “Focus on speed, efficiency and overall accuracy.”
These changes include a new version of the optical heart rate sensor. The Apple Watch Series 7 and Series 8 feature the third generation of Apple’s optical heart rate sensor.
The new Apple Watch will also have one brand new “U2” ultra-wideband chip, the first generation iteration of the component since the U1 chip was introduced in the iPhone 11 Pro in 2019.
The new chip will improve Apple Watch’s tracking capabilities, allowing people and devices to be tracked more accurately in the app Search. This chip will apparently be included in all upcoming versions of Apple’s major products, including the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro.
The second generation of Apple Watch Ultra is made from more recycled materials and for the first time It will be available in black. The stainless steel Apple Watch Series 9 will feature a 3D printed case. Apple plans to begin producing the Apple Watch Ultra with this technology next year.
The main update for this year’s Apple Watch will be anew processor, which has not been changed in the last three generations of the device. Apparently Apple is planning “Hype the significant improvements in processing speed” during their “Wonderlust” event.
Otherwise, the new Apple Watch models remain almost unchanged compared to their predecessors.