At Apple’s September 2023 announcement event, the tech giant revealed the capabilities of its new Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2. The yearly update to both devices improves the processor to a new S9 chip, which will include AI processing cores for the first time on an Apple Watch. These cores enhance the function of every task that relies on artificial intelligence, from processing photos, to interpreting voice commands, to more accurate typing with autocorrect. Those cores will allow Siri to process some commands on the Apple Watch, without needing to communicate with an iPhone or the cloud. The new chip also enables a whole new gesture the user performs on their watch-arm, without touching the screen. Here’s everything you need to know about Apple’s latest generation of Apple Watches.
Smartwatches & Fitness Trackers
How to Know If Your Apple Watch Is Charging
By Olena Kagui
The Apple Watch is a great device that many of us would be lost without. It doesn’t take long to charge it, but we don’t want to waste time wondering if it’s actually getting charged. I will teach you how to be confident that your Apple Watch is charging and how to check Apple Watch battery life using a widget in your iPhone's Today View.
How to Flip Apple Watch Face
By Conner Carey
By default, the Digital Crown on the Apple Watch is on the right side like a traditional watch. But did you know you can flip your Apple Watch face around so that the Digital Crown is on the left of the watch? I did this when I first bought the device because I’m left-handed, and I wear my watch on my right wrist. Here's how to flip Apple Watch face.
Apple Watch Keeps Pausing during Workouts? Here's What to Do
By Olena Kagui
Your Apple Watch fitness tracker is the Santa Claus of exercise. It senses when you're sleeping, it knows when you're awake, and it can tell if you're slacking during a workout. Instead of giving you a lump of coal, your Apple Watch will pause your workout and ask, "Finished your workout?" Learn how to dismiss the reminder, disable the automatic workout detection feature, and calibrate your Apple Watch to optimize your fitness routine and close those Activity Rings.
Apple Fitness Plus: How to Add a Favorite Workout to My Workouts
By Erin MacPherson
Most Apple Fitness app users tend to favor certain workouts. If you’d rather have an easy way to find your favorite workouts instead of having to search through Apple Fitness+ each time, we’ll show you how to add favorite workouts to your My Workouts list.
Can I Use Apple Fitness Plus without an Apple Watch?
By Erin MacPherson
Do you need an Apple Watch to use Apple Fitness Plus? Well... yes and no. There are some things you can do without an Apple Watch, but other features won't work without a compatible Apple Watch in use. Let's take a look at how your Apple Watch interfaces with Fitness Plus, and when you can use the service without your watch.
How to Screenshot on Apple Watch
By Emma Chase
You can screenshot on Apple Watch with just one step, which comes in very handy when you want to share something cool or interesting on your screen but only have a moment to catch it before the screen changes. We'll show you how to screenshot on Apple Watch so you can save and share interesting things from your Apple Watch screen.
How to Fix Inaccurate Apple Watch Step Tracking
By Erin MacPherson
Your Apple Watch is your personal assistant, your personal trainer, and your most accessible gadget. One of the best ways to meet your daily exercise goals and stay motivated is to track your steps, which contributes to your overall count for calories expended. It's important, however, to ensure that your Apple Watch pedometer is working correctly, or you may be seeing inaccurate step tracking results. In this article we look at how to make sure your Apple Watch is able to accurately count your steps, and how to how to calibrate your Apple Watch step counter if it's inaccurate results.
Apple Watch Emergency SOS: How to Set Up, Use & Turn It Off
By Conner Carey
What is emergency SOS on your Apple Watch? It is a quick way to alert authorities in case of an emergency. It can even be set up automatically to go off if you have experienced a fall. If you set up your Medical ID, it can also help alert your emergency contact. learn how to use it to add an extra layer of safety to your Apple Watch!
15 Apple Watch Tips That’ll Make You A Pro
By Conner Carey
Getting started with Apple Watch is a fairly simple process. With the Watch app, Apple does a good job of walking you through the bare-minimum basics. But once you’ve been wearing the Apple Watch for awhile, small things begin to bother you (like too many notifications, or Now Playing auto-opening), and often, we’re not aware that there’s a different way. Particularly since it’s such a small piece of hardware, knowing the tips and tricks will make your experience with Apple Watch smooth and awesome. Here’s 15 Apple Watch tips that’ll make you a pro.
6 Best Apps for Apple Watch
By Conner Carey
New third-party apps for Apple Watch are constantly being introduced as the iPhone accessory gains momentum. One of the biggest complaints of watch users is the lack of apps that work well on such a small device. Developing apps for a screen measured in millimeters means thinking about our wearable tech as both a companion to iPhone and a stand alone device. That’s why I put together a roundup of six apps that make the Apple Watch more productive and/or more fun to use.
How to Stop Now Playing on Apple Watch Automatically Opening
By Erin MacPherson
Apple Watch Now Playing is nice when you need quick access to the music you're currently playing via your watch, but it can be annoying when Now Playing auto-opens every time you listen to music on your iPhone. We'll show you how to turn off the Now Playing on Apple Watch auto-open setting so you don't have to deal with this issue anymore.
If you’re an avid golfer, having the best iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch golf apps can improve your game experience and performance. Our favorite golf apps help you find nearby ranges, track your score, and offer everything from golf tips to full-on golf lessons (say hello to that perfect putt!). Here's our roundup of the best golf apps.
Too Many Apple Watch Bands? Keep Them in the Monochest!
By Conner Carey
Apple Watch bands have different purposes. The Sport band is particularly perfect for exercising, while you might want a Milanese Loop for special events, and a double tour leather strap for day-to-day wear. Once you’ve acquired multiple bands, the question becomes, “where do I store these things?” Especially since each band is in two pieces, it would be easy to lose one. I’ve seen plenty of travel kits for Apple Watch, but the Monochest ($79.99) by Monowear is the first Apple Watch band holder I’ve encountered.
Is your Apple Watch stuck on the Apple logo, or otherwise frozen or glitching? Don't worry; you can easily restart your Apple Watch. If your Apple Watch is still not responding, you can force restart or hard reset (reboot) it. Let's learn how to reboot your Apple Watch with either a restart or force restart so you can get it unfrozen and back to normal!
How to Edit Text on an Apple Watch Using Scribble
By Tamlin Day
The Scribble feature makes Apple Watch lets you compose texts by writing the words on your Watch Face with a finger rather than dictating them to Siri. Quiet texts on the Apple Watch make it easier to send and receive texts discreetly. But what happens when your watch fails to correctly translate your scribbling into text? With Scribble on the Apple Watch, you can also edit incorrect words without talking to Siri. Here’s how to text on an Apple Watch and edit texts using Scribble.
Fitness+: Apple's Comprehensive Digital Workout Program
By Amy Spitzfaden Both
During Apple's September event, Apple announced its new fitness subscription service: Fitness+. Apple says Fitness+ will create comprehensive, personalized workouts that include music, metrics, and instructors for all lifestyles and fitness levels. This is a logical offering in a time when many gyms are closed and many people are looking for safe and solitary ways to stay fit, but with so many free fitness programs out there, how will Fitness+ differentiate itself and justify the monthly price tag? One unique feature is that this is the first digital fitness program to synchronize with the Apple Watch, so tracking your activity, heart rate, calories, and more will be easier and more in-depth than if you were using a different program, and workout suggestions promise new levels of personalization. Users will play a workout on their iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV while their Apple Watch tracks and records their activity. And even though the Apple Watch will be collecting and analyzing more data than ever before, Apple promises that all the information, from instructors to calories, will be kept private.
How to Avoid Accidental 911 Calls on Apple Watch
By Leanne Hays
The Apple Watch is an ideal purchase for on-the-go people who need an ultra portable device that can offer both functionality and durability. Many of the iPhone's best loved features are included in the Apple Watch, including fitness tracking and health monitoring, the ability to play music, and of course text messaging and calling. The Apple Watch also accommodates health apps with safety features designed to notify wearers of medical concerns and offer help to contact emergency services if needed. These features have been credited with everything from alerting Apple Watch owners to life-threatening health crises to enabling the Coast Guard rescue of an Apple Watch user stranded off the California coast after a kiteboarding mishap. Sometimes, though, it can be a little too easy to get in touch with Emergency Services via an Apple Watch; there have been multiple reports of accidental calls to 911 from Apple Watch owners who unwittingly triggered their device's SOS setting. How can you keep from joining their number and accidentally dialing 911 on your Apple Watch? Let's figure it out!
Apple Watch FaceTime: Everything You Need to Know
By Olena Kagui
Have you ever wondered, "Can you FaceTime on an Apple Watch?" The surprising answer is yes! FaceTime audio calls are perfect for Apple devices that don’t have a camera. Unfortunately, there is no Apple Watch camera in the works just yet, at least as far as we know. But the good news is, you can make free FaceTime audio calls with your Apple Watch.
How to Use Apple Watch’s New Time to Walk Feature
By Olena Kagui
Walking workouts meet inspirational audiobooks in Time to Walk, a new Apple Fitness+ release. But what does Time to Walk really do? This Apple Watch fitness feature allows you to complete a walking workout while listening to a famous motivational figure. Enjoy Uzo Aduba, Shawn Mendes, Ibram X. Kendi, Dolly Parton, and Draymond Green as your virtual walking companion. Check out this new feature and discover how it can upgrade your Apple Watch workout experience.